Poppy inspired thoughts

When the poppies started going up on the lamp-posts of Morecambe, I assumed they were the names of the sponsors who’d paid for the poppies & for them to be put up. Then I noticed the one put up outside our house. It is labelled “L/CPL Emmanual Armour 31/7/1917”. I suddenly realised this must be one of those innumerable soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War, in his case presumably on the 31 of July 1917 - a bit like they did with the porcelain poppies around the Tower of London a while ago.

Since then I’ve thought more about the man. Yesterday I was watching a history programme on the TV to discover the Battle of Passchendaele started on that day. Was Lance Corporal Armour one of the early casualties in this battle? Was he consumed by mud as so many were there?

 

I can’t help thinking, too, Emmanual is not a name you come across often these days. To me it sounds of Jewish origin. Certainly Manny Shinwell (1884 – 1986), a Labour politician in this country & the only Emanuel I ‘ve been aware of, was Jewish. Was this Emmanual Jewish too?

To be a Lance Corporal suggests to me he had probably been involved in the horrors of the First World War for a while, probably entering the army as a basic infantryman.

Did he die unprotected? The only armour he had was his name? Was he a local man? I hope that the first names put on the poppies are of local men who died.

I seem to have so many questions concerning this stranger that I’m beginning to think I should have a go at trying to find out some facts about him rather than just make guesses.

Certainly it could be said that this putting up of poppies is doing their job, reminding us of the lives given by so many people to keep our country free & British, to make me at least remember those who died & turn them into people, not just names on the inevitable war memorial never read.