National Association Of Discharged Sailors And Soldiers
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The National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers (NADSS) was a British veterans' organisation. The group was founded in early 1917 at a conference in
Blackburn Blackburn () is an industrial town and the administrative centre of the Blackburn with Darwen borough in Lancashire, England. The town is north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the River Ribble, Ribble Valley, east of Preston ...
, drawing together various local groups representing working men who had served in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
but had since been discharged. It campaigned for better
pension A pension (; ) is a fund into which amounts are paid regularly during an individual's working career, and from which periodic payments are made to support the person's retirement from work. A pension may be either a " defined benefit plan", wh ...
s, and more opportunities for re-training. Led by James Howell, it developed links with
trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...
s and the Labour Party. The association sponsored several candidates at the 1918 general election, forming part of what was termed the " Silver Badge Party". Robert Hewitt Barker was elected in Sowerby, having been endorsed by the local branch, but not by the executive, and acting essentially as an independent Conservative. Around this time, the group severed its links with the labour movement, and became more conservative in outlook, moving closer to the Comrades of the Great War group. In 1919, J.M. Hogge replaced Howell as President. In 1921, it merged with the Comrades group, the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers and the Officers' Association to form the
British Legion The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British Charitable organization, charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants. ...
.Niall Barr, ''The Lion and the Poppy'', p.18


References

{{reflist British veterans' organisations United Kingdom in World War I 1917 establishments in the United Kingdom 1921 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1917 Organizations disestablished in 1921