Poppies

[Kingo]

I am posting this message as an exsevice man I hope that I dont offend anyone,

It's comming up to rememberance day once again so I wont be on here very much because I will be out selling poppies in the local CO-OP.

The generosity of people to give never ceases to amaze me!! I start at 8 in the morning finish at 8 at night last year I raised over 1,400 pounds.

I know things are tight these days with so many charities asking for our money but I have every confidence in you all to buy and wear your poppy with pride.

So if you see someone selling poppies please give a donation it does not matter how small!! we are all unpaid volunteers and are grateful for all donations.

Many thanks.
Glyn.

[Doro]

well said Kingo

all my grandparents fought in the war (one granny was in the NAAFI the other a land girl) and thankfully they all survived. My grandfather really suffered though, and the one thing he always said was that the Salvation Army were the real angels of WWII

and yes I'll be buying a poppy :)

[Mrs Reject]

Yep we always do buy one, my grandfather was a fighter pilot in WW11 and was shot down but survived with leg injuries. he did in fact fight in both world wars, he was quite old when my mum was born and died when I was 12. I still remember going to remembrance day with him and the others who had fought in the war, they all used to wear their medals with pride.
There used to be so many of them and now they are less and less every year :(

[Freak]

All my grandparents served in ww2 and although now in their late eightys they often quietly remind me how lucky we all are today, despite what we might think. Im sure we all to often forget just how much suffering they went through for us. Buying a poppy is the very least we can do. :)

[krammer]

always buy one. my granddad was at ypres in the 'great' war and my old man and his brother fought in the desert campaign. well done for making the effort. :)

[Bosun]

always do buy one, and wear it with pride as they say

[BikerGran]

Well I always put some money in the tin, but by the time I think how to fix the poppy on my jacket its usually too late, so I tend not to get one nowadays.
My dad was in the Fleet Air Arm in WWII

[Dougie]

Always buy at least one.Did a tour in Belfast in 1980,got shot at,bricked,stoned (not that way!) and experienced a bombing,so it could have been me!
Those white poppies of a few years ago used to annoy the crap out of me,they dishonoured the memory of the (mostly) young men and women who died to free Europe from the Nazis,not to mention the dead of other wars.
Pay a visit to the site of Belsen concentration camp (I have,not nice and spooky as hell) and tell me they died for nothing!
Sorry,rant over.

[krammer]

yeah' i've been to belsen, the really eerie thing about the place is the absence of noise. also been to some first world war battlefields and war graves. also been to arnhem, the dams and colditz castle. i think we all should pause and reflect occasionally on the sacrifices made for us . serious mode off. :)

[ForestFred]

Always Buy one .An I never wear a white one! :mad:

[Dougie]

Been to the Mohne Dam myself.The locals get a total monk-on when a bunch of squaddies start humming the Dambusters March! :eek:

[krammer]

i know what you mean, but fair play to the krauts for tolerating coach loads of people looking at sites we blew the **** out of! could you imagine coach parties of germans being welcomed to coventry to survey the damage to the cathedral?

[Dougie]

True,I was young at the time.It does piss me off when I see ignorant bastards letting thier kids climb all over war memorials,or tourists having picnics on sites of battles and leaving litter!A little respect is not a lot to ask.

[Mrs Reject]

yeah' i've been to belsen, the really eerie thing about the place is the absence of noise. also been to some first world war battlefields and war graves. also been to arnhem, the dams and colditz castle. i think we all should pause and reflect occasionally on the sacrifices made for us . serious mode off. :)

I been there too, I went to visit when I lived in Germany for 2 years. It was incredibly sobering and I don't think I ever want to visit again.
Didn't like Germany tho' the people were nice enough but too many rules and regulations which everyone follows slavishly and every transaction requires paperwork in triplicate!

[Gypsy]

i will buy one as i always have done, had family doing their bit back then ,also ex army myself.

[defarter]

Both me Grandads are gone now, both were 1st WW men, one i never met who died some years after the war from damaged lungs caused by mustard gas, The other one lived on to be 2 weeks short of his 100th birthday bless him, he was a grand old man.
Got to add to this the man who became my Dads stepfather he was a Scot and was a merchant seaman in the second world war, He survived after his ship was sunk in a convoy while crossing the atlantic he was one of the best things in my life, 34 years on and i still miss him.
So it's a poppy for all of them.

[Friar Tuck]

My Dad was a bomber pilot during ww2, and is now 82. and my father-in-law was a tail end charlie on Lancasters in the Pathfinder Force. Both were decorated. And I have found that a tough act to follow!

Rest assured I will be wearing my poppy!

[Dougie]

Let's hope the Black Watch get through the next few weeks safely.I'll be keeping the silence on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

[Mitch]

Let's hope the Black Watch get through the next few weeks safely.I'll be keeping the silence on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

I hope so too... a couple of my great uncles were in the Black Watch!

[madastoast]

After watching the news where they showed the route the Black watch were taking and showed them refueling en route I think they're gonna need more than a little luck.

[MancCatz]

Got Two today. One for me one for the Wife. Mine went on straight away.
My grandfather on my mother’s side was a royal marine commando in WWII and never talked about his time. My Fathers Father used to clear mines in Malta and my dad way on Malta, Yes when the nice Italians and Germans Bombed the crap out of the place, Also I served for a couple of years in Northern Ireland and got shot at, bricked, spat at and I was at Omagh. Could have been my mates or me.

I can recall on VJ Day marching in to the G-Mex with the old comrades of the Manchester Regiment. The old boys kept thanking us.

I was in the Bogs trying to sort out my dress uniform jacket as ARMY ONE SIZE FITS ALL I was trying to re tuck the back when a voice said "undo your belt and Expertly folded the jacket so it was bob on.

I turned round and there was an old comrade in a Snow Beret with a chest full of medals. At least five rows. He was ex-navy and served on the Russia convoys, Getting a bucket full of tin and after the war he joined the Army and was telling me what a crap time he had after the war.

I thanked him after talking for an hour and he said it was fine, when I said no I mean for the sacrifice him and all like him had made he broke in to tears.

Best drinking buddy a young man (at that time) ever had. God rest him

Also for my last remembrance with the Kings Regiment Three of use were asked to attend Ashton-under-lyne. When we turned up in full dress uniform and there was only three of us, My platoon SGT (a veteran of the French legion Chad, and N.Ireland) a fellow CPL (N.ireland, Gulf) and myself (N.Ireland) The old comrades asked us two CPL's to march in front as markers to there formation and the SGT to call the time. At the cenotaph we were asked to stand in front of the memorial and face the parade. I have never been so proud. After me and my two mates didn't have to pay for a drink and we tried. But having 42 old solders offering to take your head of can have a claming effect on you.

As to the boys in The Gulf "good luck lads, keep your head down and all get home in one piece"
P.S. sorry so long winded but just had to say my bit

[Rogue Monkey]

Red poopy for me and always attend the rememberance parade!

[Kingo]

Just like to say thankyou to you all for the support that you give to the poppy appeal, you have all given me the boost to try and do another week this year, hopefully I will break last years total.
Thanks again.
Glyn.

[Dougie]

Go for it mate!Like I said,it coulda been me!

[Tiger Lily]

It's warming to read through these post and see that you are all so proud of your family. I to had grandparents who faught, and will always be proud of them, and always buy a poppy in honour of all that they, and many others, did for us. :)

[Sir Ewok]

I haven't bought mine yet, only got a pocketful of shrapnel and wouldn't want to insult them by putting pennies in. Will get mine next week.
My Paternal Grandfather fought in South Africa, joining up at 14 to escape a bad home life. He was 'in' for 21 years and won his good conduct/long service medal. He got the full compliment of WW1 medals and did the the whole war, finally serving in the Home Guard in WW2. My maternal grandfather was the black sheep of the family and never talked about. I found a few things out when my mother was delirious, due to her stroke. He had driven ambulances during WW1 and after the war got two women pregnant (one my grandmother) at the same time. Unable to face the scandal, he comitted suicide by drinking a bottle of Lycol on Brighton beach. My Father was in an anti-Aircraft Battery during the war and came out unscathed, Mum worked in a Laundry. We owe all these folks on here, and of course the rest, that made sacrifices we couldn't image today.
I always wear mine with pride. White poppies, I spit on them.

[Fran]

[QUOTE= White poppies, I spit on them.[/QUOTE]
What people who wear white poppies forget is that if it wasn't for the people who fought & died in wars they probably wouldn't have the freedom to wear the damn things in public! :mad:

[Nitrowing]

I've never seen white poppies. I'd love to meet people selling/wearing white poppies...

[Rogue Monkey]

My Dad was a bomber pilot during ww2, and is now 82. and my father-in-law was a tail end charlie on Lancasters in the Pathfinder Force. Both were decorated. And I have found that a tough act to follow!

Rest assured I will be wearing my poppy!
Respect to yer dad! I remember having a trip to Arnhem when I was stationed in Germany near the Dutch border. The locals treated us like Kings! :)

[Rogue Monkey]

[QUOTE= White poppies, I spit on them.
What people who wear white poppies forget is that if it wasn't for the people who fought & died in wars they probably wouldn't have the freedom to wear the damn things in public! :mad:[/QUOTE]
Wot the hell are "White Poppies"? what are they about? never heard of em! I hope they arent some anti war thing! I might have to slap someone if I see one now! :confused:

[Dougie]

Haven't seen 'em for a few years,and yeah,they were some anti-war thing!I don't mind folk exercising their right to be anti-war,but to dishonour the memories of people that died so they can is unspeakable!!

Sooo,I see from this thread we've a good few ex-forces guys (and girls?) here.Because I'm a nosy bastid I'm gonna ask what yer unit was.I'm ex Royal Artillery,94 Locating Regiment,'78 to '81,based in Celle near Hanover with a 5 month tour to Girdwood Park with 5 Heavy Regiment RA in Belfast,summer '80.

[Rogue Monkey]

14/20 Kings Hussars, 75 Engineer regiment and a year in SF. :o

[Nitrowing]

9 Squadron RAF

[Shudy]

9 Squadron RAF

Brylcreem Boy!

[Born2bVile]

Got no family in the forces, never had Grandparents that spoke about the war. I seem to have no connection to poppies at all.

But

I already have my poppy and will wear it with respect for those that made the sacrifice for us.

As far as white poppies go, I can think of nobody lower than those who try to make a political point from the blood of heroes.

Cheers,

Byrnie.