Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae

The bugles have just sounded and while we waited in silence I thought about those who died and among them was this man.


'In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row'

This is how the famous poem by Canadian medical officer Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae begins. There is some dispute as to the ending of the first line since McCrae wrote two versions, one with the line ending in 'blow' the other in 'grow'. As the first published version - in Punch of December 8, 1915 - used 'blow' I've used that version. You can read the full text here.

John McCrae was a doctor and poet who joined up on the outbreak of war in 1914. He was at the battle of Ypres in 1915 where he wrote his famous poem. He died from pneumonia in France in January 1918.

You can read more about the life of John McCrae here.