Rememberance Sunday

A field of poppies..

Time for reflections on Comrades fallen, poppy petals in Trafalgar square fountain floating...

A red Field Poppy that was growing wild on the edge of Harlow Carr, just like the ones that grow in Northern France. After the battles in the Northern region of Flanders and Picardy the only thing that grew in the decimated landscapes were fields of Red Poppies.

It has used by the British Legion here every year since 1921, in the poppy appeal. I have had the poppy in the right hand side bar this week. Red for blood, and Black for remembrance. The Guns stopped on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the Eleventh month, November 1918. Thus was remembrance day started 3 years later. It is now a key date in the nations calender.

It now encompasses all soldiers fallen in all wars, and sadly in 2007 they are still falling. The only year that British servicemen have not been killed on active duty was 1968! Its a day of reflections, respect, and memories. This poem inspired the poppy appeal:

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses , row on row

That marks our space; 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, now we lie

In Flanders Fields.

Take up the 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

( John McCrae, A Canadian Surgeon in the Army wrote that in 1915.)

The Top two photos are from the Royal British Legion website. Their link is here:

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/

Long may they continue to run the Poppy appeal every year. They really do keep the torch burning through the years. Its a great charity that continues to assist people and their families in the British armed forces, for soldiers past, presnt, and future.