Poppy yes or no?

[Barry98]

A poppy for me everytime

View attachment 8730

This youngman in the shorts is my grandfather just
before leaving hospital, wounded twice in action, once
at the Battle of El Alamein and then again in France
amoung the lanes of Villers Bocage. His wife, sons
and daughter never got the privilege to share the rest
of their lives with, nor did he get to see his 16
grandchildren, as he never recoverd and died of his
wounds with his wife, my nan by his side.

Now religion nor the celibration of war comes into
my reasons for wearing my poppy!

I call it PRIDE....pride to call Queensman Jackman
my "Granddad"

enough said

 

[PlumbBobBob]

enough said

here here

 

[mountainman]

I'm a member of my local British Legion and frequent it more than I really should.
I will wear my poppy proudly.

 

[johnnyplumb]

when me and our lass went about 4 year ago it was her first time and as i walked through the door she jumped back . i said whats up with you ya prat she said i thought you were going to burst into flames. the priest was stood there with a right smirk on his face

last year i went to church ever day for 3 weeks, they where building an extension and i was doing the plumbing work

not a prayer was said either :shame:

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i will always wear one with pride,one granddad was in the navy and my other the army

 

[Guest123]

All religion has ever done on this planet is to create wars. Take away religion and you remove 99% of this worlds conflicts.

Whatever God you believe in, I guarantee that he doesn't want anyone killing, murdering or maiming another human being in his/her name.

 

[CES]

I attend a Rememberance service every year at Haymarket in Edinburgh. Its generally well attended by Edinburgh citizens it remembers not only the fallen in wars worldwide, but pays a special tribute to the members of Heart of Midlothian FC who, as a team, enlisted when war broke out in 1914. It also pays tribute to the fellow professionals who followed in their footsteps in the days that followed, including their rivals Hibernian FC.
For anyone interested there is a great book about the sacrifice these sportsmen made and there is now a special Cairn erected in the French town of Contalmaison, which has its own ceremony on the anniversary of the Somme. Many other football clubs are usually represented there.
Heres the link if interested - Hearts Great War Memorial : honouring the 15th and 16th Royal Scots

 

[Unregistered]

All religion has ever done on this planet is to create wars. Take away religion and you remove 99% of this worlds conflicts.

Whatever God you believe in, I guarantee that he doesn't want anyone killing, murdering or maiming another human being in his/her name.

Pretty much agree with that - I've thought about this a few times, trouble is, if we shoot all the religious people you just know someone will come along and say we're intolerant!

You just can't win!

I'm not religious, but it seems to me that the crucifixion of Jesus was about God (whoever that be) showing tolerance over one of the worse things that could ever happen to a father.

Dave Allen often used to finish off with the line: "May your God go with you" ... which always seemed to me to be a good way to show respect for other people's beliefs.

As Durkheim said: "Even if there is no god, it seems that (wo)man has a need to create one."

 

[petercj]

All religion has ever done on this planet is to create wars. Take away religion and you remove 99% of this worlds conflicts.

Whatever God you believe in, I guarantee that he doesn't want anyone killing, murdering or maiming another human being in his/her name.

Pretty much agree with that - I've thought about this a few times, trouble is, if we shoot all the religious people you just know someone will come along and say we're intolerant!

I’m not religious, but it seems to me that the story of the crucifixion of Jesus was about God (whoever that be) showing tolerance over one of the worst things that could happen to a father.

Dave Allen often used to end his shows with the line: “May your God go with you!” … which I always thought was a good way of accepting religious belief across the wider spectrum.

As Durkheim said: “Even if there is no God, it seems that (wo)man has a need to create one!”

The problem seems to be that once some men have created their God they need everyone to believe in it, and they feel threatened by any alternative objects of worship.

If you really believe in something, why should you feel threatened just because someone else doesn’t?

 

[kay-jay]

Personally i wear my poppy cos of my grandad on my mums side who was a bona fide war hero in the raf he was responsible for setting up a ground base in scandinavia which became a refueling base for allied forces. His story is awesome yet dwarfed by the commitment of countless others....truly humbling!

I can only Dream of having the fortitude that those great men displayed.....



Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[tamz]

My great grandad was at Ypres in 1917 (Passchendaele). Shot in the chest and being stretchered away from the battlefield he was then shot through the ankle which gave him a shortened leg and a limp for life. He said being shot twice saved his life but that was about the only thing he ever told me of his time at war. He was sent home fkd but alive. One of the fortunate ones.
I remember as a boy watching him stand silently (and he did stand and me with him) with a tear running down his cheek on armistice day as he stood to attention. No doubt reminiscing of friends fallen or maimed and the waste of life.
We have no comprehension of what these guys endured. Around half a million men died in the battle of Passchendaele. Try to comprehend that number of dead for a 3 month battle. You can't!
The men who fought and died there from both sides deserve respect. They had little choice. They weren't in the main fighting for King and Country. They were there because they were conscripted.

Such was the impact on the people of Ypres, they still to this day play the last post at 8pm every night in respect of those who fought and died there.
And the free people in this country argue about the wearing of a poppy as a sign of respect.
Sometimes this land shames me in its lack of respect for anything.

 

[khill]

If any of you get chance get down to the National Memorial Arboretum just outside
Lichfield Staffordshire, free of charge to get in and a very humbling and moving
expierence, below is a picture of the memorial wall in memory of all servicemen/
women who have paid the ultimate sacrafice since WW2

 

[Resolute]

Well said Tamz!

I've studied both WW1 and WW2, seen the memorials and the rows of graves and all I can say is what a terrible waste of lives.

Whilst one side fought for freedom and the other under a dictator (similar to England/Scotland divide but we Won't go there!) none of the guys fighting really wanted to be there and I can't imagine the atrocities that they endured, witnessed and were forced to carry out to survive.

I've brought my poppy and paid my respects for those fallen.

 

[Dotty]

My great grandad died at the Somme. He's still out there somewhere. My grandad fought in the desert with the LRDG. He never ever spoke about what happened but I remember him hating fireworks night because the cracks and bangs apparently brought back the worst of his memories. The closest he came to talking about the war was giving me a swastika he'd cut out of a Nazi flag as a keepsake. He told me he was ashamed afterwards that he'd done it.

It was years before I understood.

 

[Resolute]

If any of you get chance get down to the National Memorial Arboretum just outside
Lichfield Staffordshire, free of charge to get in and a very humbling and moving
expierence, below is a picture of the memorial wall in memory of all servicemen/
women who have paid the ultimate sacrafice since WW2

View attachment 8743

I remember standing at the American graves in Normandy, row upon row of white crosses and a huge wall of all those missing. It was then that I learnt that all those crosses only represented 30% of the Americans that fell as all the American families were given the choice of having their beloved buried in France or flown home - 70% were flown home. Trying to imagine that many dead from one country alone and reading the grave stones in the commonwealth graveyards etc gave me some appreciation of the scale of devastation and I'm not ashamed to admit it brought a tear to my eye to imagine the horror they went through and how that is now just discarded as insignificant now. We will never know hardships like those.

 

[tamz]

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

by John McCrae May 1915

 

[khill]

The men who fought and died there from both sides deserve respect. They had little choice. They weren't in the main fighting for King and Country. They were there because they were conscripted.

Consripted they were and many died at the hands of their ownside shot for being deserters....shocking! they
were all deservely given a pardon...the horrors of war

 

[Dotty]

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

 

[Mr Doberman]

I will be out on Sunday with a club, we have arranged a period of silence at 11am. It always annoys me when someone doesnt observe this , usually I am at work but this sunday it should be complete silence.

 

[Dotty]

The masonic lodge I belong to comprises mainly of ex servicemen (Royal Irish). I'll be with them on Sunday.

 

[tamz]

I'm sure you will stand proud Croppie

 

[khill]

My son is hoping to get into Harrogate army college next year and this Sunday we will be marching
with his Cadet detachment, my nephew is up at Harrogate at moment, but will be joining us Sunday

 

[tamz]

Is this an age thing?
Comments from the young ones please. How or what do you feel regards Armistice and the poppy?

 

[Dotty]

Young'uns are out getting hammered Tamz, much as we used to on a friday night.

 

[tamz]

Young'uns are out getting hammered Tamz, much as we used to on a friday night.

Thats true Croppie. Are ye dancin? :lol: