Category Archives: war

Abingdon Marks 80th Anniversary of VE Day (Poppies, Cornflowers, Dandelions)

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At 12 noon today, residents of Abingdon gathered around the town’s war memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The ceremony brought together townspeople, veterans, local dignitaries, members of the Abingdon Fire Service, police, and Scouts.

The town crier began with a formal proclamation. He remembered the celebrations in 1945, when the United Kingdom and its allies celebrated the end of the war in Europe, and spoke of Abingdon’s commemoration as a tribute to those who gave so much for the cause of freedom.

A two-minute silence followed. The flag of the Royal British Legion was lowered in respect.

Wreaths of red poppies were then laid at the base of the memorial, joined by bunches of blue flowers, including some cornflowers. In France, the blue cornflower, known as the “Bleuet de France,” serves as the national symbol of remembrance, similar to the poppy in the UK.

Another flower, the dandelion, is the flower of military children. Some of them have shared their writings with the Royal British Legion in Abingdon. Here is one that Clare sent me:

In folklore, blowing dandelions is believed to carry your dreams, wishes and thoughts. This is why I feel it is a perfect flower for military children.

When I see a dandelion, I wish for peace for the world. I pluck it by the stem, hold it to my lips and blow. As the wind gushes past, I watch the fairies fly in different directions, carrying my wishes and thoughts into the sky. At this moment, I feel like my dad is right by my side. I want to reassure him that I am OK. I don’t want him to worry about me as he has an important job to do. I think about how much I love him and how much I miss him.

My mind wanders away from my own life and I start to think about what it would have been like for children in World War II. Would they have had the same hopes and wishes? I think they would but their main wish would probably have been that their dads survive the War. I never want this to be my main wish and that is why I am grateful that I am not a child of war.

Abingdon Prepares for VE Day 80th Anniversary

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Tomorrow, Abingdon will commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day with displays and events in the town.

The Abingdon Bridge charity, based in the old Police Station, has Union Jack bunting and flags round its blue door. Its window reads “VE 80,”

Local shopfronts have also joined in. Helen & Douglas House, the Oxford-based children’s hospice charity, features mannequins dressed in red, white, and blue, accompanied by Union Jack flags.

Acacia, as always, has a colourful themed window display.

At The Shed, a Union Jack-themed window display includes cushions and teasets and a union jack fire guard.

In Bath Street, the two Masons have dressed their shopfronts in creative red white and blue fabrics, wools and ribbons. Both with the theme “VE Day 1945–2025.” Mason in Stert Street also has a good display.

At the centre of the commemorations, the Royal British Legion club has silhouettes of soldiers, giant poppies, and a large Union Jack, paying tribute to those who served from 1939 to 1945.

This is just a small sample. Abingdon is ready to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Armistice Day – 2 minute silence

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On Monday, 11 November 2024, at 11 am, people gathered at the War Memorial for a two-minute silence to mark Armistice Day. This silence began with the Town Crier ringing a bell and ended with a veteran reciting the verse:

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

The crowd around the memorial, joined by others on the pavement across the road, responded, “We will remember them.”

Among those gathered was a class from Thameside School, continuing a tradition of attending for nearly a decade.

We Will Remember Them

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The annual Poppy Appeal in Abingdon, organised by the Royal British Legion, is part of a nationwide campaign to raise funds supporting veterans and their families. The donations collected through the appeal provide essential services, including financial aid, housing, care, and mental health support.

The poppy serves as a symbol of the annual act of remembrance.

The Royal British Legion’s Abingdon headquarters, located at the club on Spring Road, serves as the hub of local Poppy Appeal.

Inside the club, students from Kingfisher School have made a display inspired by the lines, ‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow, Between the crosses, row on row.’

Businesses across Abingdon have joined in, with poppy displays in honour of Remembrance Day.

The town’s churches also have poppy displays. In St Helen’s, some poppies are by a memorial board that lists the names of Abingdon residents who served and gave their lives in WWI and WWII.

The windowsills of Our Lady and St Edmund have poppies and wheat. The church yard has some war graves, that have been decorated with wooden crosses with poppies, and wooden crosses with a gold medal of valour.

This morning, the community gathered in large numbers at Abingdon’s War Memorial for a service of remembrance. Representatives from various organisations laid wreaths with poppies, honouring the memory of those who served.

Several of Abingdon’s war graves have been decorated to mark the occasion. The poppy wreath by six RAF graves in Spring Road Cemetery dates from a previous year and may get replaced. It commemorates the young airmen:
J. Ralph – Pilot (30th September 1939, Age 19)
C.N. Robinson – Pilot Officer (18th December 1939)
M.H. Costello – Wireless Operator (8th April 1940)
H.B. Hunter – Air Gunner (12th March 1940, Age 19)
J.M. Davies – Pilot Officer (8th April 1940)
H.B. Bennett – Aircraftman (10th June 1940, Age 23)