A brief history of the poppy

Why do we associate the poppy with our war dead and why is it now at the heart of the annual national commemoration?

This is one of the themes explored by author Julie Summers, whose book We Are The Legion documents the rich history of the Royal British Legion (RBL).

The author focuses on some of her favorite discoveries about the military charity, including the history of the iconic red poppy, the development of remembrance, the importance of employment support for veterans, how the RBL supports wounded, injured and sick personnel, and she examines The Legion’s past , present and future.

BFBS Forces Radio spoke to the author about some of the most engaging moments in the charity’s history with a special series of reports from broadcaster Jade Callaway.

Here we present the first part of the series and look at the iconic symbol of Remembrance, the Poppy – and explore why we wear them with pride every year.

How the Royal British Legion Began

The British Legion was formed on 15 May 1921 to support soldiers and their families in the aftermath of the harrowing and deadly First World War.

The charity was created when four national veterans’ organizations came together to fight the injustices faced by those who had returned home from the trenches.

The aim was to ensure that those who had given so much for their country were treated fairly, offered support and remembered for their sacrifices.

Fifty years after its formation, the Royal was added to the British Legion to make it the charity we all know today.

An image strongly associated with Remembrance around the world is the poppy.

Tens of millions are made and bought each year, raising vital funds for The Royal British Legion.

You can wear a completely reusable one made of paper, an enamel pin or even Christmas ornaments. Even dogs can have a poppy collar and lead.

Why do we associate the poppy with war dead?

A world famous poem written in 1915 – In Flanders Fields by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae – is where the story begins.

Canadian doctor and soldier Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was stationed in the trenches in an area of ​​Ypres known as Flanders in April 1915.

His close friend, Lt. Alexis Helmer, 22, died in action on May 2, 1915, when a six-inch high-explosive cannon shell exploded, killing him instantly.

After they buried his body, Lt. Col. McCrae noticed that poppies were growing rapidly where the dead lay. This observation inspired him to write the poem In Flanders Fields.

“If you break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In the fields of Flanders.”

In Flanders Fields, written in 1915 as an act of remembrance, sums up the loss and tragedy felt by so many during both world wars and operations and conflicts ever since.

Why do we mark Remembrance with a poppy?

The poem was so moving that American academic Moina Michael was inspired to use the poppy as a symbol to represent all those who died during the Great War to ensure their sacrifice is never forgotten.

Mrs Summers explains that the poppy came to Britain from Canada, but that it was more elaborate than that.

She said: “In World War I, a woman named Madame Anna Guérin from France but working as a lecturer in the United States and an American woman named Moina Michael came up with the idea of ​​the poppy as a symbol of remembrance and hope for the future.”

The poppy was widely adopted across America in 1920 thanks to Madame Guérin.

In early 1921 she traveled to Canada and in Toronto received an invitation from the then Prince of Wales – who became the British Legion’s first patron – to go to London and introduce the poppy to the newly formed British Legion, founded by Field Marshal Douglas Haig , The Commander-in-Chief of the British Army.

Madame Guérin arrived in Britain in September 1921 and announced during a meeting with Colonel Crossfield that one million poppies would be made by widows and orphans in France.

She offered to pay for this out of her own money, but despite this generosity, the finance committee’s reaction was negative.

Mrs Summer explains: “They said, “Who is Madame Guérin? Who wants poppies? What is it about? What are her credentials?”

“So a man named Sir Herbert Brown was sent over to Paris to check on Madame Guérin and make sure she was able to make the poppies.”

The early days of the Poppy Appeal

After this visit it was decided that nine million poppies should be made.

President Haig was keen for a ‘Poppy Day Appeal’ to coincide with Remembrance Day in November that year.

Posters for the appeal called for people to wear a Flemish poppy after the poem that inspired the entire commemoration campaign, written six years earlier.

Six weeks on from a standing start, the first Poppy Appeal was so well received that they sold out, raising £106,000 – the equivalent of £4.3 million in today’s money – and the start of a tradition that soon went global.

The early Poppy Day appeals were not just in the UK, people took part in them all over the world.

The Legion had branches in every country from which men had come to serve, so there was a huge presence around the world.

Mrs Summer said: “When they did the annual reports on the Poppy Day appeals there would be photographs from Jamaica or in those days Tanganyika now Tanzania.

“There was even a story about a very remote location in South America where the poppies had to be made and shipped out in April to arrive in time for Poppy Day in November.”

We Are The Legion can be purchased now from Poppy shop.