Communications Officer
Four FANYs took part in today’s (Thursday 7 November) Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey which was officially opened by The Duchess of Gloucester. The Field of Remembrance is organised by The Poppy Factory at Westminster Abbey every November to commemorate those who have lost their lives in the Armed Forces.
Over 380 plots are laid out in the names of military associations and other organisations. Remembrance crosses and symbols are provided so that ex-Service men and women, as well as members of the public, can plant a symbol in memory of fallen comrades and loved ones. The Field is officially unveiled on the Thursday before Remembrance Sunday and stays open for a further ten days (Thursday 7th November until Sunday 17th November, from 9am to 4pm.)
The Field of Remembrance was started in 1928 by Major George Howson MC, founder of The Poppy Factory, and a few wounded veterans from the First World War. They grouped together around a single battlefield cross and invited passers-by to plant poppies. Today, the field is still constructed by veterans and volunteers.