Red or white poppies?

[Montreal Wanderer]

I wear my poppy with pride. Both of my grandfathers went to great lengths to explain to me their significance as a boy and it's something I always remember. I'll even wear it to golf on Sunday morning (read into that what you will).
As mentioned earlier, the red poppy isn't just some arbitrary symbol, it has a direct correlation with the battlefields of the First World War (my Great-Grandfather died at Ypres),

My great uncle was wounded at the third battle of Ypres (wipers) in 1917. He was a Lt-Colonel in command of the Territorial Battalion of the East Lancs Regiment - the barracks was, I think, on Great Moor Street and might have been called the Bury Barracks (perhaps not). Great Uncle Bill was given the DSO for whatever he did there - probably ordered to attack an impossibly well defended position which appeared to be the general strategy at the time. Do you know what regiment your Great Grandfather served with, Bruce?

[communistworkethic]

So now even a thread ahead of Remembrance Day is being turned into one about God bothering, ffs?!

Mmm - twas commie what started it, sir, with his Nat West swastika nonsense.... he's got Christians on the brain, I tell you!

Er no it wasn't, Dujon raised it- I responded. Even then, relgion was raised as an issue in this context earlier than that in this thread.


And Raven, just because the cross was used elsewhere, do you seriously believe Christianity - with a pretty massive part of it's religion revolving around a crucifixion actually went - "ooh look at that symbol the Norse use, I like that we'll use it." "hey you know what dave, that looks like the cross on which our Lord was crucified, what a coincidence" Or do you think that two lines represents quite a simple design that could have sprung up quite independently in iconography? Especially when one religion has it's saviour killed on one?

[Dujon]

No, I'm not starting another anti-religious thread or hi-jacking this one.

In my defence, good sir.

[Bruce Rioja]

Do you know what regiment your Great Grandfather served with, Bruce?

I'll get the details together for you, Monty. My elder brother has them all.Though I'll send them to you privately rather than across the forum.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Do you know what regiment your Great Grandfather served with, Bruce?

I'll get the details together for you, Monty. My elder brother has them all.Though I'll send them to you privately rather than across the forum.

Sure thing.

[Bench]

I've just read the BBC article. Twice. I needed to read it twice so I could actually try and understand the whole context of the issue. I would just like to start my response by confirming by full agreement with everything Commie said. The Red Poppy is a symbol of the thousands of men and women who died, not only in the First and Second World Wars, but also in conflicts in more recent times - although the symbol itself is derived from the French fields of the First World War.

Having read the article, one thing came through to the fore. They compared the wearing of the Red Poppy with wearing the crucifix:

But whilst apparently banned from wearing one symbol of hope, the cross, public figures in Britain are simultaneously urged, indeed in many cases, required, to wear another, the red poppy, almost as an article of faith.

This is not a 'political' argument. This faceless 'Christian Lobby Group' is trying to turn the time of rememberance and the wearing of the Red Poppy into a relegious argument.

That, in my mind, is almost as abhorent as war itself.

[Montreal Wanderer]

although the symbol itself is derived from the French fields of the First World War.

Don't tell them that in Flanders!

[Batman]

Okely dokely Mont-ereeno!

[Soldier_Of_The_White_Army]

Okely dokely Mont-ereeno!

[cowdrill]

diddly

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 35,00.html

Portillo talking a lot of sense, as usual.

[50sQuiff]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 35,00.html

Portillo talking a lot of sense, as usual.

I came to this thread just to post that link, only to find you had already posted it. Portillo really has proved to be an inspired writer and pundit and I really do enjoy and learn from everything he writes.

He makes some very insightful comments on this debate that are well worth reading. They're not in contradiction to anything I've said - my opposition is to people arguing and fighting over symbols, whilst ignoring the underlying cause or significance.

[cowdrill]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 35,00.html

Portillo talking a lot of sense, as usual.

I came to this thread just to post that link, only to find you had already posted it. Portillo really has proved to be an inspired writer and pundit and I really do enjoy and learn from everything he writes.

HAHAHAHA!!!!

that explains a LOT

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Sorry, definitely with Quiff on this one.

[TANGODANCER]

Sorry, definitely with Quiff on this one.

Me too. No personal agendas, just a reminder of what it's all about.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Sorry, definitely with Quiff on this one.

Me too. No personal agendas, just a reminder of what it's all about.

Well, I was talking more generally about Quiff's assessment of Portillo's value as a social commentator these days.

[TANGODANCER]

Sorry, definitely with Quiff on this one.

Me too. No personal agendas, just a reminder of what it's all about.

Well, I was talking more generally about Quiff's assessment of Portillo's value as a social commentator these days.

Don't be silly; he's a politician.

[TANGODANCER]

I wear my poppy with pride. Both of my grandfathers went to great lengths to explain to me their significance as a boy and it's something I always remember. I'll even wear it to golf on Sunday morning (read into that what you will).
As mentioned earlier, the red poppy isn't just some arbitrary symbol, it has a direct correlation with the battlefields of the First World War (my Great-Grandfather died at Ypres),

My great uncle was wounded at the third battle of Ypres (wipers) in 1917. He was a Lt-Colonel in command of the Territorial Battalion of the East Lancs Regiment - the barracks was, I think, on Great Moor Street and might have been called the Bury Barracks (perhaps not).

The Lancashire Fusileers barracks in on Bolton Road Bury Monty. The Teritorial Army one is on Fletcher Street Bolton. Both my grandfathers (one English, one Irish) died befor I was born, (from what I know not,) but my dad served all through the Second World War. He came back from Dunkirk a very subdued man; the craft in front of and behind his were both bombed and sunk killing many of his mates. He would never discuss the war in all the time I knew him (he's been dead a long time now, since 1959, and was never a well man since he got back from the war. Spent quite some time in Crumpsall Hospital on his return). He always wore a red poppy and honoured Rememberance Day until he died. I shall do the same.

[Bwfc in the bloodline]

Good on you,

I still partake in rememberance and wear my red poppy, but my Grandad didnt go to war, he was conscripted as a bevin boy and served down the mines. In those days it was a very risky venture. He ended up dying of breathing difficulties due to breathing in all the dust down the pit. He and my Grandma always honoured rememberance day to prey for those who were less fortunate!

[Montreal Wanderer]

I wear my poppy with pride. Both of my grandfathers went to great lengths to explain to me their significance as a boy and it's something I always remember. I'll even wear it to golf on Sunday morning (read into that what you will).
As mentioned earlier, the red poppy isn't just some arbitrary symbol, it has a direct correlation with the battlefields of the First World War (my Great-Grandfather died at Ypres),

My great uncle was wounded at the third battle of Ypres (wipers) in 1917. He was a Lt-Colonel in command of the Territorial Battalion of the East Lancs Regiment - the barracks was, I think, on Great Moor Street and might have been called the Bury Barracks (perhaps not).

The Lancashire Fusileers barracks in on Bolton Road Bury Monty. The Teritorial Army one is on Fletcher Street Bolton. Both my grandfathers (one English, one Irish) died befor I was born, (from what I know not,) but my dad served all through the Second World War. He came back from Dunkirk a very subdued man; the craft in front of and behind his were both bombed and sunk killing many of his mates. He would never discuss the war in all the time I knew him (he's been dead a long time now, since 1959, and was never a well man since he got back from the war. Spent quite some time in Crumpsall Hospital on his return). He always wore a red poppy and honoured Rememberance Day until he died. I shall do the same.

I'm going to have to do a bit of checking. I found a good site which lists people by surname if they received a decoration http://www.lightage.demon.co.uk/GREATWARINDEX.htm#Top) - it says my uncle was in the Lancashire Fusiliers not the East lancs I'll have to check family records. It is a good site if you want to check on family members.