Wreaths of red poppies were first produced by the British Legion in 1924, since that time such wreaths have been laid on war memorials throughout the United Kingdom on Remembrance Sunday, the second Sunday in November.  However, as noted elsewhere on this website, wreaths of red poppies are also placed on memorials which are not associated with the First World War or subsequent wars in which British service people were involved.  In 2017 it seemed that poppy wreaths were placed on any memorial, but since that time this practice has diminished.

However,  poppy wreaths are sometimes placed on memorials to people who have nothing to do with the First World One.  Here we have two poppy wreaths placed on the plinth of the statue of Abraham Lincoln (1809-65), in Parliament Square, Westminster.  These were placed there by the Daughters of Union Veterans of the American Civil War (on the right), and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (on the left).  Membership of both organizations is limited to direct descendents of veterans who fought on the Union side in the American Civil War (1861-5).

Photographed 12 November 2022.