The Bermuda War Veterans Association (BWVA) fears it will be unable to conduct a poppy appeal this year.

The news comes amid an ongoing dispute between the organisation and the Royal British Legion (RBL), a global charity for veterans based in London.

In September, the RBL withdrew support for the BWVA and banned it from selling RBL poppies and keeping the funds for itself as it has done for decades.

Letters obtained by The Royal Gazette revealed how the RBL told the BWVA that it is unhappy it does not help soldiers who served on the home front rather than overseas.

It also told the BWVA it believes it has "seriously misled" donors and accumulated funds using the poppy appeal which were not distributed as they should have been.

The RBL told the BWVA that in future, all monies from the Bermuda poppy appeal must be passed back to the RBL to be used for "welfare work for the whole of the qualifying community in accordance with the Legion's welfare policies."

The clash between the organisations meant two separate poppy appeals were due to be mounted this year, with the BWVA selling poppies obtained instead from the Royal Canadian Legion.

It said the Canadian organisation had given its blessing for the BWVA to keep the money for its own work. Bermuda's RBL caseworker Carol Everson plans to conduct an appeal leading up to Remembrance Day on November 11 for the RBL, using British-sourced poppies.

However, BWVA trustee H. Francis Stephens said yesterday that its plans to conduct an appeal on November 9 using Canadian poppies may have been scuppered by intervention from the RBL.

"The Royal British Legion has refused to allow the Bermuda War Veterans Association the right to sell any form of poppy for their annual appeal on the grounds that it is 'copyright protected' unless it is purchased through their agent Ms Everson," he claimed.

He explained the BWVA has already obtained supplies of poppies from the Royal Canadian Legion. "Then we got a telephone call saying there was a hiccup, that the British Legion had got hold of them, and there's a 'stop payment'.

"They were now not sure they could allow us to sell their poppies. It's all on hold right now," he said.

"We're just waiting right now and hoping to hear from the Canadian Legion again."

In an advert in this newspaper last month, the RBL told the public its aim was to offer practical assistance and emotional support to ex-servicemen and women and their dependents.

It said all funds raised through its poppy appeal locally would be kept in Bermuda for the Island's needy veterans.

In its own advert, the BWVA refuted the RBL's allegations and asked members of the public to continue to support its appeal, which raises around $5,000 to $6,000 from poppies sold on the streets each year.

Yesterday, Mr. Stephens alleged that the RBL never gave the BWVA any instructions on the way it should conduct its fundraising prior to withdrawing support for its work.

"They trusted us to do the right thing, and we have," he said.

Patrick Leavey, head of public affairs for the RBL said: "The Royal British Legion contacted the Royal Canadian Legion to inform them of our position with regard to the War Veterans Association.

The Royal Canadian Legion is a totally separate organisation to the Royal British Legion. We merely informed them of our position with regard to the War Veterans Association."

Ms Everson said: "The most important aspect of Remembrance Day is respect and remembrance for Bermuda's veterans of the two World Wars and comfort and assistance for all veterans in need.

The Royal British Legion would welcome the participation of the Bermuda War Veterans Association in a united poppy appeal for the benefit of all needy veterans."

The Royal Canadian Legion did not respond to a request for comment.