Master Cpl. Dave Payne and his son Draysen pin their poppies on the cross at the St. James Legion during Remembrance Day services in Winnipeg on Friday Nov. 11, 2005. (Ken Gigliotti/Canadian Press)
The association between the poppy and war dates back to the Napoleonic wars when a writer saw a field of poppies growing over the graves of fallen soldiers.
During the Battle of Ypres in 1915, Canadian Lt.-Col. John McCrae was inspired to write the poem In Flanders Fields on sighting the poppies growing beside a grave of a close friend who had died in battle.
The poem was a great inspiration in adopting the poppy as the Flower of Remembrance in Canada, France, the U.S, Britain and Commonwealth countries.
The first poppies were distributed in Canada in 1921. Today the volunteer donations from the distribution of millions of poppies is an important source of revenue for the Royal Canadian Legion that goes toward helping ex-servicemen and women buy food, and obtain shelter and medical attention.
In Flanders Fields
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, 1915
MENU
- Main page
- John Babcock
- Canada's only surviving First World War veteran
- War memorials and monuments
- Aboriginal veterans
- Why the poppy?
- War music
- Satire
- Photo exhibit honours Canada’s role during WWII
Photo Galleries:
RELATED
Stories:
In depth:
- Canada's war brides
- Canada's Military
- Vimy Ridge remembered
- D-Day
- Ortona: The Italian Campaign
- Afghanistan: Canada's casualties
- War music
- Satire
CBC Archives:
- 1939-1945: A Soldier's War
- On Every Front: Canadian Women in the Second World War
- Operation Overlord: An overview
- Relocation to Redress: The Internment of the Japanese Canadians
- Royal 22nd Regiment: Canada's Fighting 'Van Doos'
- More from the CBC Archives
External Links:
- Virtual Museum Canada
- The Memory Project
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- National Archives of Canada
- Remembrance Day Posters
- Royal Canadian Legion
(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)