With Remembrance Day just around the corner, we think of the poppy. It is difficult to imagine how delicate poppies could grow in the war-torn fields of Ypres in 1915, inspiring John McCrae to write “In Flanders Fields”. I was reading some interesting information on the Imperial War Museum site (www.iwm.org.uk) and there was a great article by Helen Mavin about poppies.
In it she explains: “Poppies were a common sight, especially on the Western Front. They flourished in the soil churned up by the fighting and shelling. The flower provided Canadian doctor John McCrae with inspiration for his poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, which he wrote whilst serving in Ypres in 1915. It was first published in Punch, having been rejected by The Spectator. In 1918, in response to McCrae’s poem, American humanitarian Moina Michael wrote ‘And now the Torch and Poppy Red, we wear in honor of our dead…’. She campaigned to make the poppy a symbol of remembrance of those who had died in the war.
Artificial poppies were first sold in Britain in 1921 to raise money for the Earl Haig Fund in support of ex-servicemen and the families of those who had died in the conflict. They were supplied by Anna Guérin, who had been manufacturing the flowers in France to raise money for war orphans. Selling poppies proved so popular that in 1922 the British Legion founded a factory - staffed by disabled ex-servicemen - to produce its own. It continues to do so today.”
The article went on to say that “Other charities sell poppies in different colours, each with their own meaning but all to commemorate the losses of war. White poppies, for example, symbolize peace without violence and purple poppies are worn to honor animals killed in conflict. The poppy continues to be sold worldwide to raise money and to remember those who lost their lives in the First World War and in subsequent conflicts.”
Other flowers are also connected with Remembrance Day: visit the Veterans Canada site at www.veterans.gc.ca and read about how certain plants are especially symbolic for Remembrance Day. If you planted some new tulip bulbs this fall, you will be interested to know that tulips are a symbol of gratitude. The site says this: “Each spring, Canada’s capital city comes alive with color as millions of tulips burst into bloom. These beautiful flowers serve as a symbol of the unique friendship that blossomed between the people of Canada and the Netherlands during the Second World War.
In 1940, Crown Princess Juliana, the only child of Her Royal Highness Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, secretly boarded a Dutch vessel bound for Halifax. She, her husband and two small daughters soon took up residence in Ottawa, which provided the family a safe haven for the remainder of the War. Her gratitude to the people of Canada was further reinforced by the bravery and sacrifices of the thousands of Canadians who fought to liberate the Netherlands in 1944 and 1945. In 1945, to thank Canadians for their kindness, Princess Juliana presented Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs. Canada continues to receive 20,000 bulbs from Holland each year as a sign of their enduring gratitude.”
As we’ve chatted before, flowers are such an important part of tribute, and remembrance.
Please do wear a poppy this week, and take a moment on the 11th to pause and remember all those brave souls who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We are very blessed to live in this beautiful country, our Canada. Have a good week!
