Question for the Brits...

Are you wearing your Poppy?

Sadly, I have only seen 6 people (besides myself) wearing one, and one of those was my vicar.
One reason is that nowhere seems to sell them any more. I remember when the Poppy Appeal was high-profile, shops everywhere had them, they were sold in schools, British Legion members would sell them on the streets, etc etc. This year, I have only seem them in one shop (a sandwich shop!). Last year, a British Legion member selling them outside a shop was asked by the shop's manager to go away! :angry: :bang:

All quite depressing, really.

 

Ricky.

Don't shop there again :angry:

As soon as I see someone selling them, you can be sure I will buy one.

My dad served in Burma.
Sadly he died in 1975 when I was just 12. But I know he smiles up in hevean when I wear my poppy with pride.

 

Hey guys,what exactly are we talking about?

 

The Poppy Appeal.

Started after WW1 by Field Marshal Haig (a distant relative of mine, btw!), the idea is that the public buys a fake poppy, and wears it in rememberance of the War Dead (for 11th November). All the money made goes to those who were left in need by the war (injured, or widows, and so on).

Obviously now it covers every war since WW1.

 

A beatiful symbol! I would wear my poppy if I were a Brit, I'm sure. However, aren't you a little early?

 

It is a week tomorrow.
In years gone by, they were on sale at least a month in advance.

 

must not leave out the Canadians they wear them too.

 

Yes I am, although in the last few years I have seen disappointingly few for sale, and last year was not able to get one at all.

I try to make a point of donating something to any WW2 related charity if I see the collectors out, or if I have my children with me I give them some money to put in the boxes.

 

post subject

Today I been out in my best blazer with Regimental Badge, tank beret, tie, the full works. Friday and Saturday I shall be there again, the same next week, with a Remembrance Sevice on Sunday at the village War Memorial.Today four Jocks of the Black Watch died in Iraq, how many more? I have put together two poppy crosses for a lady in Australia who's father died in WW2, she never knew him. I found whilst making enquires that her fathers brother also died in WW2, she did not know of him.
Tomorrow thes joined crosses I shall place at our village memorial.
Picture below, but not scanned too well.

 

Brian, that is very touching.

Rememberance is a good thing - it might stop us having to do it again.

 

In France we have similar ones, but with blue flowers(bleuets).

 

post subject

The probable reason that you are not seeing as many "Poppy Sellers" is that every year we get fewer, there are not many of us left.
You don't have to be a Royal British Legion member to help with the poppy Appeal, the Legion would be proud to have young voluntiers,
we are honoured to have the assistance of the Youth Organisations.

 

post subject

Sorry, didn't realise first picture was there!

 

How do you volunteer?
Do you just have to find your nearest Royal British Legion group and ask?

 

post subject

That's about it Ricky.Sure they'd be very pleased to have you.

 

post subject.

I think perhaps you'd like the words that go with the picture above.
"The Green Fields of France"
Well how do you do, young Willie Mc.Bride,
Mind if I sit here down by your graveside,
And rest for a while 'neath the warm summer sun,
I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done.
I see by your gravestone you were only nineteen,
When you joined the great fallen in nineteen sixteen,
I hope you died well and I hope you died clean,
Or young Willie Mc.Bride was it slow and obscene,
Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly,
Did they sound the dead march as they lowered you down,
And did the band play the last post and chorus,
Did the pipes play the "Flowers of the Forest"

And did you leave a wife or sweetheart behind,
In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined,
Although you died back in nineteen sixteen,
In some lonely heart are you only nineteen,
Or are you a stranger without even a name,
Enclosed and forever behind a glass frame,
In an old photograph, torn and battered and stained
And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame.

The sun now it shines on the green fields of France,
There's a warmSummer breeze it makes the red poppies dance,
And look how the sun shines from under the clouds,
There's nogas, no barbed wire there's no guns firing now,
But here in this graveyard it's stillno man's land,
The countless white crosses stand mute in the sand
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man
To a whole generation that were butchered and damned.

Now young Willie Mc.Bride I can't help but wonder why
Do all those who lie here know wjy they died,
And did they believe when they answered the cause,
Did they really believe this war would end wars,
Well the sorrows, the suffering, the glory, the pain,
The killing and dying was all done in vain
For young Willie Mc.Bride it all happened again,
And again, and again, and again, and again.

 

Beautiful, trackpin, absolutely beautiful. :cry:

I swear I would wear my poppy if I were one of the peoples who were involved in the Great War... However, fortunately, in 1914 Dutch neutrality was still respected.

 

post subject

For more information on "Poppies" type "Flanders Fields" into your searcher! The song writer was Canadian.
The poppy Roel is not just for WW1, the Royal British Legion provides help
for all ex military personel from all conflicts and from all fields of service.
The help goes on all of the time not just one day, and covers just about every thing, wheel chairs, grave visits, medical aid, dependants, and I am sure that you will find British ex.pats. have RBL clubs in most countries of the world including Holland.

 

post subject

Roel, have a look at the various links to <Royal British Legion Amsterdam Branch> it will give you an insight into RBL away from Britain.

 

Re: post subject

Thanks trackpin, I will. Of course it's not just about WW1, that wouldn't give them a lot of work since the last remaining veterans of the Great War are few in number. That's when it started though. If not with it from the beginning, it's always hard to join.

In Flanders' fields, the poppies grow
between the crosses, row on row
that mark our place. And in the sky
the larks, still bravely singing, fly
scarce heard amidst the guns below
We are the dead. Short days ago
we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow
loved and were loved, and now we lie
in Flanders' fields.

That's what I know of the poem "Flanders' Fields" without looking it up. Could someone please add the next two verses?