MEMORIAL EMBLEM

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 2, 27 September 1921, Page 6

MEMORIAL EMBLEM

THE RED POPPY OF FLANDERS ADOPTED BY N.Z.R.B.A. EXECUTIVE The Dominion Executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. has adopted the red poppy as the memorial flower of the Allied dead. A day-probably Armistice Dl& or Anzac Day-will later be appointed for the wearing of the emblem. In adopting the emblem the has acted upon a request placed before it by Colonel A. S. Moffat (Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur), representing tiie French Children’s League. - Colonel Moffat recently wrote to the association as follows :-"Shortly after the armistice was declared, the French Children’s League was started in Franc for the amelioration of conditions among the children of th? devastated regions. During this last year the French committee agreed to adopt the poppy o Flanders as its emblem, and an invitation has been extended to the world war veterans in the Allied countries to adopt the poppv as the memorial flower of all Allied soldiers who particinated in the war. Already the returned soldiers / England, the United States and Canada 'have adopted" resolutions at their nation•al conventions accepting as their national emblem the poppy of Flanders field, known throughout-the world in connection with tlm war. It was immortalised in Colonel M'Rae’s great war poem—"ln Flanders fields the poppies grow , Beneath the crosses, tow on row—” "My mission to New Zealand and Australia at this time js to extend a cordial invitation to the Returned Soldiers’ Association to join in wearing the poppy on November 11 this year. "In order to supply an exact replica of the Flanders poppy the committee has had a large quantity of these made by the, war widows and orphans of devastated France. The emblems' have been shipped from Paris to the various countries participating, each Government having remitted the duty on ,the poppies and the steamship companies and railroads, whether under Government or privqte control, having granted free transportation. It is planned to place ■those poppies on sale at a nominal pric>3 i’n '.all 'local associations throughout the country, in advance of Armistice Day. The net proceeds, after the expenses ’Of yie campaign Ijave to°n deducted, may be- divided between the work of Ithe French Children’s League and the relief of wounded soldiers in New Zealand or any other relief which thy association may choose.” y The U.S.A, executive - has set up a snb-committee to consider the details of the scheme.