This is an update on a post I did in August (here) about the ceramic poppies being planted around the Tower of London. Each day more poppies will be placed there until there is one for every British and Colonial soldier who died in the First World War (888,246).
This was the view today and below is what it looked like in August.
A large group of volunteers were fixing the poppies onto metal rods before placing them in the ground. It took much longer than I had realised to assemble the flowers.
A group of soldiers were also helping today.
We often see numbers being quoted with regard to the loss of life during a war but it is hard to visualise such large numbers.This display goes a long way to help the public realise just how many soldiers lost their lives in WWI. The final poppy of the 888,246 will be laid on Remembrance Day 11th November
This is an aerial view of the Tower and the poppies taken from the Met Police helicopter and posted on Twitter.
This was the view today and below is what it looked like in August.
We often see numbers being quoted with regard to the loss of life during a war but it is hard to visualise such large numbers.This display goes a long way to help the public realise just how many soldiers lost their lives in WWI. The final poppy of the 888,246 will be laid on Remembrance Day 11th November
This is an aerial view of the Tower and the poppies taken from the Met Police helicopter and posted on Twitter.
These are wonderful and poignant pictures. Thank you for keeping me abreast of the goings on in your part of the world. You're right that having a visual idea of the numbers of soldiers who died is much more powerful than just hearing the number.
ReplyDeleteThe destruction from either/both world wars can not be comprehended. I've been watching 'The World at War' series during lunch the last month or so, and the 11 thousand in this battle, 30 thousand in this battle over and over again is numbing. Incomprehensible.
ReplyDeleteThe display has been admired around the world. I think its best aspect is the way the flowers spill from the tower.
ReplyDeleteOh My Gosh--is that not the neatest tribute to those soldiers there could EVER be? How gorgeous --and what a great idea.So many were lost ---and we all need to remember those wonderful people who gave their lives for the freedom we now enjoy... God Bless them all --and thanks to you for helping make this tribute so very special.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
It's really filling up. Such a great visual to portray the cost of war in lives lost. I think the artist is a genius.
ReplyDeleteIt is a seam of red poppies and great tribute ..... It looks lovely
ReplyDeleteMy friend just mentioned that her son's mother-in-law has purchased one of those. I guess she'll get it after they have all been placed. What an incredible installation project.
ReplyDeleteOne word comes to mind, Amazeing
ReplyDeleteQuite a stunning and poignant scene. It really does help make that vast number a reality to the mind. One of those will represent my great uncle Ern who died from would sustained on one of the first days of the Gallipoli landing.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is amazing!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Your first post on this took my breath away ... I'm not great with numbers and estimates so I'm one of those who knew what a sad chapter of history this was and that it decimated a generation ... so I knew (vaguely) that a terrible number of solidiers lost their lives, but I am definitely one for whom the visual puts it into a context I can better understand.
ReplyDeleteWhat a poignant but beautiful way to get the message across. And fascinating to see the logistics of how the installation works.
What an amazing project and a shocking vision.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
What a wonderful tribute - both stunning and so very moving! And what a lot of work... well done! Thanks so much for sharing this :)
ReplyDeleteA sea of blood, such an impressive tribute!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful sight!
ReplyDeleteThis shows in a dramatic way how many lives were lost!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a pity that I missed that ! Must have been very beautiful to see !
ReplyDeleteIt is quite an amazing display
ReplyDeleteFabulous installation
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