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I got mine today!

farnham54

A-List Customer
Messages
404
Location
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Been wearing mind for over a week.

I do believe the Poppy is more famous here in Canada; John McCrae, who wrote In Flanders Fields (It's a very famous Rememberance poem written in WWI) was born right here in Guelph--Is that poem recited in other countries on Rememberence day (November 11)?

I don't remember seeing very many in the US last year; I'd be interested to know if it's popular. Honestly it is rare you see anyone not wearing a poppy around on their lapel in Canada--just tune in to a Canadian news broadcast or a hockey game.

Cheers
Craig
 

Elaina

One Too Many
You know, I don't recall seeing them selling them like they used to. When they have them, I always buy them, and then give them away to an old man of the age of the WWII vets. Or giving them to a vietnam vet.

On that note, I haven't bought one in 4 years because I never see them for sale anywhere.
 

Story

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,056
Location
Home
Rare account of WW1 Christmas to be sold
Tue Nov 7, 2006 10:20 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - One of the most poignant events of World War One, described by a soldier in a letter home to his "dear mater," is to be auctioned Tuesday.

The rare letter, which gives an account of the Christmas Day truce in 1914, is one of the few uncensored accounts of life in the trenches.

Nothing is known about the writer and whether he survived the horrors that were to come. Only referring to himself as "Boy," he epitomizes the spirit of the Unknown Soldier.

In five penciled pages of an Army-issue notebook, he describes how the guns fell silent on Christmas Eve across No Man's Land on the Western Front.

He writes how the troops played football during "one of the most memorable Christmases I've ever spent or likely to spend."

German and British soldiers put aside killing for a day and swapped cigarettes and sang carols.

Along one part of the Western Front, they have been described as playing football, though it appears "Boy" just knocked a ball around with fellow Tommies.

He describes how, as night fell, he observed the Germans placing lights along the edge of the trenches before approaching the British lines.

The letter continued: "They also gave us a few songs so we had quite a social party.

"Some of our chaps went over to their lines. I think they've all come back bar one. They no doubt kept him as a souvenir."

Josephine Olley, senior press officer at Bonham's, where the letter is to be auctioned, said: "This letter is highly unusual in that it has not been censored, and also in the terms of camaraderie it describes between the German and British troops.

"It was written quite early on in the war, so the full horror of the trenches has yet to come through, and the authorities had not become so strict with censoring."

It is not known whether the "Boy" survived. There was no envelope with the letter, nor any mention about his regiment, or where along the Front he was stationed.

The letter is expected to fetch around 500 pounds.
 

carter

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,921
Location
Corsicana, TX
Miss Neecerie said:
Go hunt down your local VFW chapter....they should be doing -something-....

The VFW Chapter in Dallas on Garland Road has them. You just have to go there if you want one or more.
 

K.D. Lightner

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,354
Location
Des Moines, IA
I have never even heard of Poppy hats. However, the poem In Flanders Fields is quite famous, was in my high school literature text book and I have seen it in other poetry anthologies.

I will spend Veteran's Day probably making a trip to the cemetery with my mother. Father was a WW II vet, he is buried in the military part of the cemetery.

Speaking of Flanders Fields, did you know there are only a few WW I veterans still alive worldwide? Only 22 verified veterans, plus some unverified, and several that are WW I-related veterans (i.e., they served after Armistice but before the Treaty of Versailles or were serving in other wars). Worldwide total of all is 32. And they are all really, really old.

karol
 

MagistrateChris

One of the Regulars
Messages
127
Location
Central Ohio
Poppies aren't sold around here, in Central Ohio that I've ever seen. However, the American Flag on my lapel every day means the same thing. I'll never forget.
 

Miss Neecerie

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,616
Location
The land of Sinatra, Hoboken
My yearly tradition...

Its two years from my first post on this...and this morning, the same two gents were out in front of work with poppies.

So I bring it up again...

Got yours?


Collect enough and I might have a bouquet for my office desk. ;)


and please remember, that the proceeds actually go to -help- veterans....because sometimes, just remembering......isn't enough.
 

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