Saturday Flowers: Lest We Forget

On Tuesday this week, at the 11th hour on the 11th Day of the 11th Month, we  once again recognised Remembrance Day and the end of World War I. This year is the 96th anniversary of peace and the end of the war to end all wars. Over the next four years there will be many commemorations to mark the tragedies of the war and the impact on all the countries which were involved.

Tyne Cot Cemetery near Ieper, Belgium.

Sapper J W Rooney, New Zealand Engineers, Beach Cemetery, ANZAC, Gallipoli, Turkey.

Hence this week I’m including some photos of flowers taken at various War Cemeteries in northern France, Belgium and Turkey on our recent trip.

Pheasant Wood, Fromelles, France. 5533 men were killed or injured on that day.

The Aussie green & gold at Polygon Wood Cemetery.

Sgt Lewis McGee VC, Tyne Cot Cemetery.

One of the most evocative and sobering art installations I’ve ever seen (albeit virtually) has been the poppies at the Tower of London. With over 800,000 poppies representing all Commonwealth deaths, it is quite awe-inspiring. Extrapolate that to include the men who returned to their homes, shattered in body and mind, and all the families and communities who were bereaved it starts to tell the impact of such a terrible war. It also bears recognising that the other participants in the war, whether Allies or not, suffered equally terrible losses.

Angela has generously given me permission to reproduce her photo here.

To see photos of the Tower installation in London you can see photos and read my friend Angela’s posts on A Silver Voice from Ireland.

Not quite the usual Friday Flowers post to bring sunshine to your day, but still, we owe it to all the men who served to recognise their sacrifice. Lest We Forget.

There are over 54,000 men listed on the Menin Gate whose graves are not known.