A street that was home to 56 First World War soldiers has been transformed into a ‘Poppy Road’ with thousands of decorations spread all over to commemorate the centenary of Armistice Day.
Hundreds of houses along Station Road in Aldridge, Walsall, in the West Midlands, have been turned into tributes to the fallen soldiers with red poppies and statues.
Some of the houses also feature black silhouettes of soldiers, to symbolise that a soldier who died in the Great War lived there.
Station Road in Aldridge, Walsall has become Poppy Road with locals decorating their houses with thousands of poppies
Residents have been erecting memorials to previous residents of their houses who fought and died in the First World War
The true scale of the decorations is highlighted by incredible footage that pans down the entire street.
Station Road was home to 56 serving WWI soldiers with 16 of them dying in action.
As well as the black silhouettes of fallen soldiers, some houses have posters indicating there was a person living in that house who served in the war.
Station Road was home to 56 serving WWI soldiers with 16 of them dying in action. Now residents are marking the centenary of Armistice Day
Hundreds of houses on Station Road have been proudly transformed with red poppies and statues of soldiers
Some of the houses also feature black silhouettes of soldiers, to symbolise that a soldier who died in the Great War previously lived there
Pensioner Geoff Talbot, 74, was one of those who decorated his home and said the tradition has been in place for decades.
He said: ‘We were doing this on Remembrance Day since I was a child.
‘It is the perfect way to do something special for all the people who lost their lives in the Great War.
‘Lots of people have put a lot of effort to do this – we have a very nice community here.
Resident Geoff Talbot, 74, outside his house with the memorial to a previous resident of the property, Rifleman Alan Stirling
Mr Talbot hailed the effort and said that residents had always marked the day: ‘We were doing this on Remembrance Day since I was a child’
Station Road was chosen to represent the whole village was because it was the street people used to take the train to go to war in 1914
Incredible video footage shows the true length of the Poppy Road as it pans down the road to show just how residents are paying tribute
Aldridge Great War Project and Aldridge Local History Society organised the community project together, working with hundreds of people and businesses
‘In those days Aldridge was only a village, but a lot of local young men left and never came back.
‘It is an absolutely nice way to do a tribute for them.’
Aldridge Great War Project and Aldridge Local History Society organised the community project together, working with hundreds of individuals and businesses.
Mr Talbot added: ‘It is the perfect way to do something special for all the people who lost their lives in the Great War’
The tribute seems to have captured the attention of almost every resident in the street with breathtaking decorations everywhere
Unsurprisingly, the tributes have caught the eyes of passers-by, such as this woman who stopped to get a photo
With poppies draped over windows, plastered on doors and places on walls, the tributes caught the eye of many passing by
One reason Station Road was chosen to represent the whole village was because it was the street people used to take the train to go to war in 1914.
The station was also used as a place where the sick were taken before being transferred to the military hospitals in the area.
The tribute comes as police officers in Dorset reveal that they areset to patrol the streets in cars decorated in a shower of red poppies ahead of Armistice Day.
Station Road’s residents have paid tribute to the fallen for decades but took the commemoration up a notch this year
As well as black silhouettes, some residents put up posters in their homes explaining how past residents served
Thousands of red poppies were used to make the tribute and they could be seen spread all over the houses
This black silhouette tribute is to Private Sydney Hill, who used to live at the house before dying in the First World War
Dorset Police’s ‘poppy car’ will hit the roads around the county to demonstrate the force’s support of the British Legion’s annual appeal.
The specially branded car will be attending a service in West Bay on 1 November and will be part of the Bournemouth Remembrance Service on 11 November.
From November 12, the vehicle will be back out on patrol across North Dorset and will continue to hold the poppy design for the next three weeks.
Lord Lieutenant of Dorset Angus Campbell poses with Dorset Police’s specially-commissioned poppy car at West Bay
Dorset Police’s ‘poppy car’ will hit the roads around the county to demonstrate the force’s support of the British Legion’s annual appeal
Officers from across the county will also be attending ceremonies and laying wreaths to remember those who died in conflict.
Dorset Police Chief Constable, James Vaughan, said: ‘Each year the support for our poppy car has grown and we receive hundreds of positive comments from serving and retired army personnel, and the public.
‘We hope that the car will encourage people to go out and buy a poppy ahead of this year’s Remembrance Day and actively engage with the Royal British Legion’s campaign.’
More than 40 million poppies will be distributed by 40,000 dedicated collectors during this year’s appeal.
The money raised in Dorset will go towards the Legion’s record national fundraising target of £50million, the highest ever set.
These funds will help the Legion continue to support today’s armed forces community through hardships, injury and bereavements.
The specially branded car will be attending a service in West Bay on 1 November and will be part of the Bournemouth Remembrance Service on 11 November