FRANCE sets aside a public holiday on November 11 to remember those killed in war, and the Royal British Legion has a number of regional branches in France that are organising ceremonies and taking part in the annual poppy appeal to raise funds.

In the Pas-de-Calais, the main British-organised events are on Sunday, November 8, in Arras, Boulogne and the military cemetery in Etaples. The branch’s regional secretary, Anne Campbell Towler, can be reached on 03 21 41 58 64 or at ancamin@aol.com

The Paris branch will be organising a Commonwealth Service of Remembrance in the Cathédrale de Notre Dame at 15.00 on November 11, in the presence of the British and Commonwealth Ambassadors. This service has been held there every year since 1924, except during the occupation, and attracted a congregation of 500 last year.

The Brittany branch is organising a morning parade and church service on November 11 in Reguiny in the Morbihan and in Ranville, near Caen in Normandy. For information on either of these, call branch chairman Rodney Curtis on 02 97 39 60 69 or email through the website at http://rblbrittany.free.fr

In Marseille, a special remembrance service takes place at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Mazargues on November 8. Contact Derek White at
detewhite@orange.fr

Poppies will also be available at the British consulate in Marseille and the Anglo- American Group library in Aix-en-Provence.

In Lyon, the main remembrance event is on Saturday, November 14 at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at St Germain au Mont d’Or. The Anglican Church in Lyon also has poppies for sale – their Remembrance Day Service will be on November 8.

Elsewhere in France, each regional branch of the Royal British Legion will have a list of local poppy stockists and distribution points and a number of the groups have said they are preparing lists to put on their websites. See www.rblfrance.org for details of your nearest branch.

However there are large parts of France with no branch and thus no official poppy appeal distributors. To cater for British expats in regions not covered, the Nice-Monaco branch set up a scheme last year where it sends a dozen poppies by post to anyone in France who wants them. Last year’s distribution raised €8,000.

It is repeating the initiative this year. Call 04 93 01 30 00 or email mhealy@orange.fr to take part. Recipients must send the amount they raise from selling the poppies back to the legion by cheque.

The Poitou-Charentes (info@rbl-linazay-france.org) and Bordeaux branch
(gordon.merrett@wanadoo.fr) also support the initiative and will send poppies by post.