Oh come, Jayne. Lighten up. I actually bought a poppy today from my nearly-blind neighbour down the street. But lots of people think as I do. I'll bet neither of my daughters buys a poppy. Poppy day commemorates Armistice Day November 11th 1918. Poppies in Flanders Field, don't you know. If we want to help soldiers wounded and killed in Tony Blair's wars then let's have another day altogether. But, as I said, I bought a poppy today.

I don't actually approve of little flags to show I have given money to a charity. A sort of boasting, don't you find? My poppy is about half an inch across and I shall wear it under my coat. I give money to my local hospice (after all I may need it soon). I hand over a fiverand the chap says thank you very much. No flag.

Never mind bringing Blair into this - We don't need a separate day to remember all the soldiers who have been wounded and killed. We already have one.

If you don't wish to ''wear your poppy with pride'' that's fine. I see it as showing my support, not as boasting that I've given money to charity.

Bu Jayne, Blair has to come into it. Most of the wars we waged since 1945 have been quite unneccesary (and that goes for the US too) and our soldiers have died for nothingIn Iraq. In Afghanistan. And if we put a toe into Syria, that would be in Syria too. Only the war for the Falklands had any justification and Mrs Thatcher didn't want to fght that at all. On the other hand...

John, you've already told me to lighten up ...over the subject of remembrance, which is what was under discussion. Now you have moved the goal posts and completely changed the subject!!!

I'm sorry but I've run out of patience with you and I am NOT getting into the business of Blair, Irag or anything to do with your post above.

Jayne

Such losses.
What family in Britain did not suffer loss in the great wars?
And how could we forget?

But, David, sometime we must forget unlesss we are Scots for whom the Battle of Bannockburn happened yesterday.

The effects of war can reveberate through a family for many generations.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

This is said every night in the 1000's of Returned Serviceman clubs thoughout Australia.

Indeed. Thank you, Ross. Lawrence Binyon's For the Fallen sums up the whole point of ''Remembrance''.

Jayne

I shall not see the shadows,
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.

We have poppies too. Best wishes to the veterans.

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