A VETERAN soldier is disgusted that a Royal British Legion Club has done nothing about the man who he says attacked him on their premises, injuring him so badly he was left unconscious.

Disabled Anthony Hill, 52, an RBL member who moved to Ramsbury because he wanted to live somewhere quieter than Newbury, was invalided out of the forces some years ago after serving in the REME for 22 years.

Now he wonders if what he thought was a quiet and pretty village is the right place for him to make his home, after the attack in the High Street club.

A former member of other RBL clubs, he had paid his £29 membership fee in a bid to make new friends in the village. “I was sat at the bar, there were five or six people in there and a guy was being a bit aggressive,” he said.

“I asked him to calm down and I was hit on the head with a stool and a bottle and beaten unconscious. I was nearly killed.”

Wiltshire Police are still investigating the assault, and Mr Hill is satisfied they are taking the case seriously.

But he is unhappy that, five weeks afterwards, the RBL club have taken no action, as he understands from talking to locals that his alleged assailant, who lives just round the corner from him in the small village, is still drinking there, although he is not a club member.

“He is barred from the other pubs in the village for life,” he said. “My issue is with the RBL. No-one seems to want to take responsibility - the national RBL say that clubs are independent, but they are using the RBL name,” he said. “Someone from the RBL knocked on my door and apologised, but that’s all - they have not been in touch with me at all.”

A spokesman for the Ramsbury RBL Club told the Gazette they did not want to comment on the incident ‘at this time’. It is understood the attack on Mr Hill is due to be discussed at a committee meeting next week.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Council said: “If we are made aware of breaches of a private club’s licence we would contact the licence holder to ensure they are complying with their licence, provide advice if appropriate and enforcement action is also an option.”

A spokesman from the RBL head office said: “Legion clubs are run entirely separately from The Royal British Legion’s branches and the charity’s welfare work. The Legion has no responsibility for the management of the clubs which are run as businesses.

“The Legion licences the clubs to use its name under conditions which are designed to protect its good name and interests, and can act appropriately if it finds any club is failing to abide by them.”