Poppy marks centenary of WWI armistice

A century since the end of WWI, the poppy lives on as a potent symbol of remembrance in many countries around the world to honour all servicemen and women killed in conflict since the “Great War”

1915: Opening lines of war poem In Flanders Fields – written by Canadian army doctor John McCrae – refer to poppies flowering over graves of fallen soldiers on churned-up battlefields
of Western Europe

1918: Moved by McCrae’s poem, U.S. teacher Moina Michael begins campaign to sell handmade poppies as way of raising funds for wounded ex-servicemen 

1919: Armistice Day first observed throughout Britain and Commonwealth, with two-minute silence to mark moment when war ended in 1918 – at 11th hour of 11th day of 11th month

1920: American Legion becomes first organisation to recognise poppy as symbol of remembrance

1921: Inspired by Moina Michael, Frenchwoman Anna Guerin brings poppy selling to Britain,
where British Legion begins “Poppy Appeal” tradition

1922: British Army major George Howson opens first poppy-making factory staffed by disabled soldiers. Factory still makes millions of poppies today

1945: After end of World War II, Armistice Day becomes known as Remembrance Day to include all
those killed in both world wars and other conflicts

Nov 18, 2018: Commemorations take place around the world to mark 100th anniversary of
armistice that ended World War I


Pictures: Newscom, Getty Images, Amazon
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