Wear Your Poppy With Pride
Sadly we no longer live in a society where it is always safe or legal to wear a poppy.
However, when safe and legal to do so, we encourage you to wear your poppy with pride.
A Famous PoemWhilst grieving the loss of a friend at Ypres, a Canadian serviceman by the name of Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae immortalised the poppy in his famous poem entitled, 'In Flanders Fields':
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. |
The humble poppy is worn each year in grateful memory of the sacrifices made to maintain and defend our National Freedom, principally during the First World War.
Throughout its lifetime, the poppy's symbolism has grown to include other conflicts (eg. World War Two, the Korean War, the Troubles, etc). It has gradually become a simple, yet profound, statement of solidarity with our nation's Armed Forces. The Story of the PoppyDuring World War One, it was discovered that the only plant able to grow and flourish in the midst of no-man's-land was a bright red poppy.
These inspirational flowers grew in their thousands, spreading all over the battlefields of Flanders. Nothing could stop them. |
The Royal British LegionThe Royal British Legion was founded in 1921 and adopted the poppy as its official symbol.
Throughout the 1920s, demand for poppies was so high that two production factories were opened, one in England and one in Scotland. Their workforce was largely composed of disabled ex-servicemen. Like the flower itself, the original version of the poppy did not feature a leaf. Between 1960 and 1994, leaves were introduced (but sold separately). Finally, in 1995, poppies with leaves included were sold for the first time. The Scottish Poppy has four petals and no leaf. In the rest of the UK, poppies have two petals and one leaf. Each year, the Poppy Appeal raises over £ 30 Million. This money is used to help serving soldiers, ex-servicemen and their families. |
Six Traditions That Have Grown Up Around Poppies[1] It is believed that the colours of the poppy symbolise 3 things:
Red represents the blood of those who gave their lives. Black represents the mourning of those who lost loved ones. Green represents the future for which they died. [2] Men should wear poppies on their left - the idea being that those who died for our freedom are close to our hearts, and it is also the side on which the military wear their medals. [3] Women should wear poppies on their right - in the same way that they would traditionally wear a brooch. [4] The leaf should be positioned at 11 o'clock - representing the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - when Germany surrendered. [5] Poppies should be worn from the 31st October onwards - i.e. 11 days before Remembrance Day. Some people disagree with this position and say that poppies should only be worn after Bonfire Night (5th November). And then there are others who believe that poppies should only be worn on Remembrance Day. |
[6] It is mistakenly believed that the Queen always wears her poppy on the right, thus signifying that only members of the Royal Family are eligible to wear their poppy on the right. Whilst this is certainly an interesting theory, it is however incorrect. For example, many photographs exist showing the Queen wearing her poppy on the left.