The Wexford Branch was founded on the 4 February 1925.  A significant figure involved with the branch around that time was Major-General Beauchamp John Colclough Doran CB and may have been heavily ivolved in the branch's formation.

The branch history from its founding year to the present has been lost. However, member and retired branch official Tom O'Keefe has kindly submitted what he can remember of the branch's creation.

The branch was originally known as, 'The Willie John Redmond Royal British Legion Club' and affectionally known throughout Wexford Town as the 'Comrades'. (The term 'Comrades' might refer to a time before the British Legion was formed when the largest ex-Great War serviceman's organisation was called, 'Comrades of the Great War'). 

Tom continues, apart from joining the club briefly before it closed down most of my knowledge is hearsay. However, because of its cheap drink and opening hours a lot of its customers weren't branch members. When licensing laws didn't allow Sunday drinking, it did a brisk trade. In fact, it was said that it did its best trade on Christmas Day and Good Friday.  

In the early days of the club it had a band. The members used to march from the premises a short distance to the Redmond Memorial Park and hold ceremonies.    When I joined the club just before it (the premises) was sold it was on its last legs. I remember seeing just a couple of old men around a 'Bogey' stove playing cards, while behind them a small bar with just two committee members.   

Chris Breen (committee member) was well known in the town. He had a horse and cart on which he used to collect the lightships men's baskets and bring them to the railway station to be brought to Rosslare for the Irishlights steamer. When I came back from a trip on the lightships the premises had been sold, having no longer being a viable unit. I don't know the details of the sale but the money went back to Headquarters in England.  

I had taken over as secretary then and apart from a tattered old copy book there weren't any records of meetings, no minutes or recordings of AGMs. Colonel Bradish had been its president for a while but had passed away some years previously. Try as I might, I couldn't find any sort of memorabilia. I believe they had a standard at one time. I had never (actually) seen it and subsequent inquiries on my part were useless.

Somewhere, someone must have a record of the club's activities, which in spite of the political climate at the time, was an integral part of the town.

Tom O'Keefe.