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 1st 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 30th
June in the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle. Regimental
associations will stage a vigil throughout the night until 7.30am on 1st
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.”
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| Carpet of crocheted poppies in front of Royal Chelsea Hospital |
Families want to go on remembering.
