latedaytraveler

For British history buffs and royal watchers – REMEMBRANCE DAY commemoration at Whitehall. Glad to see Prince Philip still participating despite his recent health setbacks. And let’s not forget those previous PMs.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-war-dead.html

latedaytraveler

Er, 2012

lovs2travel

Thank you, latedaytraveler. It is so important that we always remember.

stokebailey

Thanks, lateday. Some neat photos.

I see that Mayor B. Johnson is the only person in sight not displaying a poppy, the little rebel.

indy_dad

thanks for the link

flanneruk

"I see that Mayor B. Johnson is the only person in sight not displaying a poppy, the little rebel."

I doubt it.

The poppyless picture is of Johnson on his way to the service. Anyone tracking down a picture of him AT the service will almost certainly find a poppy has magically materialised on his lapel.

Poppies fall out of button holes, or won't come out of the jacket you were wearing yesterday as you're in a hurry to move it to today's jacket. In the real world, who cares? In Medialand (and few people spend as much time there as Johnson), there's always a continuity girl with a box of poppies for just such an eventuality.

Johnson's "rebellious" persona is carefully crafted. It DOESN'T include rebelling over issues that will make him unelectable. Rebelling against poppy wearing is almost the only stance that can get a British drummed out.

latedaytraveler

Glad you liked the piece. I think those poppies are stunning, especially when worn on somber black outfits. The Brits are so savvy with ceremonials, eh?


I love strolling down Whitehall – so much to discover and see…

bilboburgler

It is worth reading the comments at the bottom, really people do not know how to behave online.

stokebailey

Thank you for commenting on that, flanneruk. I'm aware that B. Johnson's persona has a large show biz element, and from this side it's attractive and amusing.

Funny about the poppies. Afraid I'm fresh from watching the last two seasons of The Thick of It, and seeing those photos it's impossible not to think of Nicola Murray practicing her wreath carrying.

Bedar

And, what happened to poppies in America ? I remember the VFW selling them but haven't seen them in some time. Was it for Nov. 11 or for Memorial Day ?

stokebailey

We get them at the entrance of our local supermarket. Veterans' groups take donations and then give you one. Few people would recognize the symbolism, though.

stokebailey

On the 11th here, too.

latedaytraveler

Bedar and stokebaily, rather grungy looking poppies (compared to those sported by the Brits) are sold by US veterans where I live (near Boston) just before our Veterans’ Day which was called Armistice Day in my youth.

I never fail to buy one, thinking back to my own mother and father who always did the same. The ranks of those proud vets are thinning. There was a piece in today’s local paper about vets trying to enlist younger service personnel in their American Legion Posts.

Thank you to all who served and were honored today…