Commemorative Poppies

5,000 poppies paid a tribute of respect and remembrance at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week. This was a recreation of the Anzac Day tribute in Melbourne, Australia in 2015. Homemade crocheted poppies captured worldwide attention with an estimated 50,000 contributors.

Verdun

World War I commemorations take place today at Verdun in Lorraine, France. The French President, François Hollande has invited the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel to join him at the French national event for the Centenary of the Battle of Verdun.

The Somme

The UK will commemorate the Centenary of the Battle of the Somme on 1^st July. The ceremony will be held at the Thiepval Memorial in Northern France to remember British, Commonwealth and French war dead.

Scottish vigil

Scotland will stage a commemorative ceremony on 30^th June in the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle. Regimental associations will stage a vigil throughout the night until 7.30am on 1^st July. Fifty-one Scottish battalions took part in the Battle of the Somme that lasted for 4 months, sustaining heavy losses.

Other vigils

Similar overnight vigils will take place in Westminster Abbey, in County Down in Northern Ireland and at the Welsh National War Memorial in Cardiff.

France and Germany together

I remember spending my year abroad in Lorraine. The wounds between France and Germany still seemed raw in the area then. It is therefore remarkable and commendable that France and Germany can join together in this way today.

Perhaps it will send hope that other conflicts in the world can be resolved? Deep wounds can heal. Although those nations in conflict today should note how many generations it takes for former enemies to work together.

We should remember Santayana’s words:

“Those who cannot remember the past

 are condemned to repeat it.”

Families

These two long World War One battles are a testament to how senseless war is. So many young men lost their lives with little ground gained. So many families were affected by the losses in Europe and worldwide.

Poppies of Remembrance

The World War One battlefields gave us our symbol of remembrance. The humble poppy bloomed on the worst battlefields in Flanders. Today its brilliant red colour recalls the blood spilled in all wars and conflicts.

The poppy remains significant. The huge crowds that viewed the Tower of London’s ceramic poppies last year demonstrated this.

Some 50,000 crocheted poppies were displayed in front of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea this week. The display had special significance as this is the home of the Chelsea Pensioners, the UK's veteran soldiers.

The project began as a small personal tribute by two Australian women to their fathers. The Chelsea Flower Show leaflet describes:

“a worldwide outpouring of respect and remembrance 

to those who have served their countries in all wars, 

conflicts and peacekeeping operations.”

Carpet of crocheted poppies in front of Royal Chelsea Hospital

Families want to go on remembering.

 Telegraph article

The Tower of London Poppies Video:

1914-2014: Liverpool remembers

The English city of Liverpool and the French city of Nantes commemorated the World War I anniversary together this summer. My younger son and I spent a truly memorable weekend in Liverpool along with one million other visitors. Liverpool staged the event in style... with a little help from their French friends.

Nantes' Royal de Luxe puppeteers with the Girl in Liverpool

Three generations together

Liverpool is a special city because of its people. Liverpudlians have a unique blend of wit, warmth and resilience. When my son and I arrived at Liverpool's Lime Street station, the city was already abuzz with excitement. We felt very welcome. Complete strangers just started up conversations with us. Whole families were out on the streets together - children, parents and grandparents. The children waited patiently and politely despite their obvious excitement.

Nantes theatre company

Many spectators recalled the previous Giants' visit to Liverpool for the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic. Such was the enthusiasm for their return that many attended nearly every single day of the commemorations. They admitted to shedding tears over the tale of the Liverpool Pals' Battalion.

Liverpool has taken the Nantes theatre company, Royal de Luxe and director, Jean-Luc Courcoult to its heart. Three giant puppets told the tale: Grandmother, Girl and Xolo the dog. I was amazed at the energy of the French puppeteers.

Families watch the Grandmother in the procession

It is often said that only London and the world's other capital cities can stage major cultural and sporting events. I beg to differ. My son certainly does. How could a Liverpool supporter visit and not do a stadium tour at Anfield? (Sorry Everton fans). Football runs in the lifeblood of this city. My London-born son was delighted to take a picture of Steven Gerrard's shirt.

 

A Liverpool fan takes a picture of his hero's shirt

The home dressing room was surprisingly subdued. It just goes to show that glamour does not always win.

This city does not sweep things under the carpet. It confronts its past in the International Slavery Museum. Even within Anfield's museum with its bulging trophy cabinets, there were respectful commemorations to the lives lost in the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters.

The ceramic poppies at the Tower of London are spectacularly creative and impressive. Liverpool handled its 1914 commemoration differently, in a way that captured the attention of its people. The Giant Spectacular was free and whole families were able to watch the events unfold together. They heard a story about their city that many had forgotten or never knew. I have no doubt that 2014, and therefore 1914, will live on in the memories of the children there. The city's excellent museums will be able record the events for them to revisit and retell the tales to their children. 

Lives sacrificed in Flanders

The French theatre company brought the reality of the Liverpool's Pals Battalion to life in a way that no memorial could ever do. Now the importance of ancestors' sacrifices and hardships will have greater meaning.

Flanders' trenches where so many died