Poppies and Remembering

Yes, that is the “Queen Mum” with several red poppies on her shoulder.In England (and in most of the Commonwealth countries), the remembrance poppy commemorates servicemen and -women who have died in the line of duty. The red poppy pins are always artificial and have been in use since 1921.

The origin of this symbol can be traced back to a poem about World War I written by John McCrae. The poem, titled “In Flanders Fields,” begins with the lines:

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.

In the U.K., the pins are sold by the Royal British Legion, in order to help raise money for veterans. They are generally worn around England’s Remembrance Day and at other events that commemorate veterans.

According to the Royal British Legion, “There is no right or wrong way to wear a poppy. It is a matter of personal choice whether an individual chooses to wear a poppy and also how they choose to wear it. The best way to wear a poppy is to wear it with pride.”  And these Royals are obviously so doing!

 So very grateful for what these service people have given for us!