Remembrance Day

A special day - to take time to think and remember as we did today "Remembrance Day - the signing of the Armistice which occurred on 11th November 1918- signed on the 11th hour, 11th day, and 11th month, and this is in the 2011 year. We spent quite a bit of time in the Somme in 2003, visiting as many memorials as possible, incredibly moving, and in 2000 we spent D Day in Normandy, I still remember every minute. I have always loved the red flanders poppy, but today did a tad of research on this incredibly "alive" flower and why it symbolizes Remembrance (Armistice) Day. The red poppies were among the first plants that sprouted from the devastation of the battlefields of northern France and Belgium. As a metaphor the red poppy is compelling. Poppies grow best in disturbed soil - they quickly carpeted the mud of no mans land when war finally ended in 1918. Red symbolised the blood of soldiers, and the poppy, traditionally associated with opiates promised an end to the pain. During the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres a young Canadian artillery officer was killed on 2nd May, 1915. The Brigade doctor, John McCrae was asked to conduct the buriel service, it is believed that later that evening, John began the draft of his now famous poem - "In Flanders Fields". John McCrae died in 1918.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

by John McCrae, May 1915

*****

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 wer 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

There is also the story of an American woman, Moina Michael, also known as the "Poppy Lady", who was so moved by this poem that she assisted with some major moves after the end of WW1 for this flower to be used for Rememberance - she wrote a book called "The Miracle Flower - The story of the Flanders Fields Memorial Poppy.