Royal British Legion Somme 'shell fuse' Poppy Pins
Discussion
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
alcad said:
I meant to write about this a few weeks back, I bought one of these and wore it to a party at my mates house who happens to have his own business in the jewellery quarter in Birmingham and knows the guy who makes them.
Basically he goes over to France, knocks on farmers doors asking them for any used shells they have dug up, they are more than happy to hand them over as it costs them to dispose of them otherwise. Then he just drives home with a boot full of used ordnance! (Apparently he has paperwork to allow him to do this).
It was his idea to make these poppies and he put the idea to the RBL.
Anyway my mate has put in a quote to help with manufacturing them next year as they can't cope with demand. Also next years will also incorporate a leaf, coloured with green enamel mixed with wood taken from the British trench supports.
That's awesome, thanks for posting Basically he goes over to France, knocks on farmers doors asking them for any used shells they have dug up, they are more than happy to hand them over as it costs them to dispose of them otherwise. Then he just drives home with a boot full of used ordnance! (Apparently he has paperwork to allow him to do this).
It was his idea to make these poppies and he put the idea to the RBL.
Anyway my mate has put in a quote to help with manufacturing them next year as they can't cope with demand. Also next years will also incorporate a leaf, coloured with green enamel mixed with wood taken from the British trench supports.
really interesting to hear a bit more about how they're made. And ooh, I'm looking forward to next year's new design too, that will be nice 
Edited by Teppic on Friday 29th September 00:36
I will have to order one of them.
I’m slightly annoyed last month I was driving through France and took an unplanned detour to Verdun. Whilst there I remembered about my pin and wanting to visit the gentleman’s grave that the card commemorated. Problem being I didn’t know what cemetery. Turns out I had posted it on here and I drove past (albeit a small 30min detour).
I’m slightly annoyed last month I was driving through France and took an unplanned detour to Verdun. Whilst there I remembered about my pin and wanting to visit the gentleman’s grave that the card commemorated. Problem being I didn’t know what cemetery. Turns out I had posted it on here and I drove past (albeit a small 30min detour).
IanWrightsHaircut said:
I bought mine after reading this thread and received a few days ago
Big thanks to Ray for the thread
I found it quite sobering reading the card and the name
i was wondering if any one has looked into the person ??
I managed to trace my allocated soldier back to where he was born in Rutland, but it took a while and there was very little additional information I could find. Big thanks to Ray for the thread
I found it quite sobering reading the card and the name
i was wondering if any one has looked into the person ??
I suppose it depends on several things. The higher the rank the more wealthy (historically) the family and the more info there would potentially have been. The older the soldier the more dependants/ children and the more history to look into. If they had been mentioned in dispatches or received a medal there might be more too.
Mine was a very young low ranking lad, which for me made it so much sadder to think he hadn't lived long enough to leave his mark. I still went out to Thiepval specifically to pay my respects but could not find him.
s6boy said:
I managed to trace my allocated soldier back to where he was born in Rutland, but it took a while and there was very little additional information I could find.
I suppose it depends on several things. The higher the rank the more wealthy (historically) the family and the more info there would potentially have been. The older the soldier the more dependants/ children and the more history to look into. If they had been mentioned in dispatches or received a medal there might be more too.
Mine was a very young low ranking lad, which for me made it so much sadder to think he hadn't lived long enough to leave his mark. I still went out to Thiepval specifically to pay my respects but could not find him.
.I suppose it depends on several things. The higher the rank the more wealthy (historically) the family and the more info there would potentially have been. The older the soldier the more dependants/ children and the more history to look into. If they had been mentioned in dispatches or received a medal there might be more too.
Mine was a very young low ranking lad, which for me made it so much sadder to think he hadn't lived long enough to leave his mark. I still went out to Thiepval specifically to pay my respects but could not find him.
What part of Rutland was he from?
My 14-year-old niece went on a school trip to the Somme in the summer, and found “my” soldier’s name from last year’s poppy, which she now has as it seemed appropriate. I’ve bought a Passchendaele one to replace it.
Seeing his name carved in the stone certainly made it all the more real, and all the more moving.
Seeing his name carved in the stone certainly made it all the more real, and all the more moving.
Podie said:
They're doing a second batch, so I relented and bought one 
Also Mrs Podie picked up these produced by the underground...
Where can you get these tubey ones?Also Mrs Podie picked up these produced by the underground...
I see some on ebay but £20 on there?! Which I don't want to put in some random's pocket if they've just bought them somewhere else.
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