British Legion Statement

I wasn’t thinking specifically of any one Gransnetter granny activist my memory isn’t that good ?but just that ( as you say) the subject comes up every year.

lemongrove your every year comment made me smile: that would be me I expect.
Every year I think I'll keep off the comments about virtue signalling/red poppies/white poppies/remembrance/war - the usual threads that appear during November, then, as I did again just now, I remind myself that there are lots of new people who come on to GN each year who haven't heard it all before so I end up commenting in spite of myself.

I haven’t seen any red poppies for sale as yet.

Sorry to hear that Granny and to anybody having hassle. I have a purple poppy for the animals as they were involved. It's good to support causes.

Have never seen white poppies for sale, nor seen anyone wearing them, although a few Gransnetters say ( every year)
That they do so.
I have lived near military bases and have never heard of any problems around poppies, but report them if there is any verbal abuse paddyann

Like paddyann I buy and wear a white peace poppy from September 21st (International Day of Peace) until the launch of the RBL appeal when I switch to a red one. The white poppies can be bought from the peace pledge union. Unlike paddyann I have never been given any abuse even though I also live near a military base. But then it is well known locally that I had a son-in-law who was killed in action in Afghanistan, so it would be a brave person who would dare to tackle me about it.

I've never come across white poppies, never seen anyone selling them. Are they widely available?

I think if any member of the services was found to be abusing a member of the public he or she would be up on a charge pdq.

vampirequeen is correct, they are there to protect your freedoms not to deny them, well said.

Paddyann...DH is an ex-serviceman and he is horrified that you are being abused in this way. He says he hopes you will report these incidents because the perpetrators shouldn't get away with it. This is a free country and naval personnel or any other service personnel are there to protect your freedoms not to deny them.

I agree that you can choose to wear a red, white or no poppy. At different times in my life I have chosen all three options. I posted because certain sections of society have tried to hi jack poppies to cause religious and racial unrest. I felt it was important that people knew that the British Legion is selling all over the country as usual.

If RN personnel are being abusive/threatening/acting inappropriately in any way you should report them to their CO. Even if you can't identify the culprits the CO will issue a warning to everyone on the base. Such behaviour brings the RN into disrepute and will not be tolerated.

If RN personnel are indeed abusive to members of the public in the area where they are stationed then that should be reported to the most senior officer together with any evidence which you can substantiate.

That is a very serious accusation.

I dont buy them ,I buy a white poppy and wear it from International peace day until armistice day.It has caused me grief as we live in the area where the nuclear facility is and a lot of the naval personnel are very vocal about it...abusive if truth be told.Freedom of choice is still allowed as far as I'm aware though and thats what I tell them.Peace poppies are not a new thing they've been around for 7 decades or more .

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