He Whakamaramatanga o nga Poppies

John McCrae was born November 30th, 1872 in Guelph, Canada. He is the son of Lieutenant Colonel David McCrae and Janet Simpson Eckford.

His brother, Thomas McCrae  became a professor of medicine at

John Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore.  His father as well as himself were all doctors of medicine.

On July 18, 1893, at the Royal Millitary College of Canada he trained to be a soldier for the army. Realizing how courageous he was they made him commander of the army.

When Britain wanted to make war on Germany at the start of World War 1 in Canada. John McCrae was selected as a surgeon in the Canadian military and he was in charge of a field hospital while they were in the second battle of Ypres in 1915.

John McCrae's friend also student, Alex Helmer was killed during the battle, after his death Mr McCrae buried him in the Flanders Field and also wrote a poem on the 3 May, 1915 about Flanders Fields.

Here is a very important poem about the poppies.

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.