A question for our UK members

Rememberance day in the UK is November 11th., at 11 o clock there is a 2 minutes silence period for the country to remember and reflect on the sacrifice made by armed services of all nations during the first world war, and all wars really, lest we forget.

The poppy is used as a symbol, a reminder, as the churned up battle fields burst into colour with red poppies appearing everywhere. The white poppy is for the civilians lost during conflicts.

With whats happening in Ukraine, perhaps the sunflower will be included.

Rememberance Sunday at 11 o clock there is another 2 minutes silence and ceremony at all the war memorials in towns nation wide.

A UK version of veterans Day if you like.

The air cadets, Air Training Corps, do a really good job in helping raise much needed monies for/with the British Legion, who really help out damaged members of the armed forces.

I am wearing my poppy still and have a sculpture made from scrap in our garden, two poppies emerging from disturbed ground as a constant reminder.

Lest we forget.

The Russian people are still owed a great dept for the ww2 participation in my opinion, BUT, the Russian government, I would cheerfully line them up against a wall and give them a blindfold.

Life is complex.

Long live Ukraine.

Coxfledgling wrote:Rememberance day in the UK is November 11th., at 11 o clock there is a 2 minutes silence period for the country to remember and reflect on the sacrifice made by armed services of all nations during the first world war, and all wars really, lest we forget.

The poppy is used as a symbol, a reminder, as the churned up battle fields burst into colour with red poppies appearing everywhere. The white poppy is for the civilians lost during conflicts.

With whats happening in Ukraine, perhaps the sunflower will be included.

Rememberance Sunday at 11 o clock there is another 2 minutes silence and ceremony at all the war memorials in towns nation wide.

A UK version of veterans Day if you like.

The air cadets, Air Training Corps, do a really good job in helping raise much needed monies for/with the British Legion, who really help out damaged members of the armed forces.

I am wearing my poppy still and have a sculpture made from scrap in our garden, two poppies emerging from disturbed ground as a  constant reminder.

Lest we forget.

The Russian people are still owed a great dept for the ww2 participation in my opinion, BUT, the Russian government, I would cheerfully line them  up against a wall and give them a blindfold.

Life is complex.

Long live Ukraine.

What he said.
I hit send, so I thought, and my carefully typed message was gone forever, so rather than trying to re-type, I will agree with Coxfledgling and state that the tradition in Australia is virtually identical. We have the RSL (Returned and Services League) and it's generally their members who sell the Poppies and the organisation which benefits from the fundraising.

Ukraine........My sign-off

Thank you very much for the education.  My knowledge of British memorials and traditions is dreadfully lacking.  What I know has only come from reading, the odd movie, and some time spent with Brit submariners on their boat in Holy Loch and an interesting weekend in Portsmouth seeing who talks smack better, 'Muricans or Brits. A love of Kipling doesn't really keep one up to snuff on current mores...

I'll read some more and add the poppy to my memorial traditions.

The Woefully Uneducated Mark

Years ago, I remember standing with my dad at stop lights with poppies for the American Legion.
We would walk up and down by the cars at the stop light and for a donation and we would give them a poppy like the one hanging on "RSV1COX"'s lamp, with a little ribbon on it with some wording on it.

I have a few of the "old" poppies around the house.
photo of one is attached:






After a while, my dad and I would stand outside the bank and ask people coming out for a donation (for Vets.)

I remember doing that with my dad for years.
We would do it close to Veterans Day for that weekend. Warm, cold, good or bad weather (with my dad)
And dad telling me it is for a good cause.

My dad fought in WWII and was on a ship at Okinawa (he was in the Navy)
Signed up at age 18 a year later after Pearl Harbor attack.
Would be about 99 years old now but pass away at the age of 72.

These days, I don't see anyone handing out poppies or it being done anymore?

Now I guess they do the solicitation on TV with a celebrities for the wounded warrior, disable vets. and other organizations.

Great story Mike, I'm proud of you and your Dad. I feel a special kinship with him. Shipmates.

For years my Poppies just melted away. Kept this one, contributed in front of a Walmart.

Korean Vets too.

Poppy Memories

every Saturday.  

EVER Saturday as a kid, (1965-1972) my pops would take me to do errands with him.  

that meant driving to town, getting a haircut,  stopping at the Rexall drugstore where he would buy a FULL size hershey bar for him, and a small one for me, and a mad magazine for him

We'd stop at Kleeb's Toy Ranch, where pop would look at Guillows or Comet kits. sometimes he'd buy one. other times, I got a rubber powered plane or glider.

going to the post office, buying a poppy from the VA guys at a table in front of said post office,
then offering handshakes and rides home from the airport to 'Nam vets returning

Dad served during cleanup in Germany.  He told me "those men coming off the planes are heroes.  they are fighting cause our government asked them to.  we will do everything we can for them"

we watched the news on teevee.  The Huntley-Brinkley Report and Cronkite of course.  

My mother's first cousin was fighting in 'Nam,  yeah, 1968 Da Nang.    we watched, and kept hoping to see on the news about his unit after Tet.   Bronze Star with a V device.  Lived.  Could have taken deferral.  Last of his family line.   Nope.  Duty.   Came home after lots of time in hospitals, could have taken discharge, nope - served as training sarge.   re-upped, gave one last round of training.  He said the kids shipping OUT needed to know what to expect.  

after I moved to CA in 2000? I used to take cousin Mike to a specific neighborhood bar every Veteran's Day.  He didn't really drink a lot.   but we'd order three Carlings black labels.   One for him, one for me, and one for his pals who didnt make it back.   We'd leave that one on the bar with a poppy on it.

in the early 70's - Every time Cronkite would show protesters, my pop, normally a calm man would YELL!   "what the hell are they thinking?  do they think these boys WANT to go to war!"

We'd buy poppies, send cookies to Cousin Mike, and make mini-parades in town every time a flight brought fellers back home.

I have a shoebox full of those poppies.  More a shoebox full of memories.

My cousin Mike is now in assisted living out here.  His wife died right at the start of the rona.   not from rona --- His adult kids come visit as often as they can.  My kid and I stop by every other saturday, talk to him, hold his hand,  take him for walks and cookies. He isn't up for a beer anymore.

Maybe if more kids knew what the poppies were about?  Maybe if we taught a little more?  and politicized a little less?  they wouldn't worry what freakin gender they were,  and instead have some devotion to country, honor and service.

My son has a poppy on his messenger bag.  he knows.  and is reminded daily.

In the Navy my dad was: (title) Boatswain's mate   (rank) 1st Class Petty Officer (BM1)
Unfortunately, I don't remember the ship he was on. Though, if I rummage through his papers, I might be able to find which one he was on or ships he was on?

My dad tried to teach me the different whistle calls on his boatswain whistle. It didn't stick.
In the American Legion he was in the Color Guard and since he was the tallest, he carried the American flag.
But when they did the drill team, my dad did all these maneuvers with the Springfield 308 rifle that the Legion had.

When I got older (enough to handle the rifle) Dad taught me some of the tricks that the drill team used and when I got even older, I was able to fill-in for a member that didn't show up for practice.

Anyway, In the 1st two weeks in June, 2001. Dad and I went to Hawaii (Pearl Harbor) and Maui.
He pointed out to me places where he went while stationed at Pearl. It was the best time.
While at Pearl, we went and took a launch out to the Arizona. (Tour boat)
When we got back to the visitor's center, I purchased a flag that flew over the Arizona.
They had many different dates to choose from.
I was able to get a flag that was flown over the Arizona May 28,2001 (Memorial Day) at 11:21am

I gave it to my dad as a present that day as a memento of our trip.

Sad thing was two weeks later (at the end of June -- 28th -- he passed away) from arterial saroses (hardening of the arteries).
On his coffin we used the same flag "we "got from Pearl for his funeral.

Below are photos of his Boatswain whistle, and his medals and the flag from the Arizona in a flag case.




By the way.
The legion post that my dad was a member of (Post 113) just did not have enough members, disbanded that post and asked the members what items they would want?
I was able to acquire (purchase from the post) my dad's Drill team rifle.
Took it to a gun shop to get it apprised about 10 years ago for insurance reasons.
What I learned was it is a naval version (shorter barrel than the army's) for easier access through ship's hatches.
And that guy giving me the appraisal was very interested in purchasing it from me.
Though, he did say that having the barrel nickel plated brought the price down over having the original bluing.
And the leather strap was panted white.

It was a rifle for the Color Guard, but the Post did get the rifles from the government, so they were in very good firing condition.
The one thing the gun shop guy did tell me (good firing condition).

Included in the wooden case was two clips. For the rifle shows, they had a plate that covered where the clip would be inserted.
well, enough on the 308 rifle.

The thing I remember and cherish is the trip I had with my dad before his last day.

Damn, I'm proud to be a part of this forum!

rsv1cox wrote:Damn, I'm proud to be a part of this forum!

rsv1cox,

If you contact the Fleet Reserve Association, you can get a flag that flew over the Arizonia on a certain date (maybe not the time).
And have included with the flag a "Certificate of Flag Presentation" with the name of who you want on the certificate along with their title and rank.
The one I purchased at Pearl that day, the "Certificate of Flag Presentation" was blank but was filled out at the checkout counter for my dad and I with my dad's name and naval information written in. Then notarized (extra cost)

I didn't mind paying for it because the little extra money that it cost goes to the upkeep of the Arizona memorial.