Lest We Forget: The Royal British Legion Quiz

Answer: World War I

The Legion was founded in 1921, and organised the first Remembrance Day 'Poppy Day Appeal' that year. It has been held every year since, and has raised millions of pounds to help make life easier for disabled or disadvantaged veterans and their families.

Answer: John McCrae

"In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below."

The first lines of the poem also appear on the Canadian ten dollar note.

Answer: Moina Bell Michael

Along with Madame Guerin, known as "the poppy lady", Moina Bell Michael started making and selling poppies to help destitute and disabled veterans. In 1918, Moina Bell Michael also wrote the moving poem "We Shall Keep the Faith".

Answer: The Disabled Society

The Disabled Society was founded in 1922, by Major George Howson, to help World War I veterans find ways to earn money. It was Major Howson who suggested that the members could make the poppies for the British Legion's appeal, and the "Poppy Factory" was founded in Richmond, London, for the purpose.

Originally designed so that disabled people could assemble them, the poppies are still made the same way today. They have three pieces; a stalk, petals, and button centre, that snap together to form the poppy.

Answer: An Arboretum

The National Memorial Arboretum is near the town of Lichfield. Planting of the trees was begun in 1997, and the Millennium Chapel of Peace and Forgiveness at the site was completed for the year 2000.

Answer: Douglas

Douglas was the first Earl Haig, and was the commander of the British Expeditionary Forces in World War I, from 1915 onwards. He reached the rank of Field Marshall in 1918. Field Marshall is the very highest rank in the British Army, and is traditionally held only by the reigning monarch, so Earl Haig was singularly honoured.
The Haig family were also renowned makers of scotch whisky, and the family distillery records go back as far as the 1650s. Nowadays the company is part of the Diageo corporation.

Answer: King George V

The Royal Charter lays out the official rules and mission statement for the Royal British Legion organisation.
King George V was the son of King Edward VII, and grandson of Queen Victoria. He ascended the throne on his father's death in 1910, and reigned until 1936. He served in the Royal Navy for fourteen years in the late nineteenth century.

Answer: The Royal Albert Hall

In recent years, the Festival has included sketches and items about civilian life during the World Wars, to engage the interest of younger people who do not actually remember them personally.
Every Festival includes a reading of Laurence Binyon's poem "For the Fallen", that includes the lines
"They shall not grow old, As we that are left grow old",
and ends with the release of poppy petals which drop from the ceiling. One petal is dropped for each member of the British armed forces who has lost his or her life in service of their country.

Answer: Gurkhas

Originally, Gurkhas were obliged to return to Nepal when their years of service were done, but thanks to a massive campaign, spearheaded by the Legion and actress Joanna Lumley, they now have the right to live in the UK. They were also given pensions and other rights in line with service personnel from the UK.

Answer: Tony Blair

Ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair not only donated the £4.6 million advance on his autobiography "A Journey", but also pledged to donate all further monies from sales of the book to the Legion.