The Poppy has been used as a symbol of respect for the servicemen and women that lost their lives during the war for over a century.
The red poppy is instantly recognisable as the emblem for Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
As the inspiration behind John McCrae's moving poem 'In Flanders Fields,' the flower became synonymous with remembering those who lost their lives in the Great War.
Why we wear poppies on Remembrance Day
From 1921, Artificial poppies started to be sold as a means of raising money for the Earl Haig Fund which supported ex-servicemen and families of those who did not come home.
The following year, the British Legion opened a factory staffed by disabled ex-servicemen which continues its important work to this day.
For more information, visit the Imperial War Museum website.
The symbol has only grown, with other charities adopting the flower in different colours to convey distinct meanings.
Black poppy meaning on Remembrance Day
We remember the impacts made from the past. We are very reflective of our presence and are preserving Our Ancestors legacies who fought, contributed, and sacrificed over generations.
— BlackPoppyRose (@Blackpoppyrose) November 5, 2023
Who do you remember?https://t.co/JkZVR0VbxZ pic.twitter.com/kRocIuH7XH
The Black poppy is a fairly recent addition, having only been launched in 2010.
Selena Carty set it up and it is worn to remember the African, Black Peoples, West Indian, Caribbean, Pacific Islands & Indigenous communities' contributions in the great wars.
The Black Poppy Rose organisation, who recently redesigned the poppies, shared the meaning behind their new logo on their website.
The organisation wrote: " A poppy − being a symbol of those that have sacrificed their lives in wars, past and present − is black as it represents the sacrifice of Africans and People of the African Diaspora, in said wars. Poppies also generally have between four and six petals.
"The central poppy has four petals, representing the four corners of the world from which we have come, and the four corners of the world in which we have fought".
Purple poppy meaning on Remembrance Day
Purple poppies were introduced back in 2006 by the charity Animal Aid as a way of remembering the animals that lost their lives at war.
The charity started the appeal because it felt the animals that die at war – which tend to mostly be horses and dogs – are often forgotten.
Recommended reading
Remembrance Day: Why we wear poppies and when to start wearing them
Why do we mark Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday?
White poppy meaning on Remembrance Day
Last chance to order #WhitePoppies- only a few more days to get yours before #RemembranceDay!
— Peace Pledge Union (@PPUtoday) November 5, 2023
All UK orders 6-10 Nov will go first class
-Remember all victims of war
-Challenge militarism
-Stand up for peacehttps://t.co/Dm6VDPFqWH#WhitePoppy #RememberThemAll #Remembrance
White poppies serve as a pacifist symbol of remembrance of the war.
According to the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), the body which distributes them today, white poppies represent three things: remembrance for all victims of war, commitment to peace and a challenge to the glamorisation of conflict.
It intends to commemorate all victims of all wars – both military and civilians of all nationalities.
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