The WWI Centenary Poppy Tile Project
The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT), with the support of the Returned Services League of Australia (Victorian Branch) is encouraging families to renew their links to their family members who enlisted in WWI by placing a newly designed commemorative tile on their gravesite.
Those who returned to live out their lives in the community, and are buried in our cemeteries, are not recognised unless their family has recorded this fact in their inscription. Many graves have been forgotten by families over the years and have become neglected. Younger family members may be unaware that their ancestors served at all, unless their family memories and history are strong.
“Between 1914 and 1918 some 112,399 Victorians enlisted to fight in the First World War. Those who died from causes associated with battle are commemorated by the War Graves Commission.”
From March 2014, a decorative kit which will include two small, highly glazed white porcelain tiles with a striking red Flanders Poppy printed onto the surface, will be available to purchase. The packaging will feature the original Flanders Poem plus the Ode of Remembrance and show images of the Flanders Fields. The package has been designed with the assistance and support of the RSL.
These commemorative tiles may be fixed to a headstone or cremation niche using a self-adhesive patch that is already applied to the tile. The kit also includes an alcohol wipe to clean the base plate. Once the selected tile is applied, the second tile can be fixed to a home letterbox or gatepost to signify that this family has links to the First World War.
The GMCT intends to make the packages available for sale at all GMCT cemeteries and RSL branches. Costings are still being finalised, but the tile kits are expected to retail at around $10 with any profits donated to charity.
The GMCT is seeking expressions of interest from RSL branches and other cemeteries that may be interested in having the packages available to visitors to their cemeteries.
Requests for further information and estimates of orders can be placed with GMCT by emailing poppytile@gmct.com.au by end-December. Extra kits will be available throughout 2014 through GMCT or RSL branches. Small orders can be mailed.