Mahdis Habibinia | Executive Editor (Online)
Featured image courtesy of Pixabay
Today, November 11, marks the 101st Remembrance Day — marked as the day that ended World War I in 1918. This honourable, fall month also marks the commencement of poppies pinned to everybody’s autumn jackets. The idea behind these pins is a mark of respect for those who died or suffered during the war. Millions of people have fallen, either fighting the front lines, being a casualty, or contributing in other services to the war effort.
As tradition dictates, the red poppy is customary to be worn, the symbol representing the flowers grown and talked about both literally and rhetorically in In Flanders Fields. The red flower, which covers the former battlefields and surrounding graves of soldiers in Flanders, honours and commemorates the fallen British armed forces of WWI. The pin itself is distributed by the Royal British Legion, and its original message was to emphasize “never again” to war. But, for about a century now, the blood-red blossom has been the primary symbol for honouring war veterans on Remembrance Day, and beyond.
A couple years ago, a growing controversy was birthed with the surfacing of a new pin: the white poppy. Distributed by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), a pacifist organization, the white poppy advocates a broader conversation about war. Where the red poppy initially commemorates British armed forces and services from WWI, the white poppy is intended to: remember all victims of all wars; emphasize that peace is a better route towards social change than war; encompass the environmental devastation wars can cause; commit to peace, and challenge any attempts in glamorizing war.
The Royal British Legion does not have an official opinion on the white poppy. They stated: “It is a matter of choice, the Legion doesn’t have a problem whether you wear a red one or a white one, both or none at all.”
Although the white poppy was actually conceived 85 years ago by the Co-Operative Women’s Guild, a national organization giving voice to women in cooperatives, its importance only now seems to resurface in an era of political correctness and the inclusion of all individuals.
The Royal British Legion does not have an official opinion on the white poppy. They stated: “It is a matter of choice, the Legion doesn’t have a problem whether you wear a red one or a white one, both or none at all.”
But the Royal British Legion further stated: “We do ask that the items are not offered alongside each other, however, as this would confuse the public.”
Further irony lies in the unfortunate reality that the Royal Canadian Legion did not hand out white poppies last year, either. The organization represents 275,000 veterans and solely oversees the distribution of red poppies in Canada, describing it as an “all-encompassing remembrance symbol.”
However, if that is the case, how do we explain the emergence of the white poppy — or purple, or even black?
The purple poppy, launched in 2016 by Murphy’s Army Purple Poppy Campaign, is donned to commemorate the fallen animals that contributed to the war effort, and even ones who nobly serve today. These animals include, but are not limited to: horses (primarily), dogs, and pigeons. Those who don this poppy equate the animals’ war efforts to that of human services.
The purple poppy is donned to commemorate the fallen animals that contributed to the war effort, and even ones who nobly serve today.
Although National Purple Poppy Day falls on August 23, expedited by Kobi-Jean Cole who launched the Purple Poppy Appeal this year, many individuals still wear the violet-coloured flower three months later.
Similar to how donations for the red poppy to the Royal Canadian Legion go towards financial assistance and support to veterans, the donations sent to the Purple Poppy Appeal go towards charities such as World Horse Welfare and the animal charity Blue Cross.
As well, donations to Murphy’s Army Purple Poppy Campaign for 2019 go toward the following beneficiaries: Murphy’s Army, Smokey Paws, Household Cavalry Foundation Retired Horses Section, and The Horse Trust.
Their aim is to provide financial support for the following services: retirement and respite for horses in the police or military; reuniting owners with their missing pets; pet theft awareness; pet safety, welfare and care; resuscitation equipment such as oxygen masks for animals on the scene of a house fire.
Essentially, the donations aim to ensure that animals are given the best possible chance of survival and care, in turn, saving as many lives as possible.
The black poppy, on the other hand, is commonly donned to commemorate the services of African/Black/West Indian/Pacific Island communities to the war effort. This, however, also includes both servicemen/women and civilians.
The campaign, titled “BlackPoppyRose,” which was launched in 2010 stated that the support for the black poppy highlights these communities’ contribution and solidifies their place in remembrance.
“Whilst we do not wish to focus on negative aspects of history, we feel that it is important that our ancestors are recognised for their dues, of which many lost their lives in the process,” reads the BlackPoppyRose website.
The khadi poppy is donned by individuals to commemorate and pay tribute to the service of people from South Asia during World War I. Considering the subcontinent suffered greatly during the conflict, South Asians were an integral part of commemoration.
The campaign highlights how their communities have tirelessly contributed to civilization “even in the face of adversity and in spite of mankind’s most abhorrent treatment and atrocities against us.”
The BlackPoppyRose continues: “Throughout history, many of our generations have been displaced; our memories, our pain and our loss are universal.”
Then last year for the centenarian of Remembrance Day, Conservative Party donor Lord Jitesh Gadhia launched the khadi poppy.
This poppy is similar in design to the original red poppy, except the former is constructed of a paper material, and was created from khadi — a traditional hand-woven cloth from India which bears similarities to Mahatma Gandhi’s clothing.
The khadi poppy is donned by individuals to commemorate and pay tribute to the service of people from South Asia during World War I. Considering the subcontinent suffered greatly during the conflict, South Asians were an integral part of commemoration.
“Muslim, Sikh and Hindu men volunteered in the Indian Expeditionary Force, which was the largest of the British Empire’s Armed Forces besides the British Army itself,” stated Major Naveed Muhammad in The Independent. “Indian troops were awarded over 13,000 medals for their brave service. Among them was Khudadad Khan, who was the first Indian and Muslim recipient of the Victoria Cross in 1914.”
The khadi poppy was seen being worn by a number of high-profile politicians, such as former British Prime Minister Theresa May, and athletes, such as cricket players Virat Kohli and Joe Root.
Despite this, however, the khadi poppy does not appear to have been issued by the Royal British Legion for this year’s Remembrance Day. A decision adding to many people’s aforementioned chagrin when the Royal Canadian Legion did not hand out white poppies last year.
With new poppy campaigns launching yearly, it begs the question: are there others we have lapsed when we utter the words “lest we forget”?
