Leggat - christine grahame and the offensive white poppy

[ian1964 10,874]

http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/

[GovanAllan 0]

For me the white poppy is a slap in the face to all the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

 

Is this the same Christine Grahame that mad Joe wants sacked for being Anti-catholic ?

[26th of foot 6,225]

I listened to an old soldier on BBC Radio 4 the other morning. He is both a former CO of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers and the Special Air Service, Clive Fairweather went on to provide further service in Her Majesty Inspectorate of Prisons. I have provided a soupcon of service too and agreed with Col' Clive as he articulated his preference for the red poppy because he knew all monies raised were administered by the Earl Haig Fund(Scotland). Further, like Clive again, I have no issue with those who either prefer the white poppy or not to wear one at all. The freedom of choice honours those that paid the ultimate sacrifice, they served and fell to guarantee us that choice.

 

Here is my one gripe about the white poppy, where do the monies go? Honestly, I do not know.

[Guest Dutchy]

I think Leggo's got this one wrong. freedom means your choice whether to wear a poppy, or not. There does seem to be an increased amount of 'poppy facisim', first brought to public attention by CH4 News presenter, Jon Snow last year.

 

I were a poppy to remember the dead of past wars, not to glorify death and hope that one day the reason for not wearing a poppy will be unnecessary as that would mean we'll not have any war dead to remember.

[Zappa 0]

Here is my one gripe about the white poppy, where do the monies go? Honestly, I do not know.

 

There's a statement about this in the FAQ section on the PPU website - http://www.ppu.org.uk/whitepoppy/white_faq.html

 

Where does the money go?

Through the white poppy our aim is primarily to raise issues. We distribute the white poppies each year to challenge the view that war and preparations for war are necessary or inevitable. Any money raised over and above the cost of producing, publicising and distributing the white poppies goes to fund our education work, some of which can be seen on our main website. Such work regrettably does not attract much funding and so we rely heavily on the generosity of people like you. Donations can be made here or if you are a UK Taxpayer you can add value to your contributions to peace education work through our associated charity the Peace Research and Education Trust . We are sure they will welcome your support.

 

PS Every year there is always someone, often in the media, who implies that money raised is used for some suspect activity; others categorically insists that the white poppies are 'taking money from the valuable work the British Legion is doing' and we get a lot of intemperate emails.

If you happen to hold this view why not check with the British Legion whether this is true before complaining to us.

 

You may also like to know that the Peace Pledge Union's annual turnover is similar to the annual salary (£95,000+) of the British Legion's chief executive.

[26th of foot 6,225]

Zappa,

 

Thank you for the information, much appreciated.

 

My grandfather, like my Great Grandfather, and Father was a serving Officer in Lanarkshire's own regiment, the Cameronians. He served in Flanders during WW1. His best friend from University was from Quaker stock, and when conscription arrived in late 1916, he took the conscientious objecter option as per his beliefs. He completed several months in Flanders as a stretcher bearer, then opted out altogether and accepted a year's hard labour. My Grandfather received a wound and was gassed; however, he always stated that William Heron was the bravest man he knew.

[Zappa 0]

26th of foot, I've told some of this on Gersnet before, but since today is a day of remembrance it's appropriate that I tell some more:

 

My grandfather George Clement, was an F Section SOE agent and was parachuted into France to work as a radio operator. He was captured during his mission after his operations location in a loft on a farm was given up by a double double agent. He was taken to a Nazi concentration camp in Austria called Mauthausen. Mauthausen was one of only two Grade III extermination camps in Europe and was one of the worst of all Nazi camps. The list of attrocities commited there are so sickening that I can't even mention them.

 

His name along with 103 others, is on the monument in Valençay in the Loire Valley. It's called the Valençay SOE Memorial and it's a monument to the members of the Special Operations Executive F Section who lost their lives. My parents were at the unveiling of the memorial 20 years ago and met the owners of the farm where my grandfather was doing his radio operations. They gave him a section of my grandfather's parachute. They also met surviving French special agents who worked with my grandfather and the French Resistance and have visited and kept in touch with them over the years since then. SOE in Britain wouldn't tell my parents anything about my grandfather when they were researching what happened to him, but the French people and ex-French agents my parents met in Valençay 20 years ago and others they've met since then have told them a lot about what happened. They were told a lot by an English Historian who specialized in SOE called professor Foot as well. My mum has a huge research file on it all and said she'd write a book one day, but I don't think she ever will because the whole thing's too sad for my dad.

 

Lest We Forget

Edited November 11, 2011 by Zappa

[GovanAllan 0]

That's a book I would love to read Zappa. My Papa would never talk about the war, he would just mumble about being in the RAF and change the subject he never even spoke to my Gran about it.

 

My Great Papa was the same my Great Gran said he came home threw his medals and uniform in a chest and never mentioned it again if he was ever asked about it all he would say was, it's past leave it there.

 

My Great Papa was the church organist have tapes of him somewhere I will need look them out, my Papa taught me who to play golf made me my first set of clubs himself, god I miss playing golf with him he had a swing all his own but he could hit the ball a mile.

 

Don't know why I wrote this. But anyway miss you Bobby & Peter.

 

Lest We Forget