Will you be wearing a poppy?

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To support the work that the Royal British Legion do.

Nobody around here seems to be wearing one.

> I find those Death Pennies very sad and very moving. My grandma must have had one- her first husband was killed at the very end of the war after joining right at the start. I don't know what happened to it...

I'm married to someone who has had three passed down to him. He is only directly descended from one. The other two relatives were young men who never married and probably had no children. They are now close to forgotten. I have looked up their service records and see lives that seem to have been within the normal range of the times that then took turns that led to their deaths. The Death Pennies come out and go on a shelf for a week before 11th November. Every other year I clean them. They get remembered, but after all this time we don't really know much of their lives, loves, hopes and fears.

One thing I have been interested in is the consciousness of people of that time. When we back-project our own motivations and values we no doubt fail to truly comprehend what they thought.

That doesn't mean it said what you claim. You could settle this very easily if you screen shot the post by sending it to @Canthave2manycats

Someone on nightwatch will just have clicked the button and saved it for when MNHQ staff come online in the morning. The deletion at this time of night means nothing.

I buy a poppy every year from the British legion . Usually a crochet one I can wear without it falling off .

The meaning has been lost . Younger generations don't get it . There are very few surviving veterans of the Second World War . But I wear one . And always will . My grandparents in the Second World War . Life would be very different for us now if hitler had won .

No. My grandparents fought in WW2 and they never wore poppies, they didn't like them. My gt grandfather who fought in WW1 was the same, he threw his medals in the bin and said he had enough poppies up his back (war injuries). Not every veteran felt the way we imagine them to.

Time for a cup of tea……
At least you got some support @Canthave2manycats
ps….I have 2.

Legacy have helped support my children and myself financially after my ex-military husband abandoned us. We are still being helped.
I don't think it's all about promoting war.
They don't sell poppies here anymore, but I would.

I agree with a good cupper, milk no sugar please or ill be the teas maker, preferably PG tips, but not too fussy

Yes I will. I’m ex forces and my Dad served for almost 30 years. My friends are almost all soldiers and ex soldiers. I will wear one until Remembrance Sunday and my teens choose too as well.

My father never bothered to apply for his war medals, he couldn't see the point.

No. Its something that initially caused friction between DP and me because he is ex forces.

I dont because my grandfather, who did active service in WWII, didnt. He had a very good reason why he didnt which I agree with, so I dont either.

My father does, DP does, BIL does (all ex forces) and I have no issue with that, and they have all accepted that as I do not push them to not wear one, they shouldnt push me to wear one. If I was a TV person who was required to wear one, I am not sure what I would do. Cause a twitter storm about being disrespectful and then have to explain what is very personal, or sell out my principles for Aunty....?? It would be a tough call to make.

Yes. I will never forget .

@JaneyGee I’m a guardian reading leftie. I wear a red and a white. What a ridiculous post.

I haven't worn one since being publicly shouted at by a grumpy old man at our local war memorial. It happened to be raining and my poppy was still on my black wool coat in the car as I had had a last minute swap to my rain coat. Grumpy man thought I was a "youth of today disrespecting the nation......".

Like most people my age I have relatives who were killed in both WW1 and WW2 and I always went to show my respects but since that day, I just do it privately now.

I wear a white one, as does DH.

yes and dh yes and we will have a crisp $20 note for the oldest legion member we can find that week.

Why?

And why did you feel the need to share about it?

@PyongyangKipperbang i hope for peace and somehow remembering the family that fought (extended family) and the family history of survival during those years compels me to wear a poppy.
dh really enjoys seeing the really old fellows smile when you donate even if the legion in this region is mainly a symbolic service club.

Ugh. How patronising.

Ah virtue signalling...you should have said!

So you donate to make yourselves feel good?

dh really enjoys seeing the really old fellows smile when you donate

Jeeze, even worse. You two are caricatures of sentimental, patronising ageist do-gooders.

This.

ummm i'm happy to reflect on that concept however that's not how i currently see it.

Yes. As will both my teenage DC (their choice).

"Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders Fields"

John McCrae 1915

The final verse of the poem that inspired the poppy/remembrance movement.

The poppy has always symbolised more than just remembrance of those who died.
It's always been jingoistic. That's not new.

If it were only a remembrance of those who died in the World Wars, then I'd wear it to honour the dead. The poppy symbolises more than that imo.

It also supports today's British Army ex service personnel, so by extension the army itself. That's where the money goes.
So no.