Paddington and Scout Mark Remembrance Day

JAGO: “Come along Paddy, Scout, Cousin Paddington and Bogart. I have a poppy for each one of of you.”

 

PADDY: “Thank you, Jago.” *Takes poppy and pins it to his mackintosh.*

 

COUSIN PADDINGTON: “Thank you, Jago.” *Takes poppy and pins it to his duffle coat.*

 

BOGART: “Thank you, Jago.” *Takes poppy and pins it to his red ribbon.*

 

SCOUT: “Thank you, Jago.” *Looks at poppy.* “Jago? Jago?”

 

JAGO: “Yes Scout?”

 

SCOUT: “Jago, why are you giving us each a poppy?”

 

JAGO: “Don’t you know what today is, Scout?”

 

SCOUT: “Well of course I do, Jago! Today is the eleventh of November! I can read that on Daddy’s calendar.”

 

PADDY: “I think, Scout, what Jago was asking was, do you know what we mark on the eleventh of November.”

 

JAGO: “That’s correct, Paddy. I am.” *Looks at Scout.* “Do you know what we mark today, Scout?”

 

SCOUT: *Thinks, scratches head with paw, and thinks again.* “Hhhhmmm. Is it your birthday, Jago?”

 

JAGO: *Chuckles.* “Oh no, Scout. It isn’t my birthday today.”

 

SCOUT: “Well it isn’t mine, or Cousin Paddington’s, or Bogart’s, or Daddy’s birthdays.” *Thinks again.* “I don’t know. Is today the Queen’s birthday?”

 

JAGO: “No, Scout. Today isn’t to mark a birthday. It is to mark Remembrance Day.”

 

SCOUT: *Scratches head with paw again.* “Why do we need to mark a day to remember things, Jago? I remember things every day, like people’s birthdays and two times two equals four and cat is spelt C… A… T… I don’t need a day to remember remembering things!”

 

PADDY: “No, no, Scout. Today isn’t a day to celebrate remembering. Today is Remembrance Day. Remembrance Day or Armistice Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.”

 

COUSIN PADDINGTON: “It falls on the 11th of November every year. Remembrance Day is marked at eleven o’clock (the time that the First World War armistice was declared) with a minute’s silence to honour the fallen. Following a tradition inaugurated by King George V in 1919, the day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries.”

 

BOGART: “In America it is called Veteran’s Day, honouring military veterans, who are people who have served in the United States Armed Forces.”

 

SCOUT: “Oh!” *Puts paw to mouth.*

 

JAGO: “Mummy June always honours Remembrance Day. It is very important to her.”

 

PADDY: “It is important to Daddy too!”

 

JAGO: “So, we are going to observe a minute’s silence at eleven o’clock and then we can have a morning tea when we can reflect on all the good things we can enjoy thanks to the sacrifices of veterans in wars past, and current serving army officers who help to protect us now.”

 

SCOUT: “That’s a very good idea, Jago.” *Pins poppy to his scarf.* “Those brave people deserve to be remembered and appreciated.”

 

PADDY: “Yes they do, Scout.”

 

SCOUT: “Paddy! Paddy?”

 

PADDY: “Yes, Scout?”

 

SCOUT: “Paddy, why do we wear poppies for Remembrance Day?”

 

PADDY: “Well Scout, we wear the poppy to commemorate people who died in war.”

 

SCOUT: “I understand that, Paddy, but why a poppy?”

 

JAGO: “Well Scout, there was a lot of fighting in France during the First World War, and where many battles took place and people died, there were beautiful wild red poppies growing. Inspired by the war poem "In Flanders Fields", and promoted by Moina Michael, Remembrance Day poppies were first used near the end of the First World War to commemorate British Empire and United States military casualties of the war. French national Madame Guérin (1878 – 1961), known fondly as “The Poppy Lady from France”, established the first "Poppy Days" in 1921 to raise funds for veterans, widows, orphans, liberty bonds, and charities such as the Red Cross. Today, the remembrance poppy is mainly used in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, where it has been trademarked by veterans' associations for fundraising. In these countries, small remembrance poppies are often worn on clothing leading up to Remembrance Day/Armistice Day, and poppy wreaths are often laid at war memorials.”

 

PADDY: “And here in Australia and in New Zealand too, they are also worn on Anzac Day.”

 

SCOUT: “Oh wow! That is very interesting, Paddy and Jago. Now sssshhhhhhhh!” *Puts paw to mouth.* “I think the clock is about to chime eleven. Let us pay our respects to the fallen and serving military people on Remembrance Day with a minute of silence.”

 

PADDY, SCOUT, COUSIN PADDINGTON, BOGART and JAGO: *All lower heads and respectfully mark Remembrance Day with a minute of silence.*

 

I hope that in whatever way you think respectable, that you mark the sacrifice of our military personnel around the world, both past and present, this Remembrance Day.

 

Lest we forget.

 

This beautiful faerie tale pantomime nursery tea set was made in England by the Shell China Company in the 1930s. It features six cups, saucers and plates as well as a teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, platters, sandwich plate, a lidded soup tureen on its own dish and a gravy or cream jug on its own dish. Each piece is gilt edged and decorated and feature different faerie tales including: "Cinderella", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Dick Whittington and his Cat", "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" amongst others. The set I acquired from England, and it is a sister set to a 1920s Shell China Company nursery rhyme tea set that I was given as a gift some years ago by a close friend who knows I collect nursery ware and children\'s tea sets. There are also doll (bear) sized tea spoons which are sterling silver salt spoons, and the sugar ladle in the "Cinderella" sugar bowl is from the Eighteenth Century and is sterling silver.

 

My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.

 

He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.

 

Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.

 

Jago is a recent addition to my ever-growing family. A gift from a dear friend in England, he is made of English mohair with suede paw pads and glass eyes. He is a gentle bear, kind and patient who carries an air of calm about him. He is already fitting in with everyone else very nicely.

 

Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.

Done