Queen's Birthday Honours: National Chair for Royal Military Police Association 'honoured and humbled' to be made MBE for his leadership to support army veterans

Robert Eggelton, from Waterlooville, is a part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year.

The 79-year-old veteran has been instrumental in increasing membership to the RMPA association, travelling thousands of miles to personally inspire and connect veterans.

Since taking over the ‘Old Comrades Link Up’ newsletter 17 years ago, designed to unite former servicemen, he’s produced 179 online newsletters – which at its peak went out to more than 3,000 recipients.

At his voluntary post, which he held for four years, it’s thanks to Robert’s ‘outstanding’ leadership that the RMPA is a vibrant network of 37 branches found in three continents.

Speaking of the honour, he said: ‘I am deeply humbled and honoured to be recognised in this manner. What makes it even more special for me is that it has happened in Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year and Her Majesty is the Colonel-in Chief of the Royal Military Police and the patron of the Royal Military Police Association.

‘I accept this award on behalf of the many thousands who are out there assisting our veterans.’

Robert enlisted into the corps of the Royal Military Police in December 1960 and went on to serve in the Middle East, Germany, the UK, Hong Kong and Northern Ireland where he stayed until 1983 going on to serve in the Territorial Army.

Robert became active with the RMPA at Southwick Park in Southwick later in civilian life and he volunteered for the Royal Military Police Museum, also in Southwick.

He’s since forged strong links across Portsmouth and the surrounding area to support other charities supporting veterans.

The newsletter, which he publishes monthly, links-up veterans who may have lost touch with their friends, updating the community with social events, guidance to veteran support agencies or developing veteran initiatives

‘It was someone else's suggestion who used to go out with a small group of veterans from Malaya and Cyprus,’ he said.

‘I had all these names of military policemen and women and he said to do a newsletter and I started that.

‘Without blowing my own trumpet it was an instant success because it gave my old guys and girls an opportunity to write their stories as well and that’s important because in similar magazines it’s limited space.

‘I compiled a first one and the rest of the stories came flooding in – and they've continued to do so.’

The veteran is also a trustee of the Royal Military Police Central Benevolent Fund and was a longstanding trustee of the Royal Military Police Museum Trust. On May 22, Mr Eggelton handed over his role but says he will remain active locally and will continue his work with the Old Comrades.

He added: ‘All veterans must stay in a loop somewhere.

‘It started when I was vice chair and we bought the association up to date and into the 21st century

‘Not just me there are other people working of course. I just continued to do what I do. I just like doing what I do. The Old Comrades Link Up is my hobby.’