The story behind the remembrance poppy11/6/2022 Scarlet corn poppy growth is aided by massive disruption in soil and thus the devastation of the natural environment caused by the Napoleonic wars saw fields littered with corpses alongside bright red poppies. These same sources drew the first documented comparison between the blood-red colour of the poppies and the blood spilt during conflict. Although it is commonly assumed that the origin of the poppy as a symbol is derived from the devastation of the First World War, there are several anonymous documents written during the Napoleonic wars which noted that following battle, poppies became abundant on battlefields where soldiers had fallen. The first use of the poppy as a metaphor can be traced back to the Napoleonic wars of the early nineteenth century, rather than the First World War. The history of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance is not as clear cut as has been previously assumed. Since the appeal’s inception in 1921, the poppy has become an international symbol of remembrance for those who have given their lives defending their respective countries. The history of the poppy as a symbol of respect for the war dead is now almost one hundred years old. The poppy appeal raises money for those who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces and have subsequently been affected physically, mentally or economically by war. In the present day the ‘poppy appeal’, organised by The Royal British Legion, takes place in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Sunday, which occurs on the Sunday nearest to Armistice Day. The remembrance poppy has become the defining symbol of reverence for the millions of soldiers who lost their lives in conflict.
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