Poppy Girls

Not the only one:

I think I’ll be rude about this utter publicity stunt now.
Oh no, hang on. I won’t be rude about it because I thought I would take a little time to do a bit of background on the situation. Using assets I have in place around the services I found out that the Officer involved in this “stunt” was in fact on R&R. Dates of his due R&R were changed so he could cover for another Officer. Neither his wife or his daughter (clearly) knew about his return which I think made it better.
Unbelievably heartless and unknowledgeable comments have been made here on this thread and I find it difficult to comprehend any of you could find it necessary to comment in the negative. We are/were/are part of a big family that should support each other especially at this time of year. Personally, seeing that little girl so happy was wonderful.
Who really cares if it was carefully crafted. The whole night was a fantastically crafted affair.

Here here!

The actual event is well executed and practiced. However I’ve watched the Festival of Remembrance for many years and applied for tickets on several occasions, but it does seem to be degenerating into (unless they don’t show other more military things in the BBC’s highlights) a night of singers and groups and losing what I remember as being a very much military oriented affair. If I wanted to watch a succession of people singing I could watch any number of the “talent” shows. I imagine this is a sign of the times to appeal to the those that watch X Factor etc and wouldn’t naturally watch the FoR, a sort of dumbing down. If the RBL want a variety show, in leiu of military content, make it so and not just singers, invariably, promoting a new/upcoming release.
The highlights for me are fast becoming the opening sequence and service at the end. Although the final muster, due to the military cuts seems to be shrinking year on year. The drumhead seems to to creeping up the floor of the RAH from where it was not so long ago. Not so many years ago the floor was full.

I agree with GHE2; the whole show seems to be getting far too Politically Correct. It’s the same with the Last Night of the Proms. Even the Edinburgh Military Tattoo seems to be heading in a similar direction with too many singers etc and not enough Jock Bopping and cat strangling bands.

Where we used to have a primarily military show, with a bit of God bothering at the end, the FoR seems to be more of a variety show with a quasi-military flavour. I thought the public liked the military at the moment, lets see more of it on TV.

They’ll be axing the Royal Tournament soon …

the sad thing is that you think its a bigotted, ‘chip-on-shoulder’ view - its actually the opposite, its a horribly clear understanding of how the image obsessed MOD works. i’m the bloke who it would have been done for, the people it would not have been done for are ‘just’ the people who worked for me…

You surprise me again.

You surprise me again.[/quote]

Angus. I’d cut and run if I were you. You’re on a hiding to nothing here. CM is quite correct IMHO.

Well it does not surprise me that this reaction has happened. I have two comment to add.

Do not jump to assumptions unless you actually know all the details. There is a lot more too this than first meets the eye and some of the conclusions being drawn are quite offensive.

The comment regarding if it was a Junior Rank from zinggy. I would be confident in saying if it was a Rating they would be more likely to return home than if it was a ‘gong heavy, salty 2 ½’.

Unless you know all the facts all you can do is make assumptions, based on what you see in front of you or are told. But then if the fact was this chap was due on R&R and they let him go a couple of days early/allowed him to just come home, just to get the moment on the TV, it wouldn’t have had the same effect, would it?

If he was on scheduled R&R, this wasn’t what Huw Edwards said. He said something to the effect that she wasn’t due to see her dad for another 3 months (so not home at Christmas), then he appeared at the top of the steps to have the TV moment.

A few people at work have said it was only done to sell records.

I grew up watching This Is Your Life and invariably there was a “you haven’t seen him/her for x years, but they are here tonight” and this after seeing a film of them earlier in the programme. We played a game of guess who would come through the curtain at the end of the programmme. Not to mention, various other programmes at Christmas mainly, where they do a surprise … oh yes then there was Cilla’s drivel.

Apologies for the late reply but been out the loop away with work for a while.

GHE2, one should never assume just because you are ill informed it can cause any level of damage. Yes with anything there is an element of the ‘gimmick’ you mention but you do not know which came first and how it all came about!

I don’t care how many people believe it was done to sell records, is it a crime? at least its for a good cause and not to line some record company or artists pockets.

Additionally PM in bound to GHE2