The unsung heroes of World War II
his Remembrance, The Royal British Legion is honouring those who worked alongside The British Armed Forces in World War II. From the contributions of the 53 Commonwealth countries to the codebreakers of Bletchley Park, there are many stories of bravery, resilience and remarkable ingenuity, serving to remind us that the war was not won alone.
A Vital Contribution of the Commonwealth
The friendship and collaboration between the men and women of Britain, the Commonwealth and Allied nations played an essential role in winning World War II. This year, The Royal British Legion is remembering their service and sacrifice fighting together, including the instrumental role of Commonwealth soldiers in three critical 1944 battles; Monte Cassino, D-Day, and Kohima and Imphal.
In honour of this, The Royal British Legion has produced two brooches. The 53 Commonwealth countries are represented by a single stone for each country in the Commonwealth Brooch and by the 53 facets of the Remember Together Lapel Pin. The Remember Together Lapel Pin also includes a certificate commemorating someone who lost their life in one of the many battles of World War II.
The Amazing Codebreakers of Bletchley Park
It wasn’t until the declassification of wartime information in the ’70s that the vital intelligence gathered by the codebreakers of Bletchley Park won the recognition it deserved.
Even now, the full extent of the codebreakers’ achievements isn’t widely known. As well as famously cracking the Enigma machine, Bletchley developed Colossus the world’s first large-scale electronic digital computer. It was used to decrypt the German High Command’s Lorenz cipher, helping with the Allies’ strategic planning for the invasion of Normandy.
The Codebreakers Brooch takes inspiration from the rotors of the Enigma machine and comes with a keepsake box containing a certificate to honour and remember one of the 13,000 men and women on the Bletchley Park Roll of Honour.
The Essential Role of Morse Code Communications
The efforts of those working in Morse Code communications made a crucial difference to how World War II was fought and won. Morse code communicators used radio to broadcast secret messages to each other, and the most skilled signallers were able to send 30 words a minute.
Morse Code may not be used by the military today, but for decades it was an essential communication method for the British Armed Forces. The Morse Code Brooch is designed with a border which spells out ‘Remember’ in Morse code. Whoever and whatever service you are remembering this year, the Poppy Shop has hundreds of unique products that help pay tribute to the unsung, yet vital, contributions of the Armed
Forces community past and present. Free delivery on orders over £25 using code POPPYAD Visit poppyshop.org.uk