Why do we wear poppies on Remembrance Day?

by amyjudd | November 7, 2008 at 12:17 pm

17933 views | 94 Recommendations | 50 comments

Why do we wear red poppies on Remembrance Day, November 11? Where did that tradition come from?

The poppy worn on Remembrance Day is the red-corn poppy, which grows abundantly in Europe, including Flanders Fields.
'In Flanders Fields' is a poem, written by Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae on May 3, 1915, and was written about the small red flowers growing on the battlefields of France amongst the death and blood from the men who died fighting for their country.

This is because the corn poppy was one of the only plants that grew on the battlefield. It thrives in disturbed soil, which was abundant on the battlefield due to intensive shelling. During the few weeks the plant blossomed, the battlefield was coloured blood red, not just from the red flower that grew in great numbers but also from the actual blood of the dead soldiers that lay scattered and untended to on the otherwise barren battlegrounds.

The poem and the poppy, have now become iconic symbols of both the World Wars, and now plastic versions are sold prior to Remembrance Day to remember those who died.

The poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

- John McCrae

Here is a link to some letters from a WWII Canadian soldier to his young wife back home.

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moons_creations

at 13:48 on November 7th, 2008

I've posted a photo of a Moon Bun (short for Moon Bunny) soldier standing among the poppies. He's wearing a Canadian Helmet and a poppy on his chest.

moons_creations has contributed a photo to this story.

Mazcats1

at 14:02 on November 7th, 2008

Thank you for inviting me to submit my picture to NowPublic.

The red poppies originally commemorated the servicemen who lost their lives in World War1 ;then later included WW2 and more recent wars; symbolising the blood and lives lost on the battlefields.
The white poppies became a symbol of Peace in 1917 to remember ALL people who lost their lives and Hope for the future that there would be no more war.

Mazcats1 has contributed a photo to this story.

lazylikewally

at 14:12 on November 7th, 2008

This is a photo of my poppy tattoo. Had that done Oct. 2007.

lazylikewally has contributed a photo to this story.

Blue Crush

at 14:23 on November 7th, 2008

In the US it's called Veterans Day. I'd be interested to know from our NP members what traditions/symbols they have.

frasersfotos

at 14:36 on November 7th, 2008

This photo was taken last year at the garrison church in Windsor.

frasersfotos has contributed a photo to this story.

DuaEs

at 14:53 on November 7th, 2008

Finally I had a chance to take picture and join the ceremony of remembrance day at Toronto City Hall last year because happened on Sunday when everybody had day off, it's too bad because the remembrance day is not statutory holiday.

DuaEs has contributed a photo to this story.

New Dad

at 14:55 on November 7th, 2008

Thanks for the invite. Story of the Poppy on my filckr account.

New Dad has contributed a photo to this story.

phoenixesrose

at 15:10 on November 7th, 2008

Thanks AmyJudd - I'd wondered where that had come from all week.

I've added two two photos taken in the Sudwestkirchhof in Stahnsdorf Germany. This is a particularly sad part of the cemetery as most of the graves of the WW1 dead have gone untended. What was surprising to me was that on that day, the only spot of color was the bright red poppy wreath put on a large cross in front of 4 headstones belonging to British War dead. It reads "Her Magesty's Royal Brittanic government in Rememberance. " I'm impressed that they really did remember - and that someone put the poppies on the graves. I'd often wondered what the poppies meant (why used for Rememberance Day) and now I know.

by the bay gal

at 16:13 on November 7th, 2008

The photo is in honour of my father - Bertram Wm. Lidstone, who died at the age of 79 in April, 2002. He was a World War II Veteran, # 971655. He served from June 21, 1940 to October 5, 1945 in Newfoundland, France, Belgium, Germany and England as a mechanic with the 22nd. Battery, 59th. Newfoundland Heavy Field Regiment Royal Artillary. He was employed with the NL Dept. of Agriculture for 41 years and Core Commissionairies for 7 years.

apple_jamz

at 16:31 on November 7th, 2008

Thank you for sharing this with us.

makeupanid

at 17:19 on November 7th, 2008

We always honour Remembrance Day in our family-thank you for including my poppy photo. It is so important that we never forget!

dunkelberg

at 17:49 on November 7th, 2008

I traveled to the UK shortly after 9/11, when tempers and fears still were high (but the highest security at the airports still had to do with mad cow disease).

The poppy wearing sparked a bit of controversy at the BBC, as patriotic passions had been both shaken and stirred. Things never noticed before were being put under a microscope.

Veterans groups and Tory MPs have called on the BBC to scrap a rule stopping presenters on its international channel from wearing remembrance poppies on screen.

The BBC said its BBC World presenters could not wear the poppies on air because they are not widely recognisable abroad.

But the Royal British Legion insisted poppies were an internationally recognised symbol which all BBC presenters should be able to wear.

Gerald Howarth, Conservative MP for Aldershot, and vice-chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, described the ruling as "scandalous".

The BBC said poppies were inappropriate for its world channel, but insisted it was still committed to events remembering those lost in the wars.

A statement said: "BBC World presenters have not worn poppies in the 10-year history of the channel.

"Presenters on other BBC channels in the UK have always worn poppies and will continue to do so."

What had been a common-sense policy came under fire as all were expected to tow some sort of a line.

There also was an annual parade in some small village that had to be canceled due to some stupid bureaucratic snafu.

As I rode with my lorry driver friend from Heathrow to Wales he had the talk radio on and I discovered that much of the English take their Veterans Remembrances dead seriously.

The poppy is a grand old tradition that has pretty much gone by the wayside here.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 18:23 on November 7th, 2008

Great stuff, Amy!

trulysomething

at 19:09 on November 7th, 2008

Thanks for including my photo in this story.

It's important to remember the past so that we don't repeat it

trulysomething has contributed a photo to this story.

panzerlawyer

at 20:20 on November 7th, 2008

I like this story its good stuff

Saul Bassana

at 06:09 on November 8th, 2008

This is a macro image of the little black centre of the paper poppy that I bought from a British Legion Stall in town a few days ago.

Please visit their website and make as large a donation as you can afford at www.britishlegion.org.uk The amount of work they do for service men and women both currently serving in Her Majesty's Armed Forces and for those who have done so in the past is nothing short of staggering!

I shall be posting another Poppy photo on my Flickr site on Remembrance Day together with a chapter from my autobiography "Slices" prior to attending the service in whichever village or town I happen to be nearest to on that day. Please note...I am most DEFINITELY NOT interested in the formal publication of "Slices" and will continue to decline all offers to do so. Writing it has been nothing more than a form of therapy and not as a means of becoming rich or famous at the expense of my old friends and oppos. My exploits are my own business and no-one else's. The chapter I shall be adding to my site is my dedication to a Reconnaissance Trooper who was fifty times the man I ever was and this bit of his story deserves to be heard!

Saul Bassana has contributed a photo to this story.

essenceof

at 22:09 on November 7th, 2008

Thank you for inviting my photo, its important never to forget the lives that have and are lost, in order to keep freedom alive..

essenceof has contributed a photo to this story.

only lines

at 23:43 on November 7th, 2008

only lines has contributed a photo to this story.

Nicolas Massé

at 00:57 on November 8th, 2008

Remembrabce Day celebration on Trafalgar Square, London.

Nicolas Massé has contributed a photo to this story.

ProSikhMedia

at 00:58 on November 8th, 2008

In Flanders field the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

ProSikhMedia has contributed a photo to this story.

TQ9kite

at 01:06 on November 8th, 2008

Thanks for the invite to post my photo. I took it at Plymouth Naval Memorial some time after the November 2007 remembrance events. So many names on the plaques, all with a story. War is stupid!

Erinys

at 01:07 on November 8th, 2008

2007. A day after Remembrance Sunday, Cenotaph, Whitehall, London

Erinys has contributed a photo to this story.

tosh123

at 04:31 on November 8th, 2008

Taken on a trip to London.

tosh123 has contributed a photo to this story.

f00b

at 04:54 on November 8th, 2008

f00b has contributed a photo to this story.

Adec Alexandria

at 06:37 on November 8th, 2008

Photo taken in Second Life

Adec Alexandria has contributed a photo to this story.

Jaxpix50

at 07:59 on November 8th, 2008

I think it's really important, especially for the youngsters, to remember the war dead and injured of all sides in all conflicts. If we forget it all we may carry on repeating mistakes forever.

Jaxpix50 has contributed a photo to this story.

laydenwithstitches

at 08:16 on November 8th, 2008

We wear poppies to honour all who have sacrificed to ensure we live in a world of freedom. Everyone who has endured hardship for us deserves our absolute appreciation. Freedom for the cost of a poppy donation? Think about it.

This image was created for everyone to create a caption of their own. You can view the captions of other viewers here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laydenwithstitches/2956809274/?addedcomment=1#comment72157608765276791

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nick3216

at 10:50 on November 8th, 2008

Thanks for the invitation. The photo shows the Poppy worn by my wife at the Remembrance Day Meet of the Vale of Lune Harriers, when we always hold aminutes silence to rememebr those who gave their lives so that we might have our freedom.

nick3216 has contributed a photo to this story.