Most countries have a national symbol thathonoursthe liveslostinviolent conflict.
Our allies across the Channel wear the indigo bleuet de France, a blue cornflower. Carrying on with thefloral theme, the national remembrance symbol of India isabright yellowmarigold, whereas Russiahasanorange and black ribbon instead of a flower.
Here in Britain,the poppy has become theubiquitous symbol of remembrance.Various charities sell poppies in differentcolours.
You can show your respect by wearing the traditional red poppy, but over the years other colours have materialised, with some seen as controversial and others representing a particular community, such as the black poppy.
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- Why do we wear poppies for Remembrance?
- Do military personnel have to wear a poppy for Remembrance?
Whyweara poppy?
The poppyis a symbol of respect and support for the Armed Forces community, an iconic symbol synonymous with the Royal British Legion.
After the First World War, the battlegroundsof Western Europewere largely an array of churned up fields, reminiscent of the chaos that had been seen on an unprecedentedscale. Then the Flandersredpoppiesstarted growing all over the bloodstained battlefields – a beautiful brightly coloured symbol of hope.
Canadian doctor Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who served in Ypres, was so moved by the sight oftheresilient flowers that he put pen to paper and wrote one of the most famous war poems, In Flanders Fields.
MoinaMichael,anAmerican academic and humanitarian, was inspired by the poem tousethe poppytohonourthe memory ofthose fallen in the war.
In Europe, Frenchwoman AnnaGuérin took on the mantle ofpopularisingthe poppy asan international emblemofremembrance.
In 1921 she persuaded Royal British Legion founderEarl Haigtoorder nine million poppies, all of which were sold on the anniversary of Armistice Day that year.
For 2023, the first plastic-free and recyclable poppy went on sale.
The RBL, which produces 170,000 poppies a day to meet the demands ahead of Remembrance Sunday, said research and analysis from University College London scientists suggests the new design could reduce emissions by 40%
Why wear red?
The red poppyis a symbol of remembrance and hope – a belief that the lives that were lost to wars of the past have paved the way for a more stable present and peacefulfuture.
The red poppy has been sold in the UK in November for the past 100 years.
Thefirst timeartificial poppies were sold in Britain was in 1921 to raise money for ex-servicemen and the families of those who had died in the conflict.
The charity most associated with selling the red poppy is the Royal British Legion.The Poppy Appeal is its biggest fundraising campaign held every year in November.Set upby WWI veterans,the charityuses the proceeds tosupportserving and former British personnel.
In 1922, theRoyal British Legionopened a factory run by disabled ex-servicemen to manufacture the poppies, marking thebirthof a tradition that continues to this day.
Why wear black?
The black poppyroserepresentsthe contribution to the war effortofAfrican/Black/Caribbean/Pacific Islands & Indigenous Communities.
The black poppy rosewas created in2010 tohighlightthe history of people ofcolour.While theorganisersof the projects recognise the legacy and historical significance of thered poppy, the black poppy rosefocuses on the sacrifices in the name of war of those whowere disenfranchised throughout history.
The flowersymbolisesnot only the contribution of those who were enlisted, but also theeffect of war on women and children around the world.
The black poppy rose consists of a layer of outer and inner petals. Poppies usually have four to five petals. According to the BlackPoppyRose website, the inner petals of the black poppy represent "the four corners of the world from which we have come and the four corners of the world in which we have fought".
Why wear white?
Dubbed as poppies for peace, the white flowers aim to challenge the way we remember violent conflict.
White poppiesare sold byPeace Pledge Union, the oldestpacifistorganisationin Britain.
According to the Peace Pledge Union, the white poppy stands for three things: remembrancefor all victims of war, a commitment to peace and a challenge to attempts toglamouriseor celebrate war.
Critics of the poppy for peace claim that it signals disrespect for those who had given their lives so that we can enjoy the peace that we have now.
People should "ignore" those who wear them, according to Conservative MP Johnny Mercer, who termed them "attention-seeking garbage" in 2018.
The formerUnder-Secretary of State for Defence People and Veterans tweeted: "If you don't want to wear a poppy, don't bother. They fought and died so you could choose. But don't deliberately try and hijack its symbolism for your own ends."
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas is among those who wear both the white and red poppy.
Those that choose to wear the white poppybelieve it focuses on the original message of remembrance–'never again'.
The Peace Pledge Union argues that, as 90% of people killed in warfare are civilians, wearing both a red and a white poppy can signify that one honours the sacrifices of the fallen military personnel while highlighting all the civilian lives lost in war.
Why wear purple?
The purple poppyrepresents thesufferingof animals in war.
People were not the only ones who were drafted in to fight in world wars and the many conflicts ever since. Millions of animals, especially dogs, pigeons, andhorseswere integral to the war effort.
It is estimated that8,000,000 donkeys and horses were killed during the First World War.Comparatively, the war took the lives of 9.7 million military personnel.
The alternative to the Royal British Legion's red poppy was first launched in 2006 by the charity Animal Aid.The popularity of the purple version has grown exponentially in recentyears.
The charity has since expressed lament at the waythe aim of the purple poppy has been represented in the media.
The former director of Animal Aid Andrew Tyler has said that the dominant narrative has been of animals as war heroes who valiantly laid their lives for us. This was exactly the opposite intention of the charity which was to highlightthat animalshad no choice in participating in the cruelties of war.
Thisled the charity toreplace the poppy with the purple paw badge in 2015.
The Purple Poppy Appeal has since been headed by the War Horse Memorial, with proceeds going to animal welfare charities such as Blue Cross and World Horse Welfare.
Related topics
- Remembrance
- History
- WWI
- WWII
- Forces Charities
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