Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[pscocoa]

Just  back from 2 days in Brussels (again) - the number of people asking what the poppy meant was bizarre after all these years. I know it is a Commonwealth thing but being at the heart of the EU today with many government reps present I was a bit surprised. Not many poppies on show from the UK people either.

On a separate note at a meeting to discuss prvate sector participation in some development projects I counted 8 of 150 present who actually worked in genuine private sector. Rest there on taxpayers account.

[Dishevelled Den]

Just  back from 2 days in Brussels (again) - the number of people asking what the poppy meant was bizarre after all these years. I know it is a Commonwealth thing but being at the heart of the EU today with many government reps present I was a bit surprised. Not many poppies on show from the UK people either.

On a separate note at a meeting to discuss prvate sector participation in some development projects I counted 8 of 150 present who actually worked in genuine private sector. Rest there on taxpayers account.

the number of people asking what the poppy meant

Doesn't really surprise me - sadly.

Rest there on taxpayers account

Nice to see the system working as our masters intend.

[Seth]

Mrs Seth and I wear our newly-acquired poppy lapel badges with considerable pride 

Both our octogenarian fathers are WW2 veterans.
Her dad was a medic in the RAF, whilst my father served in the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers - the only regiment to have 'Royal' in it's title twice, so we're reliably informed.

In turn, my late grand-father, who sadly died before I came on to this planet, served in The South Wales Borderers during WW1.

We also happily made a donation to the Royal British Legion 


And .........
as this coming Sunday is Remembrance Sunday, I ain't planning on working it - no matter what enhanced payment is offered!

[Sir Tigger KC]

I have to admit that I havn't bought my poppy yet    I usually end up buying several, as I'll go out with a different coat and then need a poppy. Weather warms up, go out without coat, need another poppy!! and so it goes on.... 

[Seth]

Mrs Seth and I wear our newly-acquired poppy lapel badges with considerable pride 

Both our octogenarian fathers are WW2 veterans.
Her dad was a medic in the RAF, whilst my father served in the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers - the only regiment to have 'Royal' in it's title twice, so we're reliably informed.

In turn, my late grandfather, (who sadly died before I came on to this planet), served in The South Wales Borderers during WW1.

We also happily made a donation to the Royal British Legion 


And .........
as this coming Sunday is Remembrance Sunday, I ain't planning on working it - no matter what enhanced payment is offered!

[Richie London]

and what does the home secretary do. allow the Muslims to protest against it half a mile from the memorial in London. knowing full well the hatred and abuse that will take place. as it did last yr. 

[Debs.]

I proudly wear two poppies; a red and a white: the latter, in remembrance of ALL those non-combatants whom gave of themselves and/or sacrificed their lives/health/families struggling for freedom against an axis of dominating-evil.

I have however, had several unfavourable comments from people in the street about my white poppy
........those with such a narrow view, must not be able to consider how brave the (for here are just a few examples): firemen, police, fire-wardens, the Quaker ambulance corps.(whom BTW also saw considerable front line duty!) and the countless members of the civil-defence rescue squads, the dockers and railwaymen etc., whom during the duration of both World Wars, did everything they could to bring peace.

We will remember them!

[Shackeng]

I quite agree Debs, unfortunately some of those groups mentioned did not endear themselves to combatants for the amount of strikes that took place during the War.

[Debs.]

Evidently this, the poem that originally brought the poppy, as emblem to America`s (1920), then to Britain`s (1921) national conscience:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid 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.

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, May 1915

[Gaffers]

One on the car permanently.  A metal pin on the uniform.  A paper dismantled one on the left button of my forage cap as per dress regs and a paper one on my civie jacket.

The cost is nothing compared to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice 

The wife started wearing one a few years ago and when she was working on her trips she would be asked by the Americans what it was for.  Slowly but surely it is being more and more recognised over the water and being adopted by our coursins as well 

[tigers_gonads]

My lad has just come in from school 30 minutes late.

Asked him where the hell he had been.
He told me that he had been trolling round the local shops because he wanted to buy a poppy and couldn't find a shop that sold them   

Well impressed with him and told him so 

Then he got a boll*cking for not tidying his bedroom up