Emblems of respect for soldiers who lost their lives in war, some 12,000 remembrance poppies have been brought to the Island by the Bermuda Legion — and they will be given out, starting this Saturday, in the buildup to Remembrance Day on November 11.

As this year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, the Bermuda Legion is making a special effort to honour them, caseworker Carol Everson told The Royal Gazette.

As well as collecting donations, the Bermuda Legion will hold a tag day on November 5 to raise funds that will stay on the Island for the welfare of all Bermuda’s war veterans and their widows.

“We have 112 remaining war veterans, with at least seven who don’t qualify for Government’s grants and benefits,” Ms Everson said.

“There are 31 in nursing homes, and many more are having care provided for them. Our mandate to the elderly in Bermuda is that if there’s anything we can do to make peoples’ lives more comfortable, we are looking for it — the last days of life should be as full of love and care as the first days. Often that’s not the case.”

As part of this year’s commemoration, an exhibit of “trench art” is on display in the warriors’ chapel of the Anglican Cathedral in Hamilton. Soldiers in the First World War carved decorative items and jewellery for their sweethearts from bullets and shell casings.

“They even made dinner gongs out of them,” added Ms Everson, who has loaned her personal art collection for the display.

It has been an auspicious year for the Bermuda Legion, which has been accepted into the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League and the Royal Canadian Legion.

“These are two world charities who work together for veterans’ benefits — with the Royal Canadian Legion, we’re joined with 13 Caribbean nations, to which they provide a major network of support,” Ms Everson said. The Bermuda Legion produced three years of financial records to be vetted in order to join. Again, no monies will be sent out of the Island.

The charity also maintains an advocacy programme for serving and former soldiers of the Bermuda Regiment.

This year, the Bermuda Book Store remains the headquarters for the poppy appeal. Anyone wishing to volunteer as a distributor of the signature Bermuda poppy should contact the Bermuda Legion at 703-6180, 293-3975 or at nosoldierleftbehind@hotmail.com.