At the end of World War 1 (1914 - 1918) Earl Haig, having served as an Army Officer decided that an organisation should be formed to help those who suffered from a result of the war and their dependents and so in 1919 The British Legion was formed.
The membership grew until it became too large to administer at Headquarters Branch, therefore cities, towns and even villages were encouraged to form their own branches and in 1930 Wilshamstead founded its own British Legion Branch.
Meetings were held weekly and members assisted one another, either by visits and or financially. Funds were raised by having functions in the British Legion wooden hut situated in the grounds of the 'Black Hat' public house (now Black Hat Close).
This continued until World War 11 (1939 - 1945) during which time the wooden hut was demolished. Monthly meetings then took place either in the Village Hall or any of the Public Houses available until the year 1986 when they were held at Wilstead Bowls Club.
The Royal Charter was given to the British Legion - now The Royal British Legion in the year 1975. The Legion work still goes on today with help and assistance to ex-service personnel and their dependants in the village.
An annual Remembrance Parade takes place through the village every November (the nearest Sunday to the 11th) when the Branch Standard is carried to the Church or Methodist Chapel after an Act of Remembrance is performed at the Village War Memorial in the Churchyard when wreaths are laid by representatives of the Legion, the Parish Council, the Brownies and the Cubs, and the names of the Wilstead men who did not return from the two wars are remembered.
In July 1995 a special service to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of World War 11 was held in Wilstead Village Church, after which The Royal British Legion, Wilstead Branch Standard accompanied by some twenty five members paraded through the village to the Village Hall, where about one hundred and twenty villagers from The Royal British Legion, friends and interested villagers enjoyed a buffet lunch. This was followed by a review by the people of Wilstead, their recollections, personal experiences and drama entitled ' Wilstead at War'.