In memory of our beloved veterans, we’ve created the necklace called “A Hero’s Place,” one of our newest ideas from the Learning Center. This respectful design was inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields as well as our heroes. Our designer created lovely poppy flowers and stamped a line from the poem to incorporate into the chain of the necklace, and ours features a family hero in the focal piece. Check it out and make your own today. Below is the story behind the poem.
In Flanders Fields is one of the most popular poems that embodies the emotions felt for those lost during war. The story behind the poem is just as emotionally charged as the words in each line. Some of the bloodiest battles during World War I occurred in northern France and southwest Belgium. This area was known as Flanders and Picadory. Major John McCrae, a Canadian doctor tending to wounded soldiers in this area, was the author. During his 17-day stint here, McCrae witnessed the horrors of war, and wished he could write down on paper everything he saw and felt. It was not until the death of a good friend did the inspiration come. Lt. Alexis Helmer of Ottawa, a good friend and former student of McCrae, was killed May 2, 1915, from a shell burst. McCrae performed the funeral ceremony. It was after this traumatic event, while sitting on the back of a parked ambulance, that he scribbled down the 15 lines of the poem to vent his emotions.
Many had observed that red poppies grew on the graves of dead soldiers in the fields of northern Europe. The poppy seeds will live underground for years and bloom once the ground is plowed. In the spring of 1915, red poppies flourished in the fields covering the newly-dug graves. This sight is the inspiration behind McCrae’s detailed imagery in the poem, which was later published by the London newspaper Punch on December 8, 1915.
We honor all of those who dedicated their lives to protecting our country with this necklace, and encourage all of our readers to find their own inspiration to commemorate our heroes.