ABF 80 marks 80 years of the Army Benevolent Fund

As well as D-Day, ABF 80 marks the 80th anniversary of the Army Benevolent Fund’s foundation. In 1944, the tide of the war was beginning to turn, but three million British soldiers remained on active service, notably in France, Italy and Burma. The Army Board at the time was determined that these brave service men and women would not face the hardships endured by those who fought in World War One, a generation earlier. In February 1944, Winston Churchill’s War Cabinet discussed the formation of the Army Benevolent Fund – a national charity for the British Army – to ensure support would be available so that soldiers, former soldiers and their immediate families could avoid hardship and live with independence and dignity.

The welfare of soldiers, past and present, and their families, remains at the heart of everything we do. In the last 80 years, we have helped many hundreds of thousands of members of the Army family, from the youngest children to the oldest veterans, both in the UK and around the world.

Learn more about our history here.

More info to follow on ABF 80 – the 80th anniversary of the Army Benevolent Fund.

Image source IWM