IN the year that marks 100 years since the birth of the poppy as a symbol of Remembrance and hope, the Royal British Legion is encouraging people in Devon to support the Poppy Appeal for the memory of the fallen and the future of the living.

This year’s launch of the Poppy Appeal in Devon will take place on Friday 24th October 2014 at HMS Drake – Naval Base. The event will be twofold – Commemoration of WW1 and the Present.

In the presence of Commodore Graeme Little OBE ADC and our RBL President, Commodore Jake Moores OBE DL, the Remembrance Ceremony will concentrate over the wreck of a Naval Trawler HMT Abelard in the Plymouth Sound, which sank during WW1.

The Royal Navy will take the media and event guests by boat from Devonport Naval Base Navy’s at 09.29 and transit to the Western Breakwater area of the Sound. The ceremony will be short and very poignant with Exhortation, Last Post and two Wreaths being thrown overboard over the site of the wreck in memory of those who died.

The party, which will include Press, will arrive back at approximately 11.00 a.m. and will be transported to the Mess for refreshments.

Our second part of the Launch will be at Drake House (Commodore’s residence), where the official launch will take place.

We have two little girls, under 4yrs of age, named Poppy, both with military parents, together with a 9 year old called Poppy Weston, who will be encircled by eight Naval personnel with two Standard Bearers behind. At the given time, the little girls, in red coats, will then throw poppies in the air to mark the commencement of the Poppy Appeal in Devon for 2014.

The theme will be past – WW1 remembered – and present – youth of today. Last year the Poppy Appeal in Devon raised £990,000, is a 5% increase on last year. The public show their support of the military and the Poppy Appeal by their total generosity and we are so grateful to them all.