War Diaries Talk

Video of World War One Poem spelt out in Poppies across England, Wales and France.

  • marie.eklidvirginmedia.com by marie.eklidvirginmedia.com

    For the Video - In the link Go to Drone captures WW1 Poem written in poppies across locations in England, Wales and France.

    Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I, and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium. Born: 30 November 1872, Guelph, Canada. Died: 28 January 1918, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France Buried: Wimereux Cemetery, Wimereux.

    In Flanders fields the poppies blow
    Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place: and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
    Scarce heard amid the guns below.

    “We are the Dead. Short days ago
    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
    In Flanders fields.

    Take up our quarrel with the foe:
    To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch: be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
    We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
    In Flanders fields”.

    Before he died McCrae was aware of the success of his poem. It had become the most popular poem of World War 1, being translated into many languages. In 1917 in Canada it was used in advertising for Victory Loan Bonds, the aim being to raise $150,000,000 the result was a staggering $400,000,000.

    Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-41759999/world-war-one-poem-spelt-out-in-poppies

    PS It's been done by the Royal British Legion to launch this year's Poppy Appeal to help veterans of the armed forces. Another excellent project by them!

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  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    Thanks for posting that, Marie.

    Is that a memorial to the war that I saw in one shot? Staffordshire, I think it was.

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  • marie.eklidvirginmedia.com by marie.eklidvirginmedia.com

    Cynthia yes it is. The War memorial in Staffordshire is The National Memorial Arboretum. It is a national site of remembrance at Alrewas, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, United Kingdom

    Some of the other features of the National Memorial Arboretum are described - many photos. See Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Memorial_Arboretum

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