The commemorative poppy originated in a poem about fighting in Belgium, not the UK

11 November 2024

An article in the Independent today said: “During World War 1, parts of the UK’s countryside were destroyed amid bombing and fighting. But bright red poppies flourished in the muddy fields and inspired a poem by Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.”

The article goes on to say that this poem, In Flanders Fields, inspired the adoption of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance.

This is correct, according to the Royal British Legion, except of course the poem is not about fighting in the UK countryside, but in Flanders, which is part of Belgium. (Others made this point on social media.)

Although the UK was one of the belligerents, and thousands of people in the UK were killed or wounded in air raids, the first world war was primarily fought in other countries.

The Independent quickly corrected the article following contact from Full Fact.

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