Remembrance Poppy
The Poppy became a symbol of Remembrance due to the poem written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a soldier from World War I, “In Flanders Field”.
This July we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canada officially adopting the flower of the Remembrance.
Madam Anna Guerin, known as the “The Poppy Lady from France”, met with the Great War Veterans Association (GWVA), the forerunner to the Royal Canadian Legion in July 1921. She presented the idea of the Remembrance Poppy. The funds were to raise money for the Veterans needs and to remember those who had given their lives in the First World War. July 6,1921 the GWVA passed a resolution that the Poppy would be worn on the anniversary of Armistice Day in memory of the fallen comrades.
Poppies were made by women and children of France and under the sponsorship of the GWVA the were distributed in Canada. The next year all Legions across Canada wore the poppy as a means of remembrance. The tradition of wearing the Poppy continues 100 years later as we continue the pledge to honour our Veterans, remember their incredible sacrifices for the freedoms we enjoy and acknowledge the families of our Veterans and their losses.