Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: bramble on October 31, 2014, 06:56:02 PM
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It was good to see that all 888,246 of the ceramic poppies at the Tower of London have been sold. Makes you think doesn't it?
Bramble
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Oh No! I wanted one :'(
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Has anyone been to see the display? I hear it's very impressive and thought-provoking.
I am thinking of going in the next few days but have been discouraged by tales of big crowds and long queues for the vantage points.
Any recent experiences?
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I just hope they aren't going to end up being flogged on ebay for a higher price. One of those was for my mother's father's brother (would have been my great uncle had he not been killed.
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Why not? They are in the public domain on the open market :-\
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babyjane - I agree, to me it feels disrespectful that people would re-sell these for personal gain/profit when the original idea was to raise awareness of the ultimate sacrifice by so many and also to raise money for service charities which do, in my opinion, such valuable work. Sadly, nothing is sacred these days. If I do go, I will spare a thought for your mother's father's brother as well as others I have known and lost through military service.
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Saw pictures on TV. Very impressive. I bought one of the centenary pins.
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Such a evocative sight. Really makes me want to cry. I think it would be just terrible to see them being sold on. Hopefully the type of person who would buiy one would actually want it and it would mean something to them.
Nothing like living in hope.
Honeyb
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what a kind thought tiger74 :thankyou:
CLKD - 'why not?' because I personally would find it upsetting as Tiger 74 has outlined, especially as grandad's brother is represented there but I am not stupid, I do realise what a opportunistic world we live in. I don't live in la la land.
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If someone sold one on and then gave the money to the service charities this would be ok but not to just make a quick profit for themselves. I suppose these poppies will be passed down to children and grandchildren and eventually they will be sold for "personal gain". I didn't buy one as I wasn't sure what I would actually do with it so just donated the £25.
Lots of friends have been to see it babyjane and said it was very moving. Not too much queuing - well no more than you would have to queue for any London attraction.
Taz x
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It does seem to be a very thought provoking expression of the nations remembrance of those who died in the Great War but the commercial side of it does bother me a little. I know it has raised a lot of money for service charities which is wonderful but I fear there will be those who exploit it for personal gain. To me the most poignant display of remembrance is when the poppies fall during the Festival of Remembrance each petal a symbol of a life lost falling on the heads of those who serve today.
Thorntrees
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hello Taz2, our son took his daughter to see them and said the same as you.
I suppose I feel a bit sensitive about it as I have a photo of grandad's brother's grave in the war cemetery in northern france and also his 'dead man's penny' and commendation from the king in the family history file. I have also been to see his name on the roll of honour in the church in the village where the family lived so I guess he is more than just a name to me but I don't want to get maudlin or over react as many people have someone in their family that was lost.
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Not sure ,as not seen much news this week, but aren't some going abroad too. If so, you just don't know what will become of them. It would be lovely if they were kept within families, something to be proud of. My grandfather fought in WW1, though know nothing of where he was, was never spoken about. He was a survivor. I find Remembrance day very emotional these days.
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Once you purchase it then I suppose it becomes your property and you can do what you will with it even though we may disagree with them being resold.
My grandad was gassed in the trenches in WWI - he was never able to work again but did live until he was 80. He reckoned he was one of the lucky ones in that he was sent back to England and many of his regiment died.
Taz x
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I bought some of them a few weeks ago. They will be given as Christmas presents, keeping one for myself.
I am astounded that they have all been sold.
Bramble
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I just hope that all money raised from the sale goes to Remembrance and Service men/women linked causes.
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According to this only £8 is going to charity. http://www.whistleblower.co.uk/Success-60/Tower+Of+London+Poppies+Investigation.aspx
It does look stunning though and has served to make a lot of people stop and think about those who did give their lives.
Taz x
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I agree totally - It does look stunning
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Luckily too the weather during the 'planting' of these poppies has been fine. So has most of the viewing period ………
My maternal Grandad served in the first War, but was a baker so allowed off during the 2nd; paternal Grandad served in both: I have a photo of him in uniform, would nice to get their war records to go with the photos for social history …….. late F in L was a prisoner of War under the Japs :-\ ………
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Mum and I went today. Would recommend it. No queuing as such, it was crowded but plenty of opportunities to stand at the front of the viewing areas and gather one's thoughts and/or take photos.
So glad that so many people have been to view this - in addition to the sight of so many poppies and thoughts of what each one represents, it was also moving to hear people explaining the symbolism to each other and to children. The views are breath-taking and felt like an excellent way to convey the sheer scale of sacrifice.
babyjane - I did as promised, as well as thinking deeply of two friends who have given their lives more recently in the course of military service.
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tiger74 I appreciate your thought for grandad's brother more than I can convey in a post. Thank you for your kindness x
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I have bought one of the poppies - it will certainly stay in our family for at least one more generation, as my daughter will cherish it after me. My husband's great-uncle was fatally wounded on 7 November 1918 ... the telegram to inform his mother of his death is dated 11 November 1918 - my MIL has his wallet (which has a shrapnel hole right through it and its contents) and his medals ... they are seen as family treasures.
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We remember those who lost their lives, but I remember my grandfather. He fought in the First World War with the Canadian Cavalry. He never spoke about his experiences, other than he looked after the horses. In hindsight, he exhibited symptoms of Post traumatic stress syndrome. I loved him and he, me, but he was not an easy man. We must remember the survivors, what they experienced and suffered and how this affected their relationships and reverberated through the generations.
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thank you Ju Ju.
My grandfather and his brother served in the same regiment. His brother was killed, he survived and although he died when I was 8 I only remember him as a scary and difficult old man. Looking back I wonder how much it affected him that he came home and his brother lies in the ground in Northern France. It must have mattered to him I would think.
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Ju Ju and babyjane
I think you make very valid, insightful points about the survivors. My paternal grandfather died 8 years before I was born so I never knew him. He survived gas attacks in WW1 and suffered long term health problems as a result. Such was the scale of WW1 (and some other conflicts) that there must be people all over the World who have ancestors with similar situations and that is very sad.
The other crew member survived the RAF aircraft accident in which my friend died a few years ago - he has suffered significant psychological problems as a result.
Yes, the repercussions do reverberate through many aspects of the survivors' lives and through the generations.
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These days it is believed that survivor's guilt can be a form of PTSD
'Survivor guilt (or survivor's guilt; also called survivor syndrome or survivor's syndrome) is a mental condition that occurs when a person perceives themselves to have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did not.'
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I wear one for my dad, who served 4 years without a single day off in North Africa in WW2. I treasure his MBE and the citation written by his temporary C.O while under fire. My dad lived with survivors' guilt and could never listen to the Last Post without breaking down in tears. Poor man had (undiagnosed) PTSD and had a breakdown 14 years after he was demobbed. He never spoke about the war other than to express devotion to Monty, hated war films and hated any glorification of war. He'd have been appalled by some of the politically motivated militarism around today.
He served as an engineer and in military intelligence, the latter being a "contradiction in terms".
I wish I'd got to know him better, but I was 15 when he died.
It pisses me off that there are commercial sellers of "great design poppies" etc on eBay, Amazon and that none or very little of their profits goes to charity. For me, doesn't have to go to the British Legion, but any charity would be appropriate, not pocketing the money.
I've ordered a pin badge poppy this year as the paper ones fall off. Pity you can't seem to buy them in the street. Around here there are only the paper ones.
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Even though all of the poppies have been sold you can still make a dedication to a loved one http://poppies.hrp.org.uk/make-a-dedication.
Taz x