2 The red poppy has become an enduring symbol of remembrance for those who have suffered and perished in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping endeavours. The origins of the red poppy or Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) as a symbol of remembrance traces back to the fields of Flanders, where Canadian LieutenantColonel John McCrae, after the second battle of Ypres in 1915, penned the poem In Flanders Fields. Inspired by the red blooms that adorned the graves of fallen soldiers, McCrae immortalised the red poppy as the flower of remembrance. Interestingly, before World War I, historical records indicate that poppies were not widespread in the fields of Flanders, largely due to the impoverished soil lacking essential nutrients and proper plowing. However, the turmoil of war, including the detonation of artillery shells and shrapnel, disturbed the earth and facilitated the germination of poppy seeds by exposing them to the necessary light. In soldier’s folklore, the bright red of the poppy was said to be from the blood of their comrades that had soaked into the ground. The journey of the red poppy from the battlefields of Flanders to the international emblem of fundraising owes much to the work of two women – French lecturer HONOURING SACRIFICE the significance of the red poppy Image credit: Kenneth Macqueen, Wild poppies, Mont Kemmel (detail) (c. 1917-1918, watercolour on paper, 11.9 cm x 17.6 cm) AWM ART93950. BY CELIA PURDEY
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