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It`s that time of year where it is not unusual to see people on the streets, in cafes or in the work place wearing a red poppy pinned to their lapel. What is unusual, is the biggest majority of these people haven`t got a clue why they are wearing that particular flower. Does it not make sense to know the reason why? Who knows what it could represent. Why do we wear red poppies on Remembrance Day November11th? Depending on the individual and how they perceive the reason, may have them remember this Day with tear filled eyes or with a proud supportive smile.
The "Red Corn Poppy" grows plentiful in Europe and is commonly worn on this day.
Remembrance Day is a touching reminder to people of those who lost their lives during service in the war. This day we remember those that died saving lives. How brave a hero were these soldiers (men and women) to give up their own life so another could live.
Flanders is the name of the entire western part of Belgium. Heavy fighting took place here and a major loss of life happened during the First World War. The only thing came out of this battle unscathed was that of the poppy. The poppy continued flowering each year and this was seen as new hope to those who were still fighting. Not even all that blood sweat and tears stopped Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Canadian Armed Forces in (the second Battle of Ypres in 1915,) from penning these heartfelt words in the way of verse.
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.
Remembrance Day is a global remembering.
The wearing of the poppy was to become a type of compulsory epidemic worldwide after US citizen Moira Micheal read - Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae poem "In Flanders Fields" and was so touched by it, she wrote a response and always wore a poppy:
And now the Torch and Poppy red
We wear in honour of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought In Flanders Fields
It was only a matter of time for something this big to take effect on millions of people. And one person was Madame Guerin from France, who in 1918 began selling artificial poppies to help needy soldiers. Today by buying a poppy you help a needy cause. In the UK, disabled ex-servicemen make the poppies that we wear. In a mad sort of way these men still crusade on helping those less fortunate that never had the chance to make poppies. Over the year they make over 34 million poppies, 5 million remembrance petals, 750,000 Remembrance crosses and nearly 100,000 wreathes.
More times than not Remembrance Day is a somber occasion. You can expect to see blazers' embedded with war medals along with flags a flying and tears flowing. In England, although two minutes' silence is practical on November 11th, the main ceremony is directed towards the second Sunday of November, Remembrance Day. Ceremonies are held at local communities' War Memorials, usually organized by local branches of the Royal British Legion of which her royal majesty the queen, the patron.
Poppy wreaths are laid at the base of the cenotaph. A bugler plays "The Last Post". In military life, "The Last Post" marks the end of the day and the final farewell. Nearing towards the end of the 2 minutes' silence a trumpeter plays "Rouse".
Let us remember them as they were.
"For the Fallen" Laurence Binyon (1869 –1943)
They shall not grow old, as we that are left to grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Sadly but necessary Remembrance Sunday was expanded due to those who lost their lives whilst serving kin and country in recent wars, 16,000 British servicemen and women lost their lives while on duty since the Second World War. The First World War finally ended after four years of fighting, on November 11 1918. All weapons lay down at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Poppies worn on Remembrance Day started as a fund-raiser for children orphaned by war, and were first worn as lapel pins in America and suggested worn on the left hand side nearest to the heart.
Remembering back to a story mum told me who I have just buried a fortnight ago had me thinking about the poppy. A little hazy as to word for word of what she spoke, but yet stuck with me. Only through prayer I can ask if what she said was true, but while waiting on her answer while she settles in heaven – can someone else clarify this story.
Mum was never a lover of poppies, although in support for those who died she would buy one, and her reason was if I remember right.
How the Forget-me-not got its name.
"The blessed Virgin was washing her clothes and had nowhere to dry them. She approached the poppy to hang her robe upon, only for the poppy to shy away. The blessed virgin then walked over to this little blue flower which allowed her to drape her clothing over. As she walked away she muttered For-get-me-not."
According to a beautiful and pious medieval legend the Christ Child was sitting on the Blessed Virgin's lap one day. Desiring that future generations could see her beautiful eyes, He touched them and then waved his hand over the ground and blue "eyes of the Holy Virgin" [forget-me-nots] appeared.
This November the 11th I shall buy a poppy in remembrance, and for mum, forget you not, "I never will."
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