Greenford unveils thousands of orange poppies honouring Indian soldiers on Remembrance Sunday

Greenford in west London marked Remembrance Sunday with a distinctive community tribute recognising the contribution and sacrifice of Indian servicemen, Sikh soldiers and millions of Commonwealth personnel who served alongside British and Allied forces during the First and Second World Wars.The centrepiece of the commemorations was a spectacular cascade of thousands of hand-knitted orange poppies, inspired by the Indian marigold, displayed alongside traditional red poppies to form an elaborate Poppy Curtain. Individually knitted by volunteers over several months, the installation brought together communities to remember those whose wartime contributions have not always received the recognition they deserve.The initiative was conceived and led by Greenford resident Amarjit Jammu, with support from Sikh women, the KY Knitting Group, local volunteers and the Royal British Legion Greenford, in partnership with Tracy Green.The introduction of orange poppies was particularly significant, reflecting the growing recognition of soldiers from the Indian subcontinent and the wider Commonwealth whose service and sacrifice helped shape Britain's wartime history.Jammu said the inspiration came two years ago when she attended the Unison Retired Members Conference in Llandudno, North Wales. She was impressed by the extensive poppy installations displayed across the town and wanted to bring a similar community-led tribute to Greenford.“As a lifelong resident of Greenford, I feel immensely proud to see our community come together in such a meaningful act of remembrance. What makes this tribute especially moving is that it has been created by Sikh women whose families understand the true meaning of service and sacrifice,” she said.“When I look at this curtain of poppies, I do not simply see a display. I see the faces of those who served, the families who waited for loved ones to return, and the generations who have carried their memories forward.”The significance of recognising Indian soldiers was also highlighted at Liverpool's Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph outside St George's Hall, where Dr Shiv Pande, representing the Indo-British Association, laid two wreaths.Attended by the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, MPs, the Lord Mayor, political party leaders, veterans and other dignitaries, the service held particular significance for Pande, who said he had been paying tribute and laying wreaths for the past 22 years.This year, he laid one wreath on behalf of the Indian community in memory of all soldiers who lost their lives in conflict. A second wreath was dedicated specifically to Indian soldiers who served Britain during the two World Wars. Pande described it as the first such dedicated wreath-laying anywhere in the UK.Highlighting the scale of India's contribution, he said approximately 1.3 million Indian personnel served during the First World War and 2.5 million during the Second World War. Around 75,000 and 87,000 respectively lost their lives.Back in Greenford, Tracy Green of the Royal British Legion Greenford praised the volunteers and community groups whose collective efforts brought the Poppy Curtain to life.“It has been wonderful to see so many people from different backgrounds, faiths and generations come together in the true spirit of remembrance,” she said.“Together, we have created something that not only honours the fallen but also celebrates diversity, unity and community spirit. We hope this display will inspire reflection and remembrance for many years to come.”As the orange poppies stood alongside the traditional red, the message from Greenford's community-led tribute was clear: remembrance must embrace every community whose people served and sacrificed.As Jammu put it, “Greenford is not changing the story of Remembrance; it is helping to tell the whole story.”You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.