Poppies!

Thank you for starting this thread, Jane10

I do hope that contributions are not down significantly this year because the need is still there and the work of the RBL goes on, helping ex-servicemen and their families without whose sacrifices people could not express the views they do.

Watch out Laura I was really slated for using the word hi-jack yesterday in a thread!

I agree, get this meaningful thread back on track.

The white poppy also symbolises remembrance for victims of war but makes a point that war should not be celebrated or glamorised, fair enough, but to my mind that implies that the wearer of the red poppy is doing so and this is definitely not the case. The cornflower is worn in France. Whatever flower doesn't matter as long as it symbolises remembrance. Along with an understanding and gratitude for the sacrifices made on our behalf.
Perhaps we could agree to disagree Suziewoozie so that we don't hi-jack Jane's timely reminder.

From a bbc website

“Some people feel that the red poppy glorifies war and conflict.

Instead they might choose to wear a white poppy.

The white poppy is handed out by a charity called Peace Pledge Union, which promotes peace.

They say that the white poppy commemorates people who died in conflict, but focuses on achieving peace and challenging the way we look at war.’

I don’t see why this position should be sneered at or deemed illegitimate.

Sorry * Jane10*, thank you for the reminder.

One example Lemon gave was wearing a white poppy - do you think that should be banned or not suggested as a legitimate alternative?

It is a day to remember the fallen who lost their lives to allow us to express those differing views. My opinion is that those who can't support this remembrance, for whatever reason, should perhaps save their contrary opinion for another thread.
I don't imagine anyone who wears a poppy feeling superior and the fact that Tommy Robinson wears a poppy is irrelevant, the vast majority of poppy wearers don't share his views.

And apart from that lemons post is not at all an accurate statement on the position of those who may have objections to some aspects of how war and conflict is remembered. It was a shallow caricature imo.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I will certainly donate and wear my poppy with pride.

I don't agree that Lemon spoilt the tread she merely pre-empted the usual few know-it-all's who like to disagree and will argue with themselves in the mirror.

This post is only being deleted because it quotes a previously deleted post.

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I am a veteran, my husband, his two brothers and our eldest son are also veterans and we have two sons who are still serving.
I always buy from the RBL website and pop coins into collection boxes as and when I come across them.

My parents and my parents in law all served during WW2.

We Will Remember Them.

It is a national holiday here, only the European Commission and Parliament do not get it as the Germans vetoed the request to make it inclusive with Belgian Culture.

There are normally a lot of services throughout the Country particularly in Flanders.
DBF and I went to a large one in the Tyne Cot cemetery one year and the German Ambassador was late, the service went ahead, 11.00 am is 11.00am.

My father and his brothers all came home from the second war, and my grandfather and his brothers all came home from the first. They were very lucky but are still commemorated by us.

Thank you for the link FlexibleFriend

This wreath arrived today, but as our local remembrance services are not going ahead we'll simply place it on the local war memorial on the 11th November.

We planted a mulberry tree in a local park this year to mark the tenth anniversary of our son-in-law's death and it's doing very well. I love that we have a living memorial to mark his loss and hopefully when it begins to fruit the tree will attract birds (and possibly children). The RBL provided much needed guidance and legal support at the inquest and we are very happy to support them. My views on war and peace have been re-hashed annually so I'm saying no more this year.

Thanks Jane10, I will make a direct donation. I bought a lovely large Poppy brooch last year as the ones they sell are very flimsy now.

Absolutely. Will donate and wear my poppy with pride as I do every year. We support all soldiers both past and present for the sacrifices they have made. ?

I will be making my usual donation to Poppy Scotland – as in so many things Scotland is different and does its own thing.

The Scottish four-petal poppy without a leaf is different from the two-petal English one with leaf. I will not be wearing one openly. If people choose to read that as me not caring that is up to them, but they would be wrong; I'm not inclined to wear my heart on my sleeve. If for any reason I am called upon to attend a formal ceremony,I will wear intertwined red and white ceremonies.

Mine is not a service family. My father wanted to enlist in the RAF in the war – he'd been a member of the Air Defence Cadet Corps – but was not allowed to enlist as he was an essential worker, a draughtsman in a naval shipyard, so he saw out the war with the Home Guard. His older brother, my uncle Charlie, went to Burma with the Lancashire Fusiliers and was killed very soon after arriving. My father was made to feel guilty about that.

Crossed posts FlexibleFriend

Both my grandfathers survived the war in France in WW1. My father survived WW2, he was a Royal Marine on the Mediterranean fleet. He was one of the men (boys aged 19 who ran up the beaches in Sicily. The three of them met at our house throughout their lives, to stand in silence together at 11 am on 11 November. We children were as silent as small children can ever be.
They commemorated friends who didn't come home and certainly never 'celebrated' wars as some who dislike Remembrance Sunday will say.
I'll make a donation on line, thanks for the reminder Jane10

You can go to the Royal British Legion website and download poppy posters to put in your window, blank ones for GC to colour in and of course make donations.

Buy direct www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/ways-to-give/shop/poppy-shop

My relatives all returned, but had brothers who didn’t survive.
I think about them all... so young in many cases.