Why a Poppy on Remembrance Day?
Poppies have long been used to remember and honour our lost and surviving heroes from the wars but why? In 1915 after losing a friend in Ypres, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was so moved by the sight of bright red poppies that grew in an otherwise bleak field, that it inspired led him to write the now famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'.
The remembrance Poppies were adopted as a symbol and first sold in 1921, when produced 1 million were sold out straight away. The Royal British Legion, which had been formed in 1921, were persuaded to use the Poppy as their symbol, they then ordered nine million poppies and sold them on 11 November that year. The first 'Poppy Appeal' raised over £106,000 and this was used to help veterans and their dependents.
In Flanders Fields
The poem by John McCrae
In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' Fields.
For more information on how the Poppy Appeal came about visit https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/the-poppy
Pictured is own very own design of a Poppy Charm, these are exclusive to us. To buy a Poppy Charm from us please visit https://www.thebeecharm.co.uk/products/poppy-charm