What does the Poppy mean to you?

My dear friend Teresa Greener Head of Events at the Royal British Legion was on the Radio 4 Today Programme and other radio stations defending the Poppy as a universal symbol worn by people from many backgrounds for many reasons. So I am asking why we wear the Poppy?

For me it is a time when I think of my father Major JB Smethurst and his brother Major AB Smethurst MC but not just in terms of what they did but in the case of my father what the severely war disabled dealt with ( in his case brain injury) bravely and without any of the modern support we now take for granted. I think also of all the smiling young men whom my father and uncle served with and whose photos I hold without knowing whether they survived the war.

For me it is the memory of my father saying as a priest post war the words "they shall not grow old as we that are left grow old" as he stood with Montgomery's son and Rommel's son at the Cenotaph in Blackpool for the Desert Rat 8 TH Army / 7 TH armoured Division Reunions in the late 70s. Reconciliation.

What does it mean to you?

 

Susan

Quite a difficult question to answer I think, for me, it is to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice,including my great uncle who fought in WW1 who did not return and has no known grave, my grandfather who also fought but survived, so that I and my family, my 2 daughters, and my first granddaughter, can live in relative peace, and do not suffer from oppression because of what or who they are, can worship if they so choose, and have the freedom that so many take for granted every day.

This year will be the first time I will not be attending a Remembrance Service as we are abroad on a long awaited and deserved short holiday.I will however be wearing my small Poppy lapel badge throughout my stay.

With best wishes

Andy

 

I cannot look at a Poppy without the words of John McCrae echoing in my head.

Essentially, I see the poppy standing as a symbol of the sacrifice of those who served and primarily the fallen.

 

Obviously the Poppy stands as a symbol for the remembrance of the fallen of all wars and quite rightly so.

Personally I use it as a particular sign of remembrance for all the boys who were killed in the Great War. Those who served with the Regular, Territorial and New Army Battalions who viewed the chance to enlist as a way of escaping the drudgery of working in appalling conditions in the pit or the mill etc.



This is James Ellis Ball. He was a miner, a father of 6 and 38 years old. He lied about his age to join up in 1914 and was subsequently discharged for doing so. It didn't discourage him as he tried again and enlisted into the 15/Welsh Regiment. He was killed in the attack on Mametz Wood on 10 July 1916. He has no known grave and most certainly still lies there today amongst the trees. His named is remembered on the Thiepval memorial to the missing of the Somme.

It's him and thousands like him I think of at this time of year.

 

It used to be to remember those like my Great Uncle who fought and died in WW1, and those who fought in subsequent wars. A few years ago it unfortunately also became about remembering friends of my husbands who have died on tour.

It somehow all became just a little more poignant after meeting my husband.

 

I think of those that gave and those that gave all they could give!

 

My grandmother told me that the poppy grows on places where blood of soldiers was shed for the sake of peace and freedom. So I think that the poppy is a symbol of sacrefice.

 

For me, the poppy is the reminder of how fortunate we are to live in a free, democratic society that with all its faults is a far better place than it would have been without the sacrifice of those who gave their lives all those years ago. And it makes sure that we recognise in the present day what some people are prepared to do to keep our freedoms and what we owe to them every day.

 

The poppy has always been a strong emotive symbol to me.

It was even more so earlier this year when I placed an AJEX marker on my brother's grave at Durnbach, displaying, as it does, a British Legion poppy.

Ron

 

My grandmother told me that the poppy grows on places where blood of soldiers was shed for the sake of peace and freedom. So I think that the poppy is a symbol of sacrefice.

The seeds of Poppies can lay dormant under the earth for several years and then when the earth is disturbed by cultivation or the digging of graves etc, the Poppies grow.

Hence the red fields of Poppies in WW1.

I remember my Grandfather who was gassed in 1917 whilst serving his country and died due to the effects before I could ever meet him and I also remember my Father who fought in WW2 and returned.

I now attend the CWGC cemeteries in Berlin on Behalf of the RBL on Remembrance Days.

You cannot help but be moved when visiting these cemeteries and seeing the tender ages of most that paid the ultimate price.

The least that we can do is to pay our respects.

Regards
Tom

 

Attached grave photo.You can see from the state of the grave it has not been visited in years.That what it means to me.CWGC informed.Plus all other casualties of numerous conflicts.

LOWSON, DONALD URQUHART

Rank:
Flight Lieutenant
Trade:
Pilot
Service No:
41306
Date of Death:
07/07/1941
Age:
28
Regiment/Service:
Royal Air Force

102 Sqdn.
Awards:
D F C
Grave Reference

Cemetery
HARROW (ST. MARY) LOWER CHURCHYARD
Additional Information:
Son of John and Margaret Lowson: husband of Rita May Lowson, of Norbreck. Blackpool, Lancashire.

 

For me, the poppy is the reminder of how fortunate we are to live in a free, democratic society that with all its faults is a far better place than it would have been without the sacrifice of those who gave their lives all those years ago. And it makes sure that we recognise in the present day what some people are prepared to do to keep our freedoms and what we owe to them every day.


My thoughts exactly.

Parents as small children during the Occupation of Holland and the Hunger Winter,
one grandfather in hiding, the other in a labour camp.


I Thank God for every person who served, and pay respects as often as I can
to those who fell.

Thank you all.

 

Attached grave photo.You can see from the state of the grave it has not been visited in years.That what it means to me.CWGC informed.Plus all other casualties of numerous conflicts.

LOWSON, DONALD URQUHART

Rank:
Flight Lieutenant
Trade:
Pilot
Service No:
41306
Date of Death:
07/07/1941
Age:
28
Regiment/Service:
Royal Air Force

102 Sqdn.
Awards:
D F C
Grave Reference

Cemetery
HARROW (ST. MARY) LOWER CHURCHYARD
Additional Information:
Son of John and Margaret Lowson: husband of Rita May Lowson, of Norbreck. Blackpool, Lancashire.

He is mentioned in several family trees on ancestry.co.uk. Methinks I will point out his resting place to those descendants.

 

He is mentioned in several family trees on ancestry.co.uk. Methinks I will point out his resting place to those descendants.
Hello Susan
It is an ancient churchyard.
The church has been there nigh a thousand years.
If they require more photos or help let me know.
CWGC aware and are looking into cleaning up or replacing with CWGC headstone but will take some time.
regards
Clive

 

Hi Susan,

I've been working on quite a long article for my website this week about a man who served through a prestigious Army career in India and then was KIA in Burma in 1943. I have recently told his family exactly how he perished that year and this is how they replied on hearing the news. I think it sums up what you have asked.

"Steve, thank you. I am interested in all details related to my grandfather's experience, I see the pain involved as a blessing to ensure I don't take his (and so many others) sacrifice for granted".

For myself at this time of year, along with the symbol of the poppy, I often look at one or two of my WW1 medal collection. With a simply WW1 Victory medal in hand, I wonder what the recipient had to endure to earn such an award. This can only make us realise how fortunate we all are today because of their sacrifice, not only the poor souls that died, but those that had to live with those memories and scars for the rest of their days.

 

Hi Susan,

I've been working on quite a long article for my website this week about a man who served through a prestigious Army career in India and then was KIA in Burma in 1943. I have recently told his family exactly how he perished that year and this is how they replied on hearing the news. I think it sums up what you have asked.

"Steve, thank you. I am interested in all details related to my grandfather's experience, I see the pain involved as a blessing to ensure I don't take his (and so many others) sacrifice for granted".

For myself at this time of year, along with the symbol of the poppy, I often look at one or two of my WW1 medal collection. With a simply WW1 Victory medal in hand, I wonder what the recipient had to endure to earn such an award. This can only make us realise how fortunate we all are today because of their sacrifice, not only the poor souls that died, but those that had to live with those memories and scars for the rest of their days.

You are right. It could not be put better. Thank you for posting this.

 

This is the worst example that people have encountered when trying to supply me with photos.

This was for one of the WW1 Australians in the RNAS, Guy Burton Hardy.

This was what confronted Judy at Kensal Green (All Souls) Cemetery in London. After many months she finally had success in having the headstones cleared.

The first is before and the headstone is not visible:



Then after:

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To me, it is seeing the 58 year old with a 28 year old daughter holding the hand of 5 year old child paying respects to the 88 year old Veteran during one of the Remembrance Day ceremonies making sure that the memories of that war and all previous wars do not fade away.

Lest We Forget

 

To me, it is seeing the 58 year old with a 28 year old daughter holding the hand of 5 year old child paying respects to the 88 year old Veteran during one of the Remembrance Day ceremonies making sure that the memories of that war and all previous wars do not fade away.

Lest We Forget

As the mother of a 5 year old who is the granddaughter (yes the generations are a bit out of skew) of an El Alamein veteran I understand this totally. She will stand with me at the Horsham Remembrance Day Service and I will try to explain why she is there.