Earlier in September SI Cannock members were both entertained and moved by their speaker Barry Picken and his talk entitled “Red Flowers and a Bag of Bones”.
Barry told us the story behind how we all came to wear poppies on Armistice Day and members were fascinated to learn that it all started with a woman named Moina Michael at the New York YMCA conference in 1918. Moina campaigned for the poppy to be recognised as a symbol of the end of the Great War and the idea began to spread around all the major countries of the old empire – expect for the UK. Many members at the talk had thought that poppy wearing was a British idea and were surprised to learn that the UK was one of the last countries to adopt the symbol, in 1923. They eventually adopted it thanks to the relentless efforts of French campaigner Anna Guérin.
The second part of Barry’s talk covered the story of the grave of the Unknown Warrior sited at Westminster Abbey. The idea for the grave started with Reverend David Railton who felt there was a need to commemorate all the lives lost and unidentified on the battlefield.
Four bodies were originally exhumed from different French battlefields and the Unknown Warrior was selected from amongst these. His body, along with soil from France and Belgium was buried at Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920.
Members heard the emotional story of the Unknown Warrior’s funeral at the Abbey which was attended by the wives, mothers and families of those lost on the battlefield. The grave offered a focal point for their loved ones whom sadly didn’t have their own identified grave.
Barry speculated on the possible origins of the Unknown Warrior. He explained that it is possible that the Unknown Warrior was a member of the air force or navy who also lost lives on the battlefields. Interestingly Barry also pointed out that the South Staffordshire Regiment was one of the first to fight on the Front in the Great War and given the time of death of the Unknown Warrior it is possible that he originated from our local area. Members were left enthralled by this emotional and informative talk. Jill Gooch gave the vote of thanks, echoing everyone’s interest and thanking Barry for giving them all a different perspective on the Poppy Appeal.
Photo attached: President Carole Holdcroft with Barry Picken