McCrae’s poem still resonates

Poppies officially went on sale Friday. The annual fundraiser to support the Royal Canadian Legion is a bright spot of pride for many Canadians, and Americans also follow the tradition.
Of course, it all began with a poem written by a Canadian doctor who penned “In Flanders Fields” while he was serving with the Canadian military during the first world war. Lisa Hepfner visited John McCrae’s birth home in Guelph, which is now a memorial to his legacy.

“In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row”

John McCrae was born in this house in Guelph in 1872.

Bev Detrich is the McCrae House Curator: “He always had this creative artistic side to him. He also sketched.”

An artist, who became a doctor, and who was always involved in the military.

Bev: “He won a gold medal for being the best drilled cadet in Ontario. Sorta kept it on the back burner. But when WW1 started, he realized it was his call to duty”

In the second battle of Ypres, McCrae was on the front line directing artillery as well as tending the wounded. The Germans used chlorine gas on the French; the Canadians held the line.

One of their officers was hit by a shell and died. McCrae and the officers buried him at night. McCrae did the service for the dead and it was shortly after he penned the poem, In Flanders Fields.

“Poppies flourished in Belgium and France during the war because the fighting would stir up the soil and spread the seeds. And the rubble left it rich with lime.”

“If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Fields.”

Punch magazine published the poem in 1915.

Bev: “Right away, its popularity took off. People were citing it. People were writing it, keeping it with them on the front, using it for war campaigns.

In the 1920s, it inspired international campaigns to raise money for veterans and that’s why we still wear poppies this time of year. McCrae knew the poem was a hit before he died.

“He called it the IFF. When he wrote home to his mother, he said, I heard the IFF set to music.”

Remembrance Day at McCrae House starts at 9am in the memorial gardens and goes all day. Students from John McCrae School walk down the street to attend. And ham radio operators set up all week to send messages of peace across the world.

McCrae died in 1918, likely due to the conditions soldiers endured, and is buried in France.

The Royal Canadian Legion suggests you wear the poppy on your left lapel, as close to the heart as possible. According to protocol, poppies can be worn every day from now until November 11th. At the end of Remembrance Day, many people then take off their poppy, and leave it on the cenotaph as a sign of respect.