As I was selling Poppies,
 

As I was selling Poppies today I struck up a conversation with a lady who is the grandaughter of the late John Henry (Jack) Williams VC. Her story of her Grandad seemed incredible so I googled the name when I got home. Incredible doesn't come close to describing this mans amazing exploits.


I'd post a link if I only knew how?

Amazing chap!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Williams_(VC)

endplay, allow me.

Jack_Williams VC DCM MM & Bar(Wikipedia)


An extract:

Please note the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce, the Queen's representative for Australia is NOT wearing a poppy

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8199/8...347bfb02_z.jpg



And neither is the Prime Minister of Australia, Jooliar Gillard. On behalf of all Australians I apologise for the appalling bad manners of these two individuals. It is also worthy of note that the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott WAS wearing a poppy.


http://resources2.news.com.au/images...ce-charles.jpg

Links
 

DaveW,
Thanks for that but could you tell me how to do it please?

More to the point, why are all the security [for Gillard one presumes] looking INWARDS?

Only the ones we can see are looking inwards, either that or they don't care if their VIP gets taken out ;)

Re Quentin, it is probably a family name.

Re not wearing poppies, it might have something to do with protocol
as it is unlikely the GG makes that mistake.

For your info, this GG is very good, very hard working and
very committed to supporting troops. In fact an article in
the media the other day due to the fact she has had her term extended by 6 months (due to when our election falls), it listed the number of events, functions and trips she had done since taking office and the question was
asked "does she ever take holidays" !!!

She has also been to the front line in Afghanistan a couple of times.

Good timing then!

No **** Sherlock...

Endplay

How to Create a Link to a Webpage in MsWord

Following this should help

Back on-topic:

"Distinguished Conduct Medal
Mametz Wood 10th/12th July 1916
For continued and sustained coolness and gallantry during the battle."

:ok:

Apropros the first post...I really enjoy selling poppies on ANZAC Day, because of the people you meet...of all ages.

Siseman

To be fair, Rememberence day is somewhat overshadowed in Australia by ANZAC day, which is a public holiday. Quite a few Aussie wear poppies, but only on the day. Normally it's the Poms who wear them for the week before

Having served on exchange in the land down under I csn honestly say that both the kiwis and the Ozzies put the Brits to shame when it comes to remembrance .....in the UK we remember our fallen every year.... Down under they remember every day.

Mrs S and I attended the NZ National Memorial in Wellington this morning to find a small but high powered service about to start. Joined the very small number of public and very wet servicemen outside in the pouring rain (just like the UK) but disappointed the service was not relayed to outside - again also expressed by locals. Also surprised at how little notice taken by rest of public - again though I realise ANZAC day is the bigger commemoration.

More to the point, why are all the security [for Gillard one presumes] looking INWARDS?

Probably to make sure that she doesn't fall over ....:E

Jack

PS Full marks to the extremely elegant GG for doing a very good Duchess of Kent impression - to make C and C feel at home perhaps!:ok:

Isn't the claim against someone not wearing a poppy somewhat hypocritical as haven't wars been fought over freedom...

I assummed that freedom also allows someone to make a choice of whether to wear a poppy or not.

Sadly its now almost poppy fascism where anybody who doesn't wear one is pillored.

From my visits to Australia it is probably simply that her parents were simply Australian. They seem to go in for odd names and spellings down there.
As for Remembrance Day, please don't despair of it being forgotten in Oz - at least not whilst my 14 years old OzNephew is alive. He is a member of the Army Cadets out there and this year was asked to organise a Remembrance Day Assembly for the school he attends. He was thrilled to do so and started work on it some months ago. I haven't yet heard how it went but hopefully it all went well.

And the height of hypocrisy racedo when it is has never been customary in Australia to wear them on the day preceding Armistice Day.


Precisely Ogre and only a Pom would make the error. Total beat-up!

Today, November 11th 2012 both ladies who were so unjustly pilloried observed correct protocol at the AWM.

Zorro

As I mentioned before, protocol and you just hit the nail on the head.

Official's might wear them during the week as part of normal wear
but at official functions, protocol would probably dictate that they
are only worn on the actual day.

.

Keith Wood - poppy on BBC
 

Did anybody notice that Keith Wood - former Ireland RU captain - wore a poppy on BBC for Ireland v SA coverage?

I thought that was a nice touch. Irish soldiers who fought for Britain in both WW1 and WW2 tend to get forgotten over there.

That was a quick jump onto the outrage bus Zorro.

My post here followed on from a post made on the Oz politics thread (but you probably didn't see that ) where comment was made about the Defence Minister, Stephen Smith, walking past all the poppy sellers in Perth on Friday and neither he nor his staffer wore a poppy. What does that say about the Defence Minister?

The same day our Bogan in Chief was meeting with Prince Charles and was not wearing one - hence the pix of her and the GG. On the other hand the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, displayed manners by wearing one.

I accept that the protocols in Australia are different from the UK but one would have thought that a poppy would have been worn in keeping with the dress of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

So, ding ding - you can get off the outrage bus now if you want or you can remain on board snarling your xenophobic comments about 'poms' and searching for other sisemen posts.

Meanwhile, in Auckland, we had this bloke....

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...y_2395027e.jpg

Unfortunately thats part of the poppy fascism I was talking of, not wearing one he will get abused, wears one to satisfy the audience on BBC. People wear one on TV to avoid the tabloids targeting them.

Racedo,

Should I assume you have spoken to him to determine the truth of your statement? I would prefer to believe that, given his strength of character, he actually chose to show his respect by wearing a poppy.

If Keith Wood was commenting on Irish TV for Rugby would he wear a poppy............ now if he would then I would withdraw my criticism.
Sadly I think it unlikely.

Doesn't answer rarelyathome's question. (My bold)

On recent coverage of the US presidential election two out of three ITN reporters wore a Poppy. I haven't seen any criticism here or anywhere else from your Poppy Fascists re the one who did not.

I don't think wearing poppies has ever really been a tradition in RoI.
However - remembering the dead is still done.
Irish leaders in Poppy Day first - Republic of Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Probably because the same organisation that was allegedly defending freedom in Europe in 1916 was suppressing it in Ireland. http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-do-thosePa-who-flaunt-the-poppy-on-their-lapels-know-that-they-mock-the-war-dead-6257416.html See para 6: the author's father escaped the butchery of the Somme because he was part of a unit that was busy executing troublemakers closer to home, one of my distant cousins amongst them. It's a curious irony that sees our respective views on this symbol and the conflict that gave rise to it aligned at the beginning of this next century.

Spent a little time in 'Stralia. Wearing poppies for Rememerance Day is optional but wearing No 1s and parading in public on ANZAC Day is compulsory. Does that make duties on ANZAC day enforced celebration of freedom?

The Memsahib bought two poppies for us outside Tesc's last Saturday; the lady selling them handed us the poppies, then a couple of pins. Apparently, H&S dictates that the poppies must be separate from the pins......:ugh:

My 2 little ones were given poppies with self adhesive backs. Made them easy to wear without needing pins......can't move them to other clothes though so have to buy another.

Basically wear once poppies

Maybe they thought the money had been donated to grow heroin poppies...

Couple caught on CCTV stealing Poppy Appeal tin - Telegraph

:mad:

Poppies and Pins
 

27mm - Yes you are quite correct on the pins/poppies line, avoids any legal ramifications that may occur if the seller managed to acupuncture the buyer. Agree with earlier comments that it is nice to meet people during these activities and listen to their stories. We sometimes think we have it hard today, nothing compared to what our parents/grandparents generations went through.

Oz PM's Name
 

DX WombatNot only are both her parents NOT Oztralian born, she was born in Wales!

She has developed the strangest Welsh accent that I've heard.

Ian

The original comment was referring to the GG's name of Quentin,
not Julia Gillard.


And yes, you are quite correct, she does have a weird accent
but it has got better.

A combination of Welsh and 'strain :O
(Ausraaaaaalian for those who don't know what 'strain means)