I've been wearing one here since Sunday, when our local Field of Remembrance was opened and blessed by The Dean, and the first cross was planted by the Lt Governor. I guess Jersey is bit focussed, being both insular (in every sense) and having been occupied. And I'm a bit the same, as the OH and I served 55 years between us without any harm ... and watched it happening to others. Which is one reason we're on the Poppy Team here.
But ... it's
Remembrance. That's what it is. Remembering the fallen, whether its the 55,000 of Bomber Command or the squillions everywhere else.
AND, for the RBL, it's about seizing the moment to generate funds to care for those in need. Not just WW1 or WW2, but Korea and all the other sh*t people have gone through, or just "Joe" who served and is now in need of some help. He might have done a couple of years' National Service ... that doesn't make him lesser, he's still 'one of us'.
So I will happily gob away about RBL, or Holidays4Heroes, or any military-based charity you care to name. Because those of us undamaged by our service should, in my non-humble vocal opinion (
), do a bit extra for those who didn't end up quite as lucky. And I'll wear my Poppy, Poppy Pins, sweatshirt and fleece constantly for the next couple of weeks ... to help remind people to donate.
Then we all take a deep breath, launder them and stow them for next year. (Unless you're on the local RBL Committee, or similar, because the work of meeting the need is a 365 operation).
[/rant]
