British style poppy for November 11.

**Lallans** · 1st November 10, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Whidbey78

Sadly, most folks just don't know about it. Even more depressing is that there are many who would rather not show support openly for fear of looking too "right-wing" or "Pro-war" when it's about support and remembrance of the people--the vets--and not the political mumbo-jumbo. I won't get on my soapbox...

The Legion Auxiliary has been doing it since its inception, which if memory serves is between WWI and WWII. The American Legion itself dates to 1919, but I'm not up to speed on the ALA's history. Now that I think of it, the Poppies are usually out around Memorial Day not Veteran's Day as I was thinking earlier...still hadn't had my morning coffee.

My mother is ALA Unit President in her town, and my father is the Post Commander--for about ten years now they won't let him rest--I'll give them a call and see if they have a few on hand. If they do I'll PM you and just send a couple your way.

Here in Canada, now that amputee veterans are not needing the financial support, poppy sales fund a charity for amputee children- they buy the kids lifelike and advanced prosthetics- so anyone who takes the war-mongering view you allude to, and some do, is not only a crummy (crumby?) citizen but also seriously misguided.

**Whidbey78** · 1st November 10, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Canuck of NI

Here in Canada, now that amputee veterans are not needing the financial support, poppy sales fund a charity for amputee children- they buy the kids lifelike and advanced prosthetics- so anyone who takes the war-mongering view you allude to, and some do, is not only a crummy (crumby?) citizen but also seriously misguided.

Amen!

**Lallans** · 1st November 10, 12:45 PM

I really appreciate the several offers to mail me (and others) some British-version poppies, but after another day or two of chasing down local venues, I'm personally going to impose on my own UK family members for that. Being relatives, I trust they will feel obligated- and at least I can easily refund them or, failing that, stiff them for the cost- since they're family and all.

**Pleater** · 1st November 10, 01:18 PM

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

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.

Inspiration for the poem — In Flanders Fields

During the Second Battle of Ypres a Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2 May, 1915 by an exploding shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae.
John was asked to conduct the burial service owing to the chaplain being called away on duty elsewhere. It is believed that later that evening John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'.

**Stratherrick** · 1st November 10, 01:28 PM

Glad to see you have family that can help out, Canuck!

And, Pleater, thanks for putting up the poem. I remember it being read out each November right through my school years in the 60s and 70s. I'm glad to see that many, if not all, school kids still wear poppies.

Slainte and in memoriam of fallen relatives...

Bruce

**Pleater** · 1st November 10, 01:43 PM

My mother's father was wounded at a place he called Wipers.

It gave me quite a turn when I realised where it was.

When he was waiting to be moved back behind the lines there was a gas attack, and he survived because, although he was wounded in the upper right arm he was naturally left handed, and he got his gas mask on in time, whilst most of the men around him - (they used to group men with similar injuries together) - didn't.

The poppies which grew everywhere on the battlefields were not the large opium poppies shown, but the smaller four petalled corn poppy, a flower of broken ground.

Before the poppy it was the violet which was used as a symbol of the fallen soldier - it means both constancy and devotion. Tiny scented cards with violets printed on them and hand coloured were sold to raise funds for causes such as convalescent hospitals. I have one - it still smells of violets as it has been folded in a diary for a long time.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**Lallans** · 1st November 10, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by Pleater

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

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.

Inspiration for the poem — In Flanders Fields

During the Second Battle of Ypres a Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2 May, 1915 by an exploding shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae.
John was asked to conduct the burial service owing to the chaplain being called away on duty elsewhere. It is believed that later that evening John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'.

And McCrae was himself killed, later in the same war. It was a good war for that.

Thanks for the very lovely post, Pleater. Should have thought of it myself but I wouldn't have found anything nearly as suitable.

**O'Callaghan** · 8th November 10, 06:19 PM

On the whole, I am against most wars. WW2 was well justified, but WW1 was one of the most pointless ever. Even then, I mean pointless in that it should not and need not have happened. Defence of our allies was still justified once it got that far. It just never should have. My grandfather served in the Royal Artillery in the Somme, with horse drawn guns.

The best thing we can do in our current conflicts is get out. Nothing further can be served by remaining, and the Iraq invasion was based entirely on lies, or fiction at best, depending on how charitable one wishes to be.

I always wore a poppy until I emigrated to America over twenty years ago, but since I have been here I have never once seen one. I will try to seek out the American Legion. From the pics here theirs look a bit different, but that's not the point.

**ThistleDown** · 8th November 10, 06:46 PM

I suggest caution here. Canuck of NI now has his poppy, the purpose of his thread, and any deviation from that purpose into areas leading to conflict between members will cause the thread to be closed.

Rex for the Staff

**BoldHighlander** · 13th November 10, 12:35 AM

On a somewhat related note, I noticed in photos yesterday of the young stars of "Harry Potter" wearing red poppies...good for them!

Seeing Red: Why the 'Harry Potter' Stars Wore Red Flowers on the Red Carpet

While fans of the "Harry Potter" series headed to the Web on Thursday to catch the London red carpet premiere of the latest movie, others wondered why the actors wore matching red poppy boutonnieres...

Read more of the story here.