One of the most poignant poems to come out of the First World War is "In Flanders Fields".
It was written by Colonel John McCrae, a Doctor in the British Medical Corps in WW1, who died while on active service in May 1918.
On the eve of his death he allegedly said to his doctor,
"Tell them this: if ye break the faith with us who die, we shall not sleep."
His volume of poetry, In Flanders' Fields & Other Poems, was published in 1919.
In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae
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.
PREMONT, FRANCE. C. 1918-11. A DISABLED BRITISH WHIPPET TANK (TANK MEDIUM A) NEAR THE AIRFIELD USED BY NO. 3 SQUADRON AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS (AFC).
NOTE NEARBY THE GRAVE OF ITS CREW MARKED WITH A WHITE WOODEN CROSS.
[AWM P00394.025]