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Poppies
- Thread starter Roland
- Start date
BobClay
Well-Known Forumite
Nobody's doing wrong if they honour the past. It's not a fashion !!!
I was asked in the pub by someone the other day why I was wearing a metal poppy badge, which specifically honours the Merchant Navy, and was I too mean to buy a yearly poppy ? …. I was f**king astounded !!!
I've been a member of the British Legion for some years, I was taken into the local Stafford Branch (pretty much opposite the old Labour Club entrance) as a kid by my Dad, a WW2 veteran. I directly contribute to the BL fund every year, and it's not for a badge, but I was getting shit from some twat who thinks it's a fashion ?
I gotta tell yer …. I had some seriously wicked thoughts …. but this particular time of year is not the place for those.
I was asked in the pub by someone the other day why I was wearing a metal poppy badge, which specifically honours the Merchant Navy, and was I too mean to buy a yearly poppy ? …. I was f**king astounded !!!
I've been a member of the British Legion for some years, I was taken into the local Stafford Branch (pretty much opposite the old Labour Club entrance) as a kid by my Dad, a WW2 veteran. I directly contribute to the BL fund every year, and it's not for a badge, but I was getting shit from some twat who thinks it's a fashion ?
I gotta tell yer …. I had some seriously wicked thoughts …. but this particular time of year is not the place for those.
Sk84goal
Well-Known Forumite
Last year I was in Jordan with a small group examining some recently re-discovered battlefields of WW1.
Our group contained ex armed forces, historians even an ex MP but also people like me with a simple interest in the first world war. We held our remembrance service on an unmarked battlefield and it was a very simple but moving event. We did not feel the need to wear poppies as we were all there to perform the same remembrance and wanted it to be as simple and unstructured as possible. A Dutch TV crew had joined us for a couple of days and part of the service was included in their program about the creation of the modern middle east. You can view it here if you are interested :- (Fast forward to about 4.30 min where it switches to English!)
https://www.npostart.nl/hoop-en-wanhoop-in-het-midden-oosten/18-07-2018/VPWON_1273245
As Lucy said it is important that everybody remembers how they wish to remember.
Our group contained ex armed forces, historians even an ex MP but also people like me with a simple interest in the first world war. We held our remembrance service on an unmarked battlefield and it was a very simple but moving event. We did not feel the need to wear poppies as we were all there to perform the same remembrance and wanted it to be as simple and unstructured as possible. A Dutch TV crew had joined us for a couple of days and part of the service was included in their program about the creation of the modern middle east. You can view it here if you are interested :- (Fast forward to about 4.30 min where it switches to English!)
https://www.npostart.nl/hoop-en-wanhoop-in-het-midden-oosten/18-07-2018/VPWON_1273245
As Lucy said it is important that everybody remembers how they wish to remember.
Gadget
Well-Known Forumite
The level of virtue signalling has risen hugely the last couple of years. It's also starting to become akin to something all of those who died during the war were fighting against. The yearly witch hunt of non poppy wearers should anyone appear on tv or in a photo without one. People are decorating their houses now, it seems to be a competition on social media as who can quote the most or post the most pictures of poppies etc so they can be the most respectful. It's slightly crazy.
I make crochet poppies to raise funds and my Uncles and Grandad served but I'm not going to keep going on and on about it for a month.
I make crochet poppies to raise funds and my Uncles and Grandad served but I'm not going to keep going on and on about it for a month.
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
I bought a beautiful crocheted poppy this year and proudly put it on my coat.
The thing is, like most women I do have more than one coat.
Coats for walking the dog, waterproof jacket for when it’s raining, lightweight coat for when it’s not so cold, padded jacket for when it’s freezing, coats for popping into town, coats for going out in the evening, coats to match a certain outfit, coats for this and coats for that.
I have been guilty of just grabbing the relevant coat and forgetting to transfer the poppy from one to the other.
Perhaps people have been judging me for popping out without a poppy.
When I see someone without a poppy I just think “They’ve surely got one, perhaps it’s on their other coat”
The thing is, like most women I do have more than one coat.
Coats for walking the dog, waterproof jacket for when it’s raining, lightweight coat for when it’s not so cold, padded jacket for when it’s freezing, coats for popping into town, coats for going out in the evening, coats to match a certain outfit, coats for this and coats for that.
I have been guilty of just grabbing the relevant coat and forgetting to transfer the poppy from one to the other.
Perhaps people have been judging me for popping out without a poppy.
When I see someone without a poppy I just think “They’ve surely got one, perhaps it’s on their other coat”
Gadget
Well-Known Forumite
Wear one, don't wear one, surely the important thing is just remembering? No one should judge anyone for not wearing one, It's all down to personal choice. My parents have told me lots of folk who pop some change in the box but don't want a poppy.
Sadly it also seems that the way things are going in the world we seem doomed to repeat history. But the important thing is a paper poppy to the masses it seems.
Sadly it also seems that the way things are going in the world we seem doomed to repeat history. But the important thing is a paper poppy to the masses it seems.
Lucy
Well-Known Forumite
Exactly. I didn't wear a poppy this year, I was away last week and have lost the lovely knitted one I found in my mum's belongings, but does that mean I care less? Of course not. It's really getting beyond a joke.
I did, however, ring the church bells twice today, half muffled before the service, and fully pealing at 12.30 as lots of churches did to mark the armistice.
Noah
Well-Known Forumite
I've always worn them for a week before Remembrance Sunday or Armistice Day, whichever was the later. I have no idea why, lost in the mists of childhood, possibly in those days it was when they went on sale, with collectors standing round the streets.
Nowdays I buy and wear one of the small enamel poppies, probably most people don't notice it but that doesn't worry me. It is the reason not the wearing that matters..
Unfortunately not everyone does, at 11am this morning there was still a large queue at McDonalds drive through!
BobClay
Well-Known Forumite
Well I spent that hour walking around Tamar Lake in that sharp low in the sky sunlight you get this time of year. I'm not much of a church goer, much prefer green fields and autumn leaved trees than cold stone walls and superstition. (No offence meant to those who do attend.) Watching a number of TV programmes about the end of World War One shown recently it was a sobering thought to see that even after all that horror, the blue print was being laid down for World War Two … or perhaps we should call it World War Part Two. 
Jonah
Spouting nonsense since the day I learned to talk
Poppies are NOT a compulsory item. You can remember and still contribute to the RBL without having to wear one. I have stopped wearing one because the whole act of wearing one has become highly politicised over the last few years.
At 11.00am yesterday I was in the middle of refereeing a football match. And before you shout at me, the teams and parents held silence before the kick off. It wasn't practical to stop the match half was through to hold silence. Does this make us disrespectful?
Thehooperman
Well-Known Forumite
Perhaps they were queuing for another kind of poppy?
You've got to get your elevenes' mega burger in before Sunday lunch you know!!!
BobClay
Well-Known Forumite
What a brilliant idea ….. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-46173462/beach-images-across-the-uk-honour-world-war-one-soldiers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-46173462/beach-images-across-the-uk-honour-world-war-one-soldiers
PeterD
ST16 Represent.
I was driving up the M6. I wasnt wwearing a poppy. For clarity I gave more of a thought than I usually do. I wonder if I would have given the troops more had I had a poppy pinned to me.