DEVON?S youngest standard bearer James Stacey from Okehampton has succeeded at his third attempt at a county title. The 20-year-old James took first place in the Devon Standard Bearer Competition held at Honiton last Saturday. He beat his arch rival Ralph Cox, of Branscombe, who has won the title for the last two years. James has been runner-up on these two occasions. ?I am overwhelmed ? I could not believe it,? said the young winner. ?Ralph came third in the country last year and I have beaten him for the first time.? Standard Bearer for the Okehampton branch of the Royal British Legion for the past four years, James is still one of the youngest people to carry out this role in the country. He has now been entered for the regional competition in February and could qualify for the national title at the annual conference in Bournemouth next May. Luke Francis from Shebbear, 26, who represented the Mid Torridge branch, was third in the county competition and only started training for the title six weeks ago. James, who is a greenkeeper at Ashbury Golf Course but has ambitions to join the RAF, was plucked from the Okehampton Air Cadets to carry the standard for Okehampton in 2002. He showed a keen interest, and both his grandfather and great grandfather were servicemen in world wars, the former a Spitfire engineer in world war two. His task in the competition was to perform a 20-minute drill in front of an audience and parade marshal. Press officer for the Okehampton branch of the RBL Peter Williams said: ?The branch is particularly proud to have such a dedicated member, who has and will continue throughout 2007 to represent the County of Devon as well as his first loyalty, Okehampton. ?He will be on parade for the town?s Remembrance Sunday on November 12 when he will carry the branch?s new standard, recently dedicated at the Parish Church. ?Both James and Luke represent the upcoming younger generation, which is so important for the future of the Royal British Legion, namely, the welfare of ex-servicemen and women and their dependents.? He said a large slice of the credit for the young men?s success must go to trainer, Bob Nelson, of Newton St Petrock, a former Irish Guards sergeant major and the county Parade Marshal. l James is pictured left with the Rev Mark Thomas at the blessing of the new Okehampton RBL standard earlier this month. Picture by Ian Snell