Poppies to Paddington: Honouring the Forgotten Soldiers of the First World War

Thousands of soldiers whose sacrifices in the First World War went unrecognised for generations will be at the heart of Great Western Railway’s (GWR) annual Poppies to Paddington operation on Armistice Day.

The seventh Poppies to Paddington operation will mark 110 years since the Battle of the Somme, one of the bloodiest campaigns in military history, and recognise the contribution of soldiers from across the Commonwealth, including thousands of those who served in the British Indian Army whose service and sacrifice have only recently been formally acknowledged.

Working with Network Rail and in partnership with The Veterans Charity, hundreds of wreaths will be carried to London Paddington on services from across the GWR network, where they will be laid at the iconic War Memorial on Platform 1.

Members of the Armed Forces, veterans, railway colleagues and special guests will observe a two-minute silence at 1100 to honour those lost in past and present conflicts.

GWR Managing Director, Mark Hopwood CBE, said:

“Poppies to Paddington is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by so many people, from across our communities and around the world, in the service of others.

“This year we want to further shine a light on those whose contributions to the First World War went unrecognised for generations. The discovery of thousands of previously forgotten soldiers is a poignant reminder that Remembrance must reflect everyone who served and sacrificed their lives.

“We are proud that the railway can once again bring people together for this important Act of Remembrance, honouring the fallen and recognising the continuing contribution of our Armed Forces community.”

Network Rail Chief Executive, Jeremy Westlake, added:

“The railway industry has a long and proud history of service, including the vital role it played during the First World War. As we mark 110 years since the Battle of the Somme, we are proud to honour those who served and sacrificed their lives.

“For passengers travelling through and staff working at Paddington on the day, Poppies to Paddington provides an opportunity to pause, reflect and pay their respects.”

Research by the UK Punjab Heritage Association helped to uncover thousands of previously unrecognised casualties from the British Indian Army.

The names of 9,909 servicemen have been added to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s casualty database following the discovery of historic records.

Around 1.4 million people from the Indian subcontinent – now India, Pakistan and Bangladesh – are known to have served in the British Indian Army during the First World War. Of the thousands of soldiers identified through the research, around a quarter were Sikh, a quarter Hindu and around 40 per cent Muslim.

UK Punjab Heritage Association’s Harbakhsh Grewal said:

“The UK Punjab Heritage Association (UKPHA) is delighted to participate in this year’s Poppies to Paddington commemoration, coming as it does after formal recognition of 9,909 Punjabi servicemen who had previously been omitted from the records. 

“From villages across Punjab, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs joined in their hundreds of thousands. The Punjab Registers have proved vital in documenting those men, with some 320,000 in total unearthed through our work. 

“We are therefore honoured to be part of this year’s event to come together and commemorate them, and all who served including this year’s special commemoration of the Somme where Punjabis also fought and died. We Will Remember Them.”

Among those attending will be Major Jay Singh-Sohal OBE VR, Chair of the World War One Sikh Memorial Fund, Tan Dhesi MP, Chair of the House of Commons Defence Committee’s Armed Forces Committee, and former Children’s Laureate and War Horse author Michael Morpurgo, who GWR named a train after last year.

Poppies to Paddington will also recognise the longstanding contribution of the Gurkhas to the British Armed Forces.

Members of the King’s Gurkha Artillery Unit will form a guard of honour alongside the Defence Sikh Network: 1914 Sikhs to welcome a special-liveried Remembrance train featuring the names of 2,545 former GWR workers who lost their lives during the First World War.

The Veterans Charity CEO, Danny Greeno, said:

“We’re incredibly proud to continue our partnership with GWR as Poppies to Paddington enters its seventh year. What began as a simple idea during lockdown has grown into a powerful annual act of remembrance, bringing together railway and military communities from across the network to honour those who have served and sacrificed their lives.

“Seeing wreaths travel from communities across the South West, South Wales and beyond to Paddington is a poignant reminder of the shared history that connects us. Coming together on Platform 1 to remember the fallen is a privilege, and an important way to ensure their service and sacrifice are never forgotten.”