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Wear a Poppy in gratitude of our War Heroes By Florence Wickramage (Reproduced from the Daily News of November 1, 2001) "They shall grow not old, as we that are left to 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 Poppy Week beginning today will culminate in the Armed Forces Remembrance Day on November 11. So, once again we are on the threshold of another week of Remembrance which has been specially set apart to honour our valiant soldiers who sacrificed their todays for our tomorrows. They laid down their lives to create a better world for us to live in. The Red Poppy has now been accepted as the universal symbol of remembrance of the war dead. The Armistice marking the end of World War One took place at 11 o'clock on November 11 of 1918 and this year marks the 83rd anniversary. At 11 am on that day, the last shot of the War was fired. For many years afterwards most countries in the world observed Armistice Day on November 11, which later came to be known as Remembrance Sunday, the Sunday nearest to November 11. Our country was a colony under the British Empire during the two World Wars and many of our countrymen have been serving in the Local and British Regiments. Over the years Sri Lanka too observed "Remembrance Day" with Religious Ceremonies and Service Parades being held in a serene manner to honour our fallen Servicemen of World Wars I and II and our heroes of the ongoing conflict who are sacrificing their lives to preserve our Country's sovereignty. Welfare Activities This year too a multi-religious ceremony will be held on November 11 at 11 am at the War Memorial Cenotaph at the Vihara Maha Devi Park where Service Chiefs and other dignitaries will lay Poppy Wreaths at the foot of the Cenotaph. Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Service Commanders, Retired Senior service personnel and other distinguished invitees will be in attendance at the ceremony. The Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Association is responsible for organising the Poppy Week. 26 affiliated Associations of Ex-Servicemen from the Army, Navy and Airforce will spearhead the Poppy Campaign throughout the island. Poppy flowers to the value of Pounds Sterling 34,559.10 have been donated to Sri Lanka on a request made through the British Commonwealth Ex-Services League and the Royal British Legion. Proceeds from the sale of Poppy Flowers and Wreaths are utilised by the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Association for the benefit of disabled and aged Ex-Servicemen who served the allied Armed Forces during World War II in defence of Sri Lanka, as well as thousands of families left destitute as a result of this debilitating and intractable ethnic war in the North and East. The Association has been responsible for about 1000 Ex-servicemen of World War II who receive a monthly grant from the British Commonwealth Ex-Services League. In addition, the Association provides Indoor and Outdoor treatment for Ex-Servicemen at the Military Hospital; Financial Assistance for major surgery up to Rs. 25,000/-, minor surgery up to Rs. 5,000 and monthly grants to procure life saving drugs; Financial Assistance to children of Ex-Servicemen for University Education and the provision of hearing aids and spectacles for needy Ex-Servicemen. In addition to the above, the Ex-Servicemen's Association conducts a Career Guidance Bureau through which employment opportunities are afforded to children of ex-service personnel. Captain Patrick Jayasinghe, the Hony. Secretary General of the Ex-Servicemen's Association and the Chairman of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day & Poppy Committee said that in this century they foresee a great problem of disabled servicemen who are now young, being destitute in the future. There are around 18,000 disabled servicemen due to the ongoing war. This situation would require provision to be made for them to be cared for as well as rehabilitation in the future. Towards this end, the Association is maintaining a "Veteran's Home"(Elders Home) at Bolagala, Katana set in salubrious surroundings. Plans are afoot to construct a new building complex and the acquisition of the adjoining land to expand the existing facilities. Assisting Captain Patrick Jayasinghe in organising this week's Poppy Week are Co-Chairmen, Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Lt. Col. VSM Jayawardhane, Sqn. Ldr. Theja Cooray and retired Air Vice Marshall Harry Goonetilleke.
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