Poppy pins cast from soil where the bravest fell

THE mud of Passchendaele became a symbol for the horror of war, a quagmire that swallowed men whole. Now, 100 years on, soil from the fields of the Battle of Passchendaele has been used in the making of 60,083 enamel poppy pins, one for each British soldier who died. From July to November 1917, millions of artillery shells were fired in West Flanders, destroying drainage and creating a sea of mud. Each year, Belgian farmers plough up the remains of hundreds of shells. Brass from them was melted down to cast the pins by TMB Art Metal, which makes commemorative objects. Chris Bennett, of Londonbased TMB, said: “Although less visible than the brass the poppies are made of, in many ways this is a much more profound element of the project, as the earth comes from the very ground the soldiers fought upon, died upon and that many still lie beneath.” Money raised from the pins goes to the Royal British Legion.

Poppy pins being cast, above, after shells were melted down, above right, and mixed with mud. The final product right, is in aid of the Royal British Legion