Let's Avoid Making the Humble Poppy a Far-Right Symbol
Perhaps I have been living under a stone, but neither I nor my friends and acquaintances knew that the symbolic poppy has been taken over by the far right, as Neil Mackay explained in his article “The poppy has been hijacked by the far right – this is why I won’t wear it” (November 6).
Personal Family History of War Sacrifice
My recently deceased father survived the Normandy landings. His father was wounded at Passchendaele by a shell and was evacuated to the Netley receiving hospital on Southampton Water. There, he refused to let surgeons amputate his legs. After being moved through twelve hospitals, he returned to Passchendaele and continued fighting, even wearing his kilt in all weather conditions.
Until his passing, he carried a piece of shrapnel dangerously close to his spine and had a hole in his buttock large enough for a fist to enter.
Neil Mackay's Perspective
“Why I can't risk wearing a poppy this year” — Neil Mackay
Impact on Family and Legacy
My mother’s boyfriend was lost with all hands when HMS Kite was torpedoed in 1944, a fact my father had only recently shared with me. This loss deeply affected her throughout her life.
Such stories reflect the dedication and courage of those who fought to defend our democracy and country. My father instilled in us a strong support for the Earl Haig Fund and emphasized the importance of wearing the poppy, reminding us,
“Lest we forget.”
I remember him standing to attention, tears in his eyes during the minute’s silence every year on the eleventh day of the eleventh hour of the eleventh month.
Author's Summary
The poppy symbolizes deep sacrifice and remembrance, and it's crucial to preserve its unifying legacy rather than let it be claimed by divisive political groups.