Veterans’ Day

This year, an artist in Britain has installed a unique art exhibit in memory of the 888,246 British soldiers, sailors and airmen killed in World War I.

8,000 volunteers have made and installed 888,246 handmade ceramic red poppies in the moat surrounding the Tower of London. Millions have made their way to the memorial with the City of London begging people to stop coming as the city is in gridlock from the response.

Each year around November 11th, the red poppy lapel pins appear for sale all over the world. In particular, Great Britain has kept the honor alive to remember their great loss.

In the United States, many American Legion posts sell the poppy pins and on November 11th at precisely 11 a.m. the President will lay a wreath filled with red poppies at the foot of the Tomb of the Unknown in Arlington National Cemetery. 320,518 Americans were killed and wounded from 1917-1918 when we entered World War I. The end of the war was 11/11 at 11 a.m.

A Canadian doctor who lost a dear friend during the Great War penned the haunting words of the poem, “In Flanders Field,” “In Flanders field the poppies blow, Between the crosses row on row.” It has been written that the first vegetation to grow on top of the freshly dug graves of the fallen was the red poppy.

Local veterans will be honored with breakfast at Piedmont Academy and Jasper County Senior Center. For times see this past weeks’ newspaper or call the school and center.