POPPY POLICE

Yup slap bang and slap band were indeed the same thing. DD remembers fondly the 1980s version which had a sharp metal core with flimsy fabric cover. When you slapped them on your wrist, they did indeed curl round, but were likely to give you a nasty cut too. The modern version have a plastic or silicone cover. Printing them as rulers was a sadistic idea though

DGS aged 5 wanted to buy a poppy at school 'for you nanny'. I was very touched and gave him £1 to take to school. When I picked him up that afternoon he was proudly wearing a snap band on his wrist. 'Sorry nanny' he said, 'I didn't get your poppy, but I've always wanted one of these and it was just an accident'.

DD said they have had quite a few discussions recently about the difference between 'accidents' and 'deliberate mistakes'

I see that Britain First have jumped on the poppy bandwagon on Facebook. "Share our post or it will show that you don't respect those who died" However, looking through some of the comments, it looks as if most people are getting wise to Britain First and not falling for it.

I get very annoyed with those posts and the don't just ce from Britain first. How dare anyone presume to know what I respect or support just because I am not wearing an outward sign .

At least we haven't had all the fuss over whether to wear the poppy on the left side or the right like last year .Plenty of people taking a choice this year.

When did we become so judgemental of each other?? Is it Twitter , 24 hour news or some of the less broadminded newspapers?

P.S. if you forget to wear a poppy just Photoshop one in place.

nightowl

Is there a correct side to wear the poppy? I didn't know.
However, I was told that it is correct to wear it with the leaf at the 11 o'clock position. Mine kept slipping round.

I don't know LullyDully, after all the point of wearing (or not) the poppy is to remember those who died for our freedom.
That includes the freedom to decide whether or not to wear one or to wear a white one.

roseq, the I read the following, which was posted on FB yesterday:

A lovely military man selling poppies stopped me today and asked if he could reposition mine - while doing so he told me that women should wear their poppy on their right side; the red represents the blood of all those who gave their lives, the black represents the mourning of those who didn't have their loved ones return home, and the green leaf represents the grass and crops growing and future prosperity after the war destroyed so much. The leaf should be positioned at 11 o'clock to represent the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the time that World War One formally ended. He was worried that younger generations wouldn't understand this and his generation wouldn't be around for much longer to teach them.

I didn't realise that. I just want to wear one to show I care. I have a little metal one with a pin on the back. I can't control the proper ones! We then put money in each year.

On Forces TV they showed an injured soldier who had lost both legs. He was determined to walk to his war memorial to place a wreath. He stood out of his wheel chair and was supported by two physios. It was so moving and puts into perspective all arguments over who does what and wears what. He showed such courage and determination.

It is possible to admire and respect such people as these, whilst at the same time feeling sad about the politics and economics that result in their sad fate.

Of course.

Of course

Went to see the British Legion field of remembrance and the wreaths at the Cenotaph today. Felt very sad to see all the photos and tributes. I bought a poppy to remember my father and grandfather who served and a great uncle who died in 1918. I don't think people should feel they have to wear a poppy, these men and women died so that we had freedom.

Grannyactivist

The gentleman in your post shares the same view as my father had and I always wear my poppy with the leaf at 11 O'clock.

I never challenged dad's take on it but I never knew if was an official/unofficial stance. I have just out of interest looked at the British Legion site and the official metal badges seem to concur with that 'theory'.

Does it matter, not really but it is interesting and makes sense.

Our vicar told us an interesting fact about the signing of the Armistice in 1918. Apparently the British representative (I have forgotten his name ) was told by Lloyd George that the Armistice should not be signed until 2.30 pm on the 11th November; the representative, thinking that there could be more lives lost in those few hours, decided with the others signing that it should take place at 11.00 am and that the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month had more of a ring to it.
Apparently Lloyd George was furious, but came round to that way of thinking afterwards.

I've always worn mine on the right. The same as buttonholes or an charity sticker I buy. Mum always taught me that ladies wear thinks on the right men on the left. I don't know why.
I wasn't aware of the leaf at 11 o'clock.
Lully I am in no way criticising what you do regarding your metal pin badge. I'm just saying that I feel obliged to replace mine each year because it has the year on it. That's my hang up

Dont men wear them on left and women on right because that is the side of their respective buttonholes?

I've just read your Sunday post Luckygirl, my father was just like yours, he spent practically all the war years in Libya in the army and apart from knowing he had an enduring hatred of sand, which he brought up whenever we were at the seaside, he never spoke about his experiences other than to say that we need to move on and stop droning on about the war. He always ignored Remembrance Sunday it just wasn't something that resonated with me until I became an adult. Of late I find myself wanting to remember those who lost their lives in wars and wear a poppy.

When MIL was in hospital in about the 1970s or 80s the curtains around her bed with covered in poppies - do you remember that design?
She got very distressed because it brought back memories of losing FIL in WW2, although she was a member of the RBL.

I do wear a poppy, and the curtains were - and are - very pretty but I could never have them in the house because I remember how much it upset her.

I had DD with those poppy curtains around me, and loved them. They were very cheerful. I remember being so pleased when a friend brought me in a big bunch of red tulips, so they matched!

The poppy at 11 O'clock is supposedly an urban myth, someone just trying to set a trend, but it has gained popularity. I often just pin mine on my handbag.

Yes, I loved that poppy pattern on a cream background, it was very popular and I wanted them at home, but had to have a rapid change of mind when MIL was so upset.

This is from the Royal British Legion website:-

Updated 21/10/2015 01.53 PM

The right way to wear a poppy

There is no right or wrong way to wear a poppy. It is a matter of personal choice whether an individual chooses to wear a poppy and also how they choose to wear it. The best way wear a poppy, is to wear it with pride.