Erie,
Pennsylvania
30
August 2018
I am so blessed by the gifts described here.
We
have always recognized the poppy
(Papaver rhoeas) as a symbol of remembrance
and when I was trying to research the daisy and the cornflower, I only found
that the French use the blue cornflower as a symbol of remembrance, as
well as the poppy. At some point I read that the daisy symbolized America, the
poppy symbolized the British, and the cornflower symbolized French,
remembrance. I cannot find that reference today. As an aside, Papaver rhoeas is
not the opium poppy, but a hardy species that easily grows in Europe.
One
of our tour mates admired an enameled pin that I wore every day, a poppy, a
daisy, and a cornflower--I have worn it almost daily since the Pennsylvania
State DAR Regent was offering them to raise money for the NSDAR Partnership with
the World War One Centennial Commemoration Commission in April.
While
on our AEF World War I tour, that tour mate, Gary and “Team” had a chance to visit
an antique shop in Verdun where they found a postcard, presumably World War I
era, with the same three flowers on it. When I saw this card, I was astounded.
It was so beautiful, and the flowers depicted in ribbon fabric were stunning and vivid. On the last night of the tour, Gary, Jose, and
Tracy gave me the postcard. This is such a special, unexpected gift and I am
grateful they chose to give it to me.
Left, enameled pin.
Right, the special post card-"A Bouquet of France
What we can best wish for France, is peace, Victory, the return of happiness."
My humble translation
The post card is addressed to a "Mademoiselle" of Vaux sur Blaises, a village about 60 miles south of Verdun. I can read her name, but will leave that out for now.
The message on the back thanks her for her card. The signed name is illegible.
In
July I spoke at a Senior Citizen Center about my great uncle Archie and his
story. The presentation was well-received, and I was pleased to do this for my
friend Pat, who also belongs to the French Creek Valley Button Club with me. A
few days later, she gave me a small tin box, with the words, “Military Button
Polishing Kit, Complete with Polish, Brush, Cloth, Board.” What a surprise this
little box was. Pat felt that it was from the era of the Great War. When I looked
on the Internet, I found such a tin box pictured on the Pritzker Military
Museum and Library website as part of their World War I collection.
Another
surprise gift.
The little box is about 4.5 in x 1.5 in. x 2.5 in.
From
the Prtizker Website:
“Military Button Polishing Kit
“There
is also a small hard-bristled brush made of wood, a polishing cloth, and a
black plastic guard that would be inserted behind and around the button in
order to protect the uniform.”
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