The Poppy Appeal

Introduction Every year in the UK, around Armistice Day (or Remembrance Day) on the 11th November, we have a special way of commemorating the soldiers who have died in war: it is called the remembrance poppy, which is a small paper badge in the shape of a poppy. People buy and wear these badges in the weeks before Remembrance Day. The money raised from the sale of the poppies goes to the British Legion, which supports soldiers and their families.

Part 2: Origins of the Poppy Appeal The remembrance poppy was first used in America in 1921 to honour the huge number of soldiers who died in the First World War. Its design was inspired by the poem 'In Flanders Fields' by John McCrae, which says: In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row. Poppies grew naturally on the battlefields after the war, so they became a symbol of the soldiers' sacrifice.

Part 3: The Poppy Appeal today Today, the poppy is mainly used in the UK. Many people choose to wear one, and it can be seen on television worn by newsreaders and politicians. During Remembrance ceremonies, poppy wreaths are placed at cenotaphs and monuments.

Part 4: Poppies at the Tower of London, 2014 During November 2014, in order to commemorate the centenary of the First World War, 888,246 ceramic poppies were placed around the Tower of London as part of an art installation called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red. Each poppy represented one British soldier who had died in the First World War. The hundreds of thousands of poppies ressembled a sea of red, reminding us of the scale of the devastation in the First World War. Around 5 million people visited the Tower of London to see the poppies.

Wordbank

Armistice Day Le jour de l'Armistice Remembrance Day Poppy Le coquelicot Newsreader Le présentateur du journal Poppy wreath La couronne de coquelicots Cenotaph Le cénotaphe Centenary Le centenaire Ceramic Céramique Scale L'échelle