Poppys, a true story

[CotoChris]

The local Anglican church (in Porto, Portugal) is elling the poppies, so I brought one anddroped a €20 note in the tin. I had it on when went to the Hungarian lessons where half way through the class the teacher asked me what it was. Actually got me by suprise and said it's to remmeber the dead from the wars. The British she asked? I said no, I think of all those that suffered - friend and foe. I then explain why it's a poppy and why it's the 11th November at 11h00am we pause a couple of minutes in remembrance. I like to think that those in class will pause to remember on that date & time.

It did made me think that for those that don't know what it means on what they think when on the news you see British politicians (and others) wearing this little red flower.

[wilbo]

Originally Posted by Finless

Oh, sorry. Apologies also, I should have thought of that.

oh shut up Bryan.. don't be silly - it happens

[MATTBIN]

A few years back in one of the offices I worked in we were observing the silence to honour our dead, when one of our colleagues started blabbing loudly down his phone (an outgoing call). I asked him to be quiet and respect the dead, it was at that point I realised of course he was German (I mean I knew he was foreign but not the exact nationality). He apologised totally unaware of the upset he could have caused.

Shortly after, I worked in Germany and as I loooked at the map (I was in Munich) I asked where the old border was, it offended a few, it's very easy to be ignorant and upset someone accidentally.

It cuts both ways.

Matt

[NeilB]

'Lest we forget'

An Omani man was upset that poppies were being sold from the Crowne Plaza reception as he saw it as totaly British. Fortunately the girl behind the desk knew why they were there and reminded him that lives were lost in the Dhofar wars and in the Renaisance when Sultan Qaboos took over from his father. Some of those lives were British but a lot were Omani as well.......

[captainnemo]

The operative words are 'Lest we forget'

The poppies are to remind us in the here and now of the sacrifices of those no longer with us, however they might have died.

Just as many service personnel die of illness or by misadventure,( millions of people died across Europe in the flu epidemic that followed WW1) but still deserve to be remembered.

Michael Foot got hostile press for wearing an apparently inappropriate overcoat to the Cenotaph (it wasn't a donkey jacket) but the critics forgot that Footie was a pacifist and a conscientious objector during the war. Didn't stop him turning up at the ceremony to pay his respects.

The dead share God's lack of concern for how you dress to bear witness....

Originally Posted by NeilB

'Lest we forget'

An Omani man was upset that poppies were being sold from the Crowne Plaza reception as he saw it as totaly British. Fortunately the girl behind the desk knew why they were there and reminded him that lives were lost in the Dhofar wars and in the Renaisance when Sultan Qaboos took over from his father. Some of those lives were British but a lot were Omani as well.......

[wilbo]

Originally Posted by captainnemo

The operative words are 'Lest we forget'

..

Captain - you have been in amongst a few contentious comments on threads over the past few days - all I ask is that you respect this thread.

Please.

[simon varley]

the RSL are selling poppies over here too. Anzac day is a much bigger deal, but it's nice to see the poppies too.

[resting rifleman]

Originally Posted by CotoChris

It did made me think that for those that don't know what it means on what they think when on the news you see British politicians (and others) wearing this little red flower.

Interesting take on politicians and rememberance in this poem:


He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.
And though sometimes, to his neighbours, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for a soldier died today.


He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way.
And the world won't note his passing, though a soldier died today.
When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.


Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land?
a guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country and offers up his life?
A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

It's so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know,
it was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys.
Who won for us the freedom that our country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and country and would fight until the end?


He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier's part
is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honour while he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.

(A soldier died today) by A. Lawrence Vaincourt.

[RobA]

Poppy day? It is ironic.

We wear poppies to commemorate those fallen in combat, irrespective of nationality or conflict.

The poppy represents the fields of flanders, of World War 1, the "War to end all wars" which ended on the 11th hour of the eleventh month 1918.

Ironically, it wasn't the war to end all wars, which makes it all the more poignant.

Rob

[Finless]

Isn't the idea to remember the fallen AND those maimed and wounded?

I know the RBL offer support to all categories (obviously the dependants in the case of the dead).