Hartlepool Field Of Remembrance 2019
The tradition of planting a Field of Remembrance started in 1928 when The Poppy Factory took a group of disabled veterans, a tray of poppies and a collecting tin to the grounds of St Margaret’s church, The Westminster.
The men gathered around an original wooden cross that had been planted there, taken from the battlefield grave of an unknown British soldier. Some of the men began to push poppies into the ground, curious passers-by stopped to ask questions and before long they began buying and planting poppies of their own – creating the very first Field of Remembrance.
The Field continued in this way until 1931, when one of The Poppy Factory team came up with the idea of selling small wooden crosses with a poppy at the centre of each – the little Remembrance cross that is still planted to this day.
As the national custodian of Remembrance, safeguarding the memory of those who fought and died in conflict, The Royal British Legion ensures that Remembrance continues to be part of modern British life, culture and heritage. Whilst the Legion will always remember those who fought and fell, the Legion also provides an essential lifeline of support to today’s serving men and women, veterans, and their families.
The Legion depend on public donations to fund their vital welfare work on which thousands of serving and ex-Service people rely. From their 16 Pop In Centres, telephone contact centre and online support services to their pilot services to tackle social isolation, the Legion is there to care for today’s Armed Forces community but there is so much more the Legion still want to do.
The Royal British Legion aims to develop a long-term care strategy to help more veterans stay independent for as long as possible, to open two new care homes to ensure that we are adequately caring for our ageing veteran population and to reach 50,000 people every year through their advocacy and financial support services. The Legion also continue to campaign for injured veterans to keep their compensation when accessing social care and for the Armed Forces community to feature in the 2021 Census. None of what the Legion does for our brave veterans and their families today would be possible without the support of people like you.
With the success and welcome seen by last year's Field of Remembrance it is our intention to begin a new annual tradition in Hartlepool to mark and grow the remembrance of each and every soldier, sailor and airman lost from out town. Our field last year was made up of a single named cross for each of the 1749 Hartlepudlian casualties found to have fallen in the Great War - this year we aim to grow our fields of remembrance to mark the loss of even more identified casualties as those lost from the town in the Second World War.
Hartlepool is well known for its commitment, support and dedication to our Armed Forces with impressive year on year donations to our local poppy appeals. Last year Hartlepool achieved a new record for poppy appeal funds raised in the town but we know we can do more!
The Royal British Legion suggests a donation of £2.50 be made for each cross placing the suggested donation for our Fields of Remembrance in the thousands of pounds, please give what you can to help us maintain our Town's good reputation and found a new tradition of remembrance in the form of our Victory Square poppy fields!
EVERY CROSS HONOURS THOSE WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER
Updated lists coming soon of Hartlepool's fallen, both for the First and Second World War.
https://www.facebook.com/HartlepoolRemembers/?modal=admin_todo_tour
