Commandos in cash campaign; MILITARY: Brum launch of this year's Poppy Appeal.Byline: By Gary Marks THE Royal Marines Royal Marines Noun, pl Brit a corps of soldiers specially trained in amphibious warfare Commando commando, small, elite military raiding and assault unit or soldier. Although the word was coined in the Boer War (1899–1902), the role is as old as battles themselves. In 1940, when the British organized a number of such units, the term came into wide use. will be in Birmingham tomorrow to launch the Royal British Legion's 2008 Poppy Appeal. Men from the unit will be giving a demonstration in Centenary Square Centenary Square is a public square on Broad Street in central Birmingham, England, named in celebration of the centenary of Birmingham achieving city status (in 1889). followed by a reception at the Council House hosted by Deputy Lord Mayor Coun Mike Sharpe Mike Sharpe is an ex-professional wrestler better known as Iron Mike Sharpe. Career Sharpe comes from a family legacy of wrestling, as his father and uncle were a successful tag team in the 1950s, recognized as champions from San Francisco to Japan. . Legions of volunteers will be out across the Midlands over the next fortnight collecting cash for the RBL's beneficiaries in the run-up to Remembrance Day services, which will this year mark the 90th anniversary of the end of the Great War. Last year's Poppy Appeal raised a record sum of just under pounds 30 million - an increase of more than 15 per cent on the 2006 total of pounds 26 million. In recent years, figures issued by the Legion have shown that the deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan are impacting on its caseload case·load n. The number of cases handled in a given period, as by an attorney or by a clinic or social services agency. caseload Noun . Over the previous year, the number of beneficiaries aged 35 or under increased by 30 percent. Poppies produced for the annual fund-raising drive are prepared at the Royal British Legion Poppy Factory in Richmond, Surrey. More than 36 million poppies, 107,000 wreaths and sprays, 800,000 Remembrance Crosses and other Remembrance items will be made at the factory this year. The tradition of poppies being worn to remember those killed in conflict was introduced by Major George Howson, a young infantry officer, who formed the Disabled Society to help disabled ex-Service people from World War One. Howson suggested to the Legion that Society members should make poppies and the artificial flowers were designed so that someone who had lost the use of a hand could assemble them with one hand - a principle that has endured. This led to the foundation of the Poppy Factory in 1922, where poppies are still made today. For further information about the Poppy Appeal and the Legion's work visit www.britishlegion.org.uk or www.poppy.org or call Legionline on 08457 725 725. You can also text POPPY to 80848 to make a pounds 1.50 donation. CAPTION(S): FLOWER POWER... staff get to work at the Poppy-making factory in Richmond, Surrey; COLOURFUL... full steam ahead with Poppy production. |
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