How do you feel about poppy wearing?

I agree with Aldom. Is it really asking too much to wear a little red flower and spend two minutes in silence when so many gave so much? In Flanders Fields is one of my favourite war poems.
* I think there’s a purple poppy to mark the loss of animals during wars.

I give money to the British Legion all the year round and have a pin to mark this so do not wear a traditional poppy.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202211/medium-806156-2f7eaa2d-202b-4768-917a-2bdb9759d02b.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202211/medium-36538-fc36f5d6-7ecf-4dcc-b47f-355d11393399.png

Thought I’d post these - the most imposing metal statue of a First World War soldier at a minute past the first Armistice.

I could never not buy and wear a poppy. It’s been a fixture from childhood. The RBL do brilliant work and give support to all service and ex service people. Today I wore my poppy to remember the fallen in two world wars, but also in recent conflicts. I also wear a metal one which combines a poppy with the badge of my late husband’s regiment. He was a career soldier.

For anyone who has not visited the National Memorial Arboretum, I recommend it as a remarkable and very moving experience.

I think we are all in favour of peace, but to me the red poppy is not glorifying war, but remembering those who died or were injured. Sometimes wars are necessary, Ukraine is fighting one.

I wear a red poppy. My dogs have purple poppies on their collars this week, in commemoration of animals killed in service.
My red poppy is to commemorate those who died in wars, also to remember the sacrifices my parents and grandparents made in ww1 and 2.

It isn’t about glorifying war, it’s because we remember them

Most years we get to Normandy, we always visit my husbands uncles grave.
He was killed in a famous battle a few miles from Caen.
The photograph is our little granddaughter visiting him for the first time.
I hope future generations of our family continue to pay their respects.

The WW1 & WW2 cemeteries are very special places and so beautifully kept by the Commonwealth War Graves Commision.

We once sat and had a picnic in a remote cemetery near Ypres I wasn’t sure at first if it was appropriate or not, it was so beautifully calm and peaceful, it felt right.

Prentice

Sometimes GrannyRose51 a country has no alternative but to enter a war, in which case we can still remember the soldiers who died and their families.It does us no harm to do this and is the least we can do for them.

I do actually agree with you. I just don't think that the war in Iraq (weapons of mass destruction) or that in Afghanistan (revenge for 9/11) fall into this category. There was an alternative and the damage done by going to war has been far reaching

Ladyripple

I am a retired Army Officer,I wear a poppy to remember all those who have given their lives for us.

Many will give their lives in the future as well,the World is far from peaceful,I doubt it ever will be.

GrannyRose15’s post I find offensive,she clearly lives a blinkered life.

And that I find offensive. I have in no way lived a blinkered life. Just because you do not agree with me, does not make me wrong.

volver

Call me a pedant if you like.

We will remember them.

Binyon's lines. It's important.

Have you ever read the rest of the poem? If that doesn't glorify war and misrepresent the suffering it causes, then nothing does.

I'm proud to wear a red poppy every year in remembrance of those who fought and suffered. The British legion do wonderful work and selling poppies is one way of raising the funds they need.

"Grannyrose15 Covid isn't and never has been a cold - that was a distasteful comment."

I don't know what you think we were fighting for in the second world war, but I hope it wasn't for the right to destroy our children's futures so that us oldies could have a few more years of life.

What I find distasteful is the sanctimonious poppy wearers who never give a thought to how we have betrayed the memory of those who died by our recent actions.

I've always been a poppy wearer as a mark of respect and gratitude. Interestingly, I was in a very busy Ikea cafe today when it was announced that the two minutes silence would be observed by the staff. My friend and I stood up and joined in. Gradually the thronging crowds began to notice that 'something' was going on and an amazing degree (not total) of quietness ensued. Interesting.......

Of course I've read the poem. It was written just a month into WW1 when the perception of the war was different to what it is now.

I've also stood many times where ex-servicemen have used the lines to remember their fallen friends. So I appreciate it when people get it right.

How do I feel about poppy wearing?

I feel it's important we remember those who sacrificed.

We buy and wear red poppies every year. To remember members of our family who have served. To remember family members who died whilst serving.

We've been to Normandy, several times, to walk the cemeteries and look out over the Floating harbours at Arromanches-les-Bains, France.

Unless you've been living under a rock Grannyrose15, you may have heard that Russia declared war upon Ukraine. Ukraine didn't want it and they fought back not because they were scared of catching a cold. They were scared of losing their lives, homes and liberty. Have some respect.

I donate every year and wear a red poppy. I didn't know about white poppies. I might get one.
We will/shall/ must remember them.

The white poppy has as much entitlement to Remembrance Day as the red. They were made by members of the Cooperative Women's Guild in 1926. Women who had lost husbands, sons, brothers in WW1 and who were worried about the increasing militarisation of society

White poppy doesn't need to be worn or associated with the red one though.

A Peace poppy is a good idea, provided the funds go to a good cause.

But in competition? In November?
They stand for different things ideologically.

GrannyGravy13

We have a DS in the military, I wear my poppy to commemorate those who have died for our Country along with those who still serve.

This

It saddens me that in this country we need a charity, the British Legion, to support servicemen and their families. Provision for them should automatically come from the government of the country they served.

It's traditional. I've never questioned it. Even my dog usually wears one, but this year we were disorganised and no one did.

I wear one. Several of my ancestors were killed in World War 1 and some in World War 2, some English, some Australian. We should always remember how terrible war is.

Yes, it's one of those traditions that should not be forgotten.