Legion honoured by Queen ceremony

Former Royal Navy officer Allen Parton was seriously hurt in the first Gulf War

Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq have described their "honour" at meeting the Queen as she opened the Royal British Legion's new headquarters.

The ex-servicemen told the monarch and Duke of Edinburgh the Legion had played a key role in transforming their lives.

Broadcaster Alastair Stewart and singer Hayley Westenra also attended the opening of Haig House in south London.

The Legion, which was founded in 1921 and is famous for its Poppy Appeal, supports the service community.

The monarch met Navy engineering officer Allen Parton, who spent five years in a coma after a car crash in the first Gulf War.

'Brain damage'

When he regained consciousness he had lost all memory of his life before his injury - including his wedding and the birth of his two children.

The Legion helped re-house his family and bought him a wheelchair.

Mr Parton said: "I'm in a wheelchair because I believe in Queen and country and I always feel I let her down because I didn't come home waving a victory flag.

George Taylor, nine, has campaigned for more help for veterans

"It's such an honour to meet her and to have her speaking to my wife.

"It's so important to me."

The Queen also met George Taylor, nine, from Gravesend, Kent who is the organisation's official cub campaigner.

He presented her with a posy.

George had contacted his local MP to demand more help for veterans after hearing about a veteran forced to sell his medals to pay his bills.

Martin "Ed" Edwards, the face of last year's poppy appeal which raised �30m, was also at the ceremony in Borough.

The talented sniper was struck by a bomb blast in Iraq which left him partially brain damaged and limited the movement of his limbs.

The Legion had been based in Pall Mall near St James' Palace in London since 1947.

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