Poppies

[Stu in USA]

Do other countries wear poppies or something similar? Here in USA no-one wears them, although Nov 11th is a national holiday.

[jenstar]

You know something, I was going to write something sensible about Rememberance Day, but I know how much you all despise that sort of thing, so I've decided to go and punch myself repeatedly in the face instead [edited by ABED]

[Evorg Enaj]

A British soldier buried in Ieper? How unusual. I know the area well having 2 in a military cemetery at Poperinge and 1basted to pieces so is remembered on the Menin Gate (in the construction of which my father played a part). Which cemetery in Ieper, smudge?

[Pippa68]

Do Americans get Veterans Day off work...as in a Bank Holiday?

My grandad always used to say that Rememberance Sunday was a way of the Government making sure we didn't have any time off work!

[johnlambert]

jenstar,
kick yourself in the b0llocks while your at it

[jenstar]

That would be quite a trick.

[JackDanielsU]

jenstar, please do write something sensible about Rememberance Day,

Its just a shame you showed what a childish, shallow, self-obbsessed person you are in a previous post....and your 2nd one.

Grow up.

[Stu in USA]

yes Pippa, Americans do get a "bank holiday" on the nearest Monday to Nov 11th. And jenstar thank you for at least answering my question by informing me that Scottish poppies are different, something I did not realise.

[Pippa68]

Are Scottish poppies like the big fanciful ones the Queen wears?

[ummmm]

I'll do it for you jenstar! It'll be no bother.

[THECORBYLOON]

In light of the subject can yous not bring a halt to the petty bickering?

The Scots Poppy has four petals and no leaf. I've always removed the leaf from the English ones because I don't see its purpose. �15,000 is saved by not putting them on the Scots ones so think how much the English would save if they did the same.

[joko]

yeah i agree with jenstar - who cares about the vets - as long as scotland has a nicer poppy to brag about...!

jeezo - fancy you wee sassenachs caring more about the money raised than the money spent! do you people know nothing about fashion? ach!

perhaps if scotland wasted less money on their 'fancy' effort, more money would go to the CHARITY they are made for...

jenstar - if you get a sore arm punching yourself in the face, there is an orderly queue waiting here to take over for you...

[netibiza]

Obviously here in Spain they don't wear poppies, although the ex-pats do, Spain wasn't in the 2nd world war.

[jenstar]

Well, that's certainly confirmed what I suspected about poppy enthusiasts: that they're a bunch of humourless idiots with a mob mentality more in tune with violence than peace. And also incapable of working out that someone called jenstar might not actually be anatomically equipped to kick herself in the ********. (And by the way, the Scottish poppies really DO make the English ones look tawdry by comparison. If you're going to insist on making a big deal of your two-weeks-a-year and only-because-you're-told-to remembrance, you could at least put the effort in to have a poppy that looks a bit decent. You only have to do this once a year, so you could afford to splash out a bit. )

[noxlumos]

Jenstar,
I'm from the north of Ireland so I couldn't give a rat's ar5e whether the English or the Scots poppy is better, and
IT DOESN'T MATTER.
This is about millions of boys and men who died under the most horrific of circumstances and remembering that. It's got fcuk all to do with whose bl00dy poppy is better.They are just a symbol of rememberance, and I don't need reminding about it for 2 weeks a year thanks. Some of us think about such things a great deal, throughout the year at the behest of no-one, so stick to speaking for yourself.

[kempie]

Why are people reluctant to click on links within an answer?

The different types of poppy is covered in the Wiki article 30 posts ahead of this.

[jenstar]

"I don't need reminding about it for 2 weeks a year thanks. Some of us think about such things a great deal, throughout the year at the behest of no-one, so stick to speaking for yourself."

Yes, some of us do. Most people don't. For most people it's a two-weeks-a-year thing because everyone else is doing it. Those are the people I'm getting at. And you're right, the poppy isn't important. At all. The point I'm trying to make by bringing up the Scottish one is how unimportant they are. (Especially the English one!) They're not in the slightest bit important, I'm just mocking the mentality of people who think they are. People who wear a tacky paper flower when they're told to and think they're so great, but don't give a toss the rest of the year. People who blithely quote "At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them" but have forgotten by lunchtime.

[THECORBYLOON]

There are many who have a direct linvolvement with war and more who have relatives or friends who fought or died in confict. It is not that they or we have no thought for those who been killed or injured but Armistice Day is a day which brings it to the forefront.

The Poppy is not a tacky bit paper. It represents a life, a life lost in battle and we should all ensure that the wee ones of to-day are telt what it is about in the hope that the memory and respect due to their elders never diminish.
LEST WE FORGET

[smudge]

Just been sitting here having a grizzle reading through all the positive, dedicated posts.

Evorg - Before my Dad died in 1994, he & some of my brothers visited my Grandad J's grave in leper (Ypres).

When you say 'how unusual for a British soldier to be buried there', it got me thinking. I would hate to think that he isn't actually buried there, but that his headstone is a commemoration of his loss of life. That would really upset me.

However, I intend to visit my Grandad's grave one day, taking along with me a photo of him in his uniform & a photo of the wife & young children he left behind - it's something I've always wanted to do.

I'm not sure which Cemetery he's buried in, but will phone my brother to find out -be back later......

[smudge]

jenstar - you really are an ignorant, immature little scrote!

You have no idea of the times I & others think of my Grandad & all his comrades - not just on Armistice day, but all through the year.

I'm so glad we didn't have 'people' like you fighting for our Country - you're probably the type who would be more concered on how shiny your boots were, rather than having them covered in mud like the 'real' men!

[smudge]

Oh & in case you're not sure what 'scrote' is - here's a definition of it:

http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_561507543/sc rote.html

(If you are a female - I'd still put you in the same category - but would use my own interpretation of 'scrotess' instead).