Let's avoid making the humble poppy a far-right symbol

Let's Avoid Making the Humble Poppy a Far-Right Symbol

Perhaps I have been living under a stone, but I had no idea—nor had my friends and acquaintances—that the symbolic poppy has been taken over by the far right. Neil Mackay expressed this concern 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 severely injured at Passchendaele by a shell and was evacuated to Netley receiving hospital on Southampton Water. He refused to allow surgeons to amputate his legs. Despite his injuries, he went through 12 other hospitals before returning to Passchendaele to fight in all weather conditions, wearing his kilt.

When he passed away, he still carried a piece of shrapnel dangerously close to his spine and had a hole in his buttock large enough for a fist.

Remembering Family Loss and Dedication

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 affected my mother deeply throughout her life.

“Such is the dedication and fortitude of those who went to war to defend our democracy and country.”

The Significance of the Poppy

My father instilled in us the importance of supporting the Earl Haig Fund and wearing the poppy with pride—"Lest we forget."

“I remember him standing to attention, tears in his eyes for that minute’s silence every year on the eleventh day of the eleventh hour of the eleventh month.”

Author's Summary

The poppy is a powerful symbol of sacrifice and remembrance that deserves to be kept free from political exploitation and honored with genuine respect.

Would you like the tone to be more formal or conversational?

The Herald — 2025-11-07