![]() After the poppies had finished absorbing the lime, they began to disappear.ģ. The flowers grew widely in Europe, particularly countries like France and Belgium, as a result. The lime in the rubble acted as fertilizer for the poppies, allowing them to grow. But did you know poppies grew on battlefields because of the debris that remained? Bombardments of artillery during the First World War left fragmented remains on the fields. “In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,” is how the famous poem begins. Poppies grew on battlefields because of the rubble. He wrote the poem in May of 1915, following the death of a fellow soldier.Ģ. McCrae, a lieutenant-colonel from Guelph, Ont., served as a medical officer during the First World War. ![]() While many may be familiar with John McCrae’s “ In Flanders Fields,” it was this poem that actually inspired the use of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance in Canada and the Commonwealth. The poppy’s use as a symbol of remembrance was inspired by a poem. Here are eight things you may not know about the poppy.ġ. First adopted on Jfollowing the First World War, the poppy continues to be worn in honour of the millions of Canadians who have served and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace.ĭespite its long history, there are plenty of fascinating facts about the flower that may not be familiar. The poppy marks 100 years as a symbol of remembrance in Canada. This November, Canadians are commemorating something else, too. On the Official First Day Cover, the cancel features a stylized "100" to mark the poppy's centennial as a symbol.With Remembrance Day right around the corner, poppies are in full bloom as Canadians wear the tiny red flower in honour of those who fought for the country. A stark white background provided the contrast that makes the image pop. The poppy's red ink was created specially to match the crimson of the poppy, while metallic ink was used for the pinhead. Canada's first National Poppy Campaign launched later that year.īlair Thomson of the Believe in studio designed the stamp, which was printed by Colour Innovations. The Great War Veterans' Association of Canada (the Legion's predecessor) officially adopted the poppy as a symbol of remembrance on July 6, 1921. Moved by his words, a number of women and charities began to create poppies made of fabric as a memorial and to raise funds for veterans and families of the fallen. Millions of poppies are distributed in Canada every year, raising close to $20 million annually.ĭuring the First World War, the appearance of the bright red flowers on the battlefields in France and Belgium inspired Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae of Guelph, Ontario, to pen the poem "In Flanders Fields" in May 1915, after he lost a friend in the Second Battle of Ypres. Money raised helps to provide veterans and their families with financial assistance and other support. While the poppy is distributed freely, the Legion accepts donations to the Poppy Fund. The concept behind this special stamp was not only to immortalize the crimson flower, but also offer another way to remember the more than 117,000 Canadians who died for their country.
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