'Poppies to Paddington' - Wreath taken to London on behalf of Worcestershire residents - The Worcester Observer

'Poppies to Paddington' - Wreath taken to London on behalf of Worcestershire residents

Worcester Editorial 11th Nov, 2020   0

A POPPY wreath from the county was taken down to London today on behalf of the people of Worcestershire.

The Great Western Railway poppy train took the tribute so it could be part of the national day of Remembrance on Armistice Day.

It was taken to Paddington Station, along with a stream of other wreaths that will be collected from stations heading to London across the GWR network. The Poppy trains will cover nine lines into the capital, stopping at 60 stations.

More than 100 wreaths were expected to make the journey.




With many Remembrance events suspended because of the Coronavirus pandemic, GWR and The Veterans Charity had been planning with organisations including the Royal British Legion and SSAFA to coordinate the ‘Poppies to Paddington’ operation.

Normally a great number of military veterans would have travelled to London on Remembrance Sunday to march past the Cenotaph. Sadly, this year is so different, therefore, it is fitting to be sending a wreath to the capital on behalf of the county.


On arrival at Paddington the wreaths were placed at the station’s iconic war memorial, on Platform 1, in time for the Remembrance Day service at 11am.

Major-General Mark Armstrong, Her Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant for Worcestershire, presented a wreath at Great Malvern Station.

He said: “This year marks the centenary of the entombment of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in 1920.

“The body of the Unknown Warrior was conveyed to London on a specially commissioned train and represents all of those with no known grave.

“There is a connection between that train and the GWR poppy trains as they convey wreaths in remembrance of all those who have given their lives in the service of their country.

“Lest we forget.”

 

 

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