The poppy has stood as the official symbol of Canada's Remembrance Day since 1921, a visual reminder of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for war. Some may wonder why this small flower is used to represent the fallen soldier.
Poppies and fallen soldiers have a long history together. The origins of the flower can be traced back to the Napoleonic wars in France. During these times of unrest and battle, many soldiers went on to final resting places in graves in Flanders, France. Ensuing literature describing how poppies grew so thickly and vibrantly over these graves --in soil that once could not produce much vegetation. Years later, a soldier would be instrumental in bringing the symbol of the poppy to the hearts and minds of Canadians.
When John McCrae served in World War I as a Lieutenant-Colonel, he was stationed near Ypres, Belgium, the area traditionally called Flanders. McCrae observed how poppies grew so well among the makeshift graves of the soliders, which were marked by wooden crosses. When McCrae lost a fellow soldier and close friend, he penned a poem called "In Flanders Fields" and portrayed the picture of war and the poppy flower visual.
