What the ? Poppy wearing

[Cougar377]

How many in UK know about this.

Illustrates the complexity.

https://www.historyireland.com/20th...the-connaught-rangers-mutiny-india-july-1920/

But then we do have this.
http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/dublin/warmemorialgardens/

49,400 died in WW1

Interesting fact about WW1 recruitment. As the war progressed and the numbers of dead and wounded mounted, they introduced conscription to the UK later in the war years, to make up the inevitable shortfall.
They never did in Ireland (although they tried briefly late in the war) yet the numbers of Irish volunteers enlisting remained pretty much the same.

 

[slim63]

More interesting facts

The poppy as a symbol of war/death & remembrance can be traced back to Napoleonic times, it is said that this could be because the poppy thrives in damp churned up ground as in after a battle so it was common to see poppies spring up among the dead in those days

The first person to sell poppy's for charity was an American woman called Moina Michael who swore to always wear a silk poppy to honour the war dead, she later sold 25 to her work mates & pushed for it to be adopted as a national symbol of remembrance

It is said Michael was inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields by Canadian John McRae

Its not an English thing originally we nicked it from the Americans who's legion adopted the wearing of a poppy in around 1917 (
(that surprised me)

The first of what we would call traditional poppies to be distributed in the uk were made in France by war widows & the first official poppy appeal wasn't until 1921

 

[slim63]

And I have just been searching white poppies as I knew nothing much about them

The first thing that hits me is the claim on the PPU website that the legion who sell red poppies say its only in remembrance of british soldiers where the legion actually say if in remembrance of all war dead

The PPU do NOT work as a real charity as anyone selling the white poppy seems free to do as they please with any funds raised, they say most is given to the charity of the sellers choice but provide no proof that this actually happens

I leave you to draw your own conclusions

 

[derek kelly]

I'm not a fan of the white poppy. The significance of the red poppy is in where it started to grow after the Armistice and the red colour has another, obvious message.

I can understand that but what about wearing both red & white poppies? Or go one step further & wear a purple poppy as well for the animals that were sacrificed.

 

[andyBeaker]

If you speak to veterans, many of them don’t have an issue with the white poppy, it is actually a statement of support for the fallen but wishing peace for the future which in a twisted way is what war is about, to bring peace.

I don't have an issue with it either, at least conceptually. What I do have an issue with is the argument over whether individuals should wear a red or white poppy. Seems somewhat ironic if nothing else.

However, the organisation that promotes the white poppy need to get their house in order and be absolutely transparent about how the proceeds are used.

 

[Cougar377]

I can understand that but what about wearing both red & white poppies? Or go one step further & wear a purple poppy as well for the animals that were sacrificed.

Purple poppy for animals....you're opening a whole new can of worms there....! Nice idea, though.

I see there was a story on the front page of a newspaper about 1000 army dogs being put down. Not much reward for years of service.
I wonder how many were offered as potential pets to former handlers. OK, not all will be suitable to be rehomed, but I'll bet a fair few would be. Given that all military dogs have service records, etc. you'd think that there would be a bit more humanity as to how they are retired.

But then again, we're talking about the MOD...one of the most heartless, penny pinching government departments going.

 

[Ajeman]

Purple poppy for animals....you're opening a whole new can of worms there....! Nice idea, though.

I see there was a story on the front page of a newspaper about 1000 army dogs being put down. Not much reward for years of service.
I wonder how many were offered as potential pets to former handlers. OK, not all will be suitable to be rehomed, but I'll bet a fair few would be. Given that all military dogs have service records, etc. you'd think that there would be a bit more humanity as to how they are retired.

But then again, we're talking about the MOD...one of the most heartless, penny pinching government departments going.

As I understand it most drug/explosive sniffer dogs are rehomed if possible but the guard dogs are trained in such a way that they become classed as a weapon. Totally unsuitable for civilian life to such a degree that even the handlers cant home them in retirement.

Sadly, the MOD get enough stick from the public can you imagine an ex attack dog mauling a child?? they would get hammered even though they had nothing to do with it.

 

[derek kelly]

Many ex prison dogs get rehomed, my first GSD was ex prison, he lived to 17 & was a superb loyal dog.

 

[slim63]

But then again, we're talking about the MOD...one of the most heartless, penny pinching government departments going.

This ! Its partly why we buy & wear a poppy in the first place to support those who have lost limbs & more during their service EG we are doing what the government & MOD should be doing & trying to help & support those who need it most

For me its the governments job to support our military but they wont hence all the "charities" that pull on our heart strings while making a handsome profit for themselves, maybe its a personal thing but I refuse to give to anything where the vast majority of funds raised does not go to the folk in need (yes I check & so should others)

 

[Pow-Lo]

Many ex prison dogs get rehomed, my first GSD was ex prison, he lived to 17 & was a superb loyal dog.

Why the eff would you want to re-home a dog that's been in prison? What if he offended again, would that make you partly responsible?

 

[Squag1]

My (maybe) 3rd cousin

 

[derek kelly]

Why the eff would you want to re-home a dog that's been in prison? What if he offended again, would that make you partly responsible?

Silly boy.

 

[Cougar377]

My (maybe) 3rd cousin


View attachment 44060 View attachment 44061

The 1917 Battle of Doiran was by all accounts, a real meat grinder for the British forces there. If he was killed on the 24th April then it may have been as part of the initial night attack on the Bulgarian front line.

 

[andyBeaker]

Has anyone seen the Perspex 'shadows' that have been installed in many parish churches to represent locals that fell during WW1?

We are close to Alfriston which even today is a tiny village...nine shadows sitting in the pews. Makes you think.


Very moving.

Take a look at the photo half way down this...

http://www.centenarynews.com/article/ww1-tommies-launch-final-year-centenary-campaign

 

[Pow-Lo]

On the way in this morning, I was passed on the slip road onto the M20 by Dibble. Considering how PC and pussy our establishment has become and how everyone seems so afraid to upset the militant minorities (participants in 'The Religion of Peace', liberals, lefties, vegetarians, vegans, the BBC, etc.), I was astonished (and equally impressed) to see poppy graphics along both sides of the bonnet, running adjacent to the wings. Massive respect for Kent Dibble for that.