To have a special honours list envelope drop through the door is something most might consider a unique honour.
But Margaret Brown’s BEM in the New Year list is the latest in a line of accolades for one Forfar family.
Forfar Legion chairwoman Margaret has been honoured for her voluntary service to veterans.
She is a well-known figure at Remembrance events at home and abroad as one of trhe country’s leading standard bearers.
And her award follows an MBE awarded to husband, Charlie in 2019, as well as a BEM received by brother-in-law and former Forfar councillor Colin Brown in 2018.
Long-standing Army Cadets volunteer role
“There won’t be many families who have three honours so it is something I am very proud of,” said Margaret.
“I was so excited when I got the notification, you never expect anything like that to happen to you.”
A former member of the WRAC and Territorial Army, Margaret has also been involved with the Army Cadets for the past 28 years.
And in addition to her Forfar Legion role, she is the organisation’s area secretary for Angus, Perthshire and Fife.
“You don’t ever take on these roles for yourself so I feel a bit guilty to have received this, but it is a great recognition of our veterans,” added the 66-year-old.
“It is a great honour to be a standard bearer and it is something that has taken me so many places.
“Those include the Royal Albert Hall and the Cenotaph for Remembrance events, as well as France and Belgium to ceremonies at the likes of Arras and the Menin Gate.”
The Isle of Lewis monument to the crew of the Iolaire in January 1919 is another poignant location Margaret was privileged to visit in her standard-bearer role.
“It’s quite unusual for a woman to be one of the leading competition standard bearers and I’m proud to have been given this honour,” she said.
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