Why is the red poppy a symbol of remembrance?
Published on Wed Apr 25 2018 in Community
As Anzac Day draws near, New Zealanders are thinking more about our fallen soldiers, retired veterans, and the men and women serving in the military today. Red poppies are proudly on display, as volunteers hit the streets during the annual Poppy Day appeal. It’s a symbol we instantly recognise, but do you know how the red poppy came to honour members of the military?
Poppies have been associated with war zones since at least the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s. However, their special significance today is strongly tied to our proud Anzac traditions.
In Flanders Fields
During the First World War, English speaking soldiers dubbed the battlefields across parts of Northern France and Belgium “Flanders Fields.” The area is particularly associated with the Second Battle of Ypres, where the 1st Canadian Division helped defeat German soldiers during late April and May of 1915.
One of those men was Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian medical officer. McCrae’s friend Lt. Alexis Helmer was killed in the battle, along with thousands of other men on both sides. This loss of life greatly distressed McCrae. In response, he wrote the poem for which he is now remembered, “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.
The red poppies mentioned in the poem were among the first plants to grow in the soil of Flanders following the battle. McCrae linked them to the loss of his comrades and the continued fight of those who had survived.
Though “In Flanders Fields” is now famous, it was nearly lost to history. After writing the poem, McCrae threw it away. His pages were rescued by a fellow officer, who sent them to the English magazine Punch. The magazine published the poem in December 1915.
“In Flanders Fields” was an immediate success, and became one of the most popular works of poetry at the time. It came to define the sacrifice made by soldiers during the First World War. The poem was used around the world to recruit soldiers, sell war bonds and rally the public around the war effort.
Poppy Day
American professor Moina Michael was one of the people who was deeply moved by McCrae’s poem. After the war ended, she worked to have the red poppy adopted as an international symbol of remembrance. She wrote a poem in response to McCrae’s, titled “We Shall Keep the Faith,” and promoted the idea of selling silk poppies to raise funds to help support disabled veterans and their families. This practice quickly spread, reaching as far as New Zealand and Australia.
The first Poppy Day in New Zealand was organised by the Returned Soldiers’ Association (RSA) and planned for November 1921 to coincide with similar Armistice Day appeals in other countries. However, the shipment of silk poppies arrived in the country too late to be properly publicised. Instead, the RSA postponed the appeal until Anzac Day in 1922.
This first Poppy Day was a great success. Poppies went on sale the day before Anzac Day, with many centres selling out early in the day. The money raised went towards helping French citizens living in the area of Flanders Fields, as well as needy Kiwi soldiers and their families here at home.
A Kiwi tradition
Poppy Day continued to gain popularity. By the Second World War, about half of the country wore a red poppy in the lead up to Anzac Day to remember those fighting abroad.
Local organisations began making the silk poppies sold in New Zealand during the 1930s. Government even relaxed a restriction on importing cloth from Britain during the Second World War so that poppies could continue to be made. Whilst the Christchurch RSA still manufactures many of the poppies sold in New Zealand today, they are now made of paper instead of cloth.
Poppy Day in New Zealand is still held in April, usually on the Friday before Anzac Day. The appeal lasts through the 25 April, with hundreds of thousands of Kiwis donating to the cause. This symbol of remembrance ties us to other nations who also place red poppies at commemorative events, military funerals and at war graves located all around the world.
Interested in learning more about our country’s fascinating history? Read up on how a Kiwi helped create the eight-hour work day!
Sources:
NZ History, Anzac Day
Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, New Zealand’s special national holidays
The Australian Army, In Flanders Fields
National Geographic, How the Poppy Flowered Into a Symbol of Remembrance
BBC News, Where did the idea to sell poppies come from?
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About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance and Funeral insurance in New Zealand.
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