They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. / At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them
I have written a couple of times about our family’s connection with WW1, how my great grandfather fought and died in the war, explaining more in this post from 2015: WW1, VE Day and a special middle name.
This family connection made our trip to the Tower of London in 2015 to see the poppy installation all the more poignant: 888, 246 knowing that one of those eight hundred and eighty eight thousand who lost their lives was a relative. Which is why when I spotted on Twitter last week that a few thousand of those poppies were now part of an installation called Wave that had toured the country but was now in Hampshire I decided I had to go.
We couldn’t have picked a more perfect day. Situation on at Fort Nelson with a backdrop of the green grass of Portsdown Hill, and the clear blue sky made the wave of poppies all the more stunning. Admission is free, it is just £3 for the car park and the exhibition is on until June this year. There is more info on the Fort Nelson website
Despite it being busy there were plenty of volunteers on hand to ensure that the crowds are managed and that every body gets a chance to take photographs that appear to be people free.
There is also a great cafe situated in a marquee on the parade square that gives a great view of the poppies too, serving tea and coffee, and a selection of sandwiches and cake. So its the perfect place for all the family to spend a few hours.