In the immediate aftermath of WW1, limbless men came together for their treatments and fittings, and there developed a spirit of kinship amongst them, arising from their common disabilities and shared experiences.

The crutch, the walking stick, the empty sleeve, served as an introduction to friends who had met with similar misfortunes in battle.

Officers of the Scottish LESMA established contact with limbless ex-Servicemen in the North of England, and in 1929, branches were formed in Manchester, Leeds, Hull, Burnley, Accrington, Southport, Oldham, Bradford, Halifax and Wigan.

The English branches, however, became dissatisfied with Scottish control and asked for a proper constitution to provide for the democratic election of officers and an executive council.

The English branches convened a round table meeting in Leeds in 1931 where it was decided to form the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association, with the first Annual Conference being held in Manchester in 1932.