Thousands Troop Out to see Remembrance Poppies of World War 1

by Benson Agoha

Thousands of people trooped to the City on Sunday to see the Remembrance Poppies on display at the Tower of London.

All those lives, from one nation, in a space of 4 years.

The poppies, an art monument in honour of the war dead during World War 1 which took place between 1914 - 1918, number more than 800,000. All poppies are made of ceramic material and were installed by Paul Cummins and Tom Piper. They number 888,246.

Though services were held on Sunday across the nation, the actual date of the Remembrance Day is November 11.

A memorial plague at the venue also remembers the 12,000 merchant naval personnel and fishing fleet, who were not buried on dry land.

One remember plague at the venue reads: "To the Glory of God and to the honour of the Twelve Thousand of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets, who have no grave, but the sea: 1914 - 1918".

Enormous sacrifice: wear your poppy with pride.

Each poppy was installed for one life lost during the war in which British and colonial forces battled among other warring nations and interests.

The display of the monument is being extended for longer hours due to its popularity and media campaign led by the Evening Standard, to allow many more interested persons to visit.

The poppies will be moved to their permanent location at the Imperial War Museum at the end of the display.

Yesterday, visitors to the venue had to walk in single file through a narrow slow-moving lane, guided by events aids who used public address systems to urge them along designated path.

The huge number of visitors soon left their mark as the normally lush green turf, became a shadow of itself,  soon turning into a dark marshland.

However, as the media celebrated their `victory' in getting Palace Chiefs to extend viewing hours, the wisdome of the extension is being challenged, on the grounds its original significance.

In a letter to Metro Newspaper today, Raonaid of North London, wondered why people wanted to keep the ceramic poppies longer than November 11.

The Londoner asked "Have they forgotten already why they were planted and the significance of them?", before answering, saying "While this display is breathtaking, to leave them up beyond November 11, takes away from them their meaning...Enjoy them while they are there for tomorrow they will be gone, like our boys and girls who fought and died for us in World War 1."

Night View: Thousands came to see and to imagine
why the poppies matter.(Credit: Lucy McDonald).

Just in case the poppies are removed after November 11, we have taken steps to bring you some of the best shots, taken by our journalists, to give you a closer idea of what you would have experienced, had you been there yourself.

To see more awesome photos shot for you, through the lens of our Journalists, please click here:

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