The poppy has a long association with Remembrance Day.
The distinctive red flowers become such a potent symbol of our remembrance of the sacrifices made in past wars to our fallen soldiers to commemorate.
In late 1914, the fields of Northern France and Flanders were ripped open as World War I raged through Europe’s heart.
Once the conflict was over, the poppy was one of the only plants to grow on the otherwise barren battlefields.
The significance of the poppy as a lasting memorial symbol to the fallen was realised by the Canadian surgeon John McCrae in his poem In Flanders Fields.
The poppy came to represent the immeasurable sacrifice made by his comrades and quickly became a lasting memorial to those who died in world wars and later conflicts or peace missions around the world including our nation Fiji.
The poppy appeal reminds us that we need to attribute and contribute, in aid of those serving in the armed forces.
So contribute and wear a poppy flower today.
