British Legion Statement

I have worn a red and white together for years but am now concerned the red poppy is thought by some not to be a symbol of remembrance AND peace , we all want peace so I will now wear only the red. Those boys and men went to their deaths to protect us.

My family and I always wear a red poppy - we always keep the 2 minutes' silence - it's to remember and honour those young men and women who died for future generations - for us - they sacrificed their lives - and the November 11th commemoration is held "lest we forget" that sacrifice.

Does the money from white poppies go to the British Legion or somewhere else?

I don't want to get embroiled in this conversation except to say that I and family always wear a red poppy. My stepfather was a POW in the Far East, captured at the fall of Singapore. He never spoke of it until he knew he was dying of cancer after my mother had died, then he quietly chatted more to himself than us. He and my mother always wore their poppies, it was just what they did. I wear mine for him and thousands like him and for my father who was killed, and the 55.00 (round figure) who, like him, lost their lives in Bomber Command. After remembrance Sunday my poppy gets sent to the Netherlands to be placed, by my lovely Dutch friends, on his grave. This crew and one other, were buried locally by the Germans on Christmas Eve 1942 with full military honours! How strange is that?! Proof that they weren't all evil Nazis?

The red poppy is of course, worn for Remenbrance Day, but also it makes money for The British Legion who donate it to good causes connected with servicemen.

Why are they selling poppies, Mummy?
Selling poppies in town today.
The poppies, child, are flowers of love.
For the men who marched away.

But why have they chosen a poppy, Mummy?
Why not a beautiful rose?
Because my child, men fought and died
In the fields where the poppies grow.

But why are the poppies so red, Mummy?
Why are the poppies so red?
Red is the colour of blood, my child.
The blood that our soldiers shed.

poppyThe heart of the poppy is black, Mummy.
Why does it have to be black?
Black, my child, is the symbol of grief.
For the men who never came back.

But why, Mummy are you crying so?
Your tears are giving you pain.
My tears are my fears for you my child.
For the world is forgetting again.

This comes up every year. I do not wear a red poppy because my father refused to do so. He was in Singapore during the war and probably saw things that stayed with him all his life - I do not know what they were, he would not say.

I do not wear one out of respect for his memory.

I sometimes wear a white one.

The red poppy is worn for remembrance and for the hope of peace in the future.

I will not argue the pros and cons of red, white, purple or any colour poppies because servicemen died for our freedom which freedom gives us the choice to wear whatever one we wish.

I have started a thread on ' they know what they signed up for" if anyone wants to discuss it. Let's get back to poppy wearing

If durhamjen is on something......then I don’t want it.?
Seriously though durhamjen you are confusing two things here.
The armed forces do know what they have signed up for, to fight for the protection and interest of our country and often other countries, and we all know that if they hadn’t during the second world war, we would very likely be speaking German now.
That doesn’t make them ‘warmongers’ , rather their job is to keep the peace ( which a warship strategically placed often does.) But fight when necessary.

The fact that RN forces are being belligerent is not surprising, is it, as that is what they are there for. No, they are not being belligerent, nor are they there to be belligerent. They are there to deter, and to respond to, belligerence from others. I’m out too. Not worthy of my time,

And you decry their choice to defend this country

Just reminding people what the armed forces are for.
My brother, brother in law and sister were all in the army.
My brother was in Aden, Northern Ireland, the first Iraq war.
My brother in law was in the Falklands.

They all knew what they were signing up for.
They respect me for being a pacifist.

Jen, I have decided not to wear one because I have no wish to have any connection with a smug, holier than thou , I am a pacifist. May I remind you during the two world wars quakers were on the front line working with the injured , they didn't think they were superior to the men who died.

No more to say on this, sorry posters.

Are you on something this morning, jen?

I’m too shocked to respond to that.

As trump said to the widow of a soldier killed in Africa, they knew what they were signing up to, didn't they?

What do you think the armed forces are for, if not to fight with whatever weapons are available?

White poppies are for peace, and I've worn them for as long as I've known about them, for over 20 years.
To not wear one because you've been reminded of what the forces are for is childish, in my opinion, but there you are.

The fact that RN forces are being belligerent is not surprising, is it, as that is what they are there for.

I wear a white poppy , not this year after reading a certain post from a white poppy wearer , I attend the quakers meeting house and know my friends there would never make such a remark,

As DH (ex Services) would say 'take no notice, just let such daft remarks go over the top of your head'

Crass!

Why would NAVAL personnel be pleased ? I have a Godson in the navy , why would he be pleased ?

Not a stupid remark, just a sneering remark about our armed forces.

Such a shame on a thread about remembrance and peace to put the boot in

Are those naval personnel pleased that trump has decided to have his planes on nuclear standby 24/7, paddyann?. Our service personnel are not warmongers, despite the fact that you would seem to have them labelled so. Only you could make a stupid remark like that dj.

I also wear the purple poppies alongside the red and the White poppies.

Lots of white poppies seen in York, normally, but it's a Quaker area.
I wear one, too. Just ordered some more for this year, along with some peace pledge postcards and a very interesting book about how we teach children about war and peace.

Are those naval personnel pleased that trump has decided to have his planes on nuclear standby 24/7, paddyann? I am sure they are lining up to go to North Korea.

lemon if you still have a memory at all you're doing better than I am!