Remembrance Day/The Origin


Posted by Dee in OR ® , Nov 12,2001,23:47   Archive
Why the Poppy?
Today, fields of brilliant poppies still grow in France.
A writer first made the connection between the poppy and battlefield deaths during the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century, remarking that fields that were barren before battle exploded with the blood-red flowers after the fighting ended.

During the tremendous bombardments of the First World War the chalk soils became rich in lime from rubble, allowing 'popaver rhoeas' to thrive. When the war ended the lime was quickly absorbed, and the poppy began to disappear again.

After John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields was published in 1915 the poppy became a popular symbol for soldiers who died in battle.

Three years later an American, Moina Michael, was working in a New York City YMCA canteen when she started wearing a poppy in memory of the millions who died on the battlefield.

During a 1920 visit to the United States a French woman, Madame Guerin, learned of the custom. On her return to France she decided to use handmade poppies to raise money for the destitute children in war-torn areas of the country. In November, 1921, the first poppies were distributed in Canada.

Thanks to the millions of Canadians who wear flowers each November, the little red plant has never died. And neither have Canadian's memories for 116,031 of their countrymen who died in battle.

Dee in OR
Related link: http://www.canoe.ca/RemembranceDay/poppy.html




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Re: Remembrance Day/The Origin

Re : Remembrance Day/The Origin --- Dee in OR
Posted by June in Toronto ® (June Floyd,June in Toronto), Nov 13,2001,09:04 Top of Thread Archive
I first heard of John McCrae when I lived in England - we bought and wore poppies then to commemorate Remembrance Day. Now I live only 40 minutes from where Captain McCrae was born. Thanks for the link Dee.

June in Toronto (beb/meige)




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Re: Remembrance Day/The Origin

Re : Remembrance Day/The Origin --- Dee in OR
Posted by Delaine Inman ® , Nov 13,2001,10:54 Top of Thread Archive
Wow Dee! Thanks for sharing that piece of history with us. I planted some red poppies a couple of weeks ago. I hope they come up next spring. TN plants poppies along the interstate and it is so beautiful when they bloom.



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Re: Remembrance Day/The Origin

Re : Remembrance Day/The Origin --- Dee in OR
Posted by Dee in OR ® , Nov 15,2001,15:58 Top of Thread Archive
Actually, I can't take credit for this. Phil B. sent it to me so I decided to post it.

Dee in soggy, dreary Oregon




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