Remembrance Week has been widened to include a commemoration of many other groups than was originally conceived when the Unknown Soldier was buried in Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920. It is vital to make the event relevant for those who are grieving for family members, who have been killed whilst serving in the Armed Forces during recent military operations. I also understand why the organisers now embrace those who have been affected by conflict because it is important that no sections of society feel disenfranchised.
However, it is equally the case that we should highlight why we wear the red poppy. To my mind, the best articulation of this is the poem written by a Canadian (a country which has been sadly underappreciated for their contributions to the Free World), John McCrae of Montreal.
Rupert Wieloch 