Great War (1914-1918): The Society and Culture of the First World War discussion

This Sunday Col. William White USMC (Ret), a WWI tour guide, will be with his group at the Belleau Wood Cemetery to perform the annual Memorial service to honor Americans who died for freedom including those who died on the battlefield in WWI. In his group this year is General Carl Mundy USMC (Ret), the 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps. They will be departing France on Monday Memorial Day.

In Flanders Fields
John McCrae, 1915.

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.
John McCrae

Thank you for posting this poem. It is such a lovely, sad remembrance.

As a kid, I remember seeing older folks outside the grocery store-standing proudly, bedecked in uniform selling crepe/plastic poppies in remembrance. Never now do I see this. The symbolism of the red poppy is completely foreign to so many. And even to some, a nonsense.
I have a poppy on the rear-view mirror of my car. So vivid red when it catches the sun. It often stimulates interesting, educational and sentimental conversation when people ask after it.

This weekend I'll be traveling to my multi-generation family cemetary plot. I'll place flags and poppies, say a prayer and whisper a thanks. I remember.

blueemerald wrote: "Thank you for posting this poem. It is such a lovely, sad remembrance.

As a kid, I remember seeing older folks outside the grocery store-standing proudly, bedecked in uniform selling crepe/plasti..."

Good for you! Life is not always fair. The young youths and others who died in the Great War and other wars are testament to that.

In remembrance of our war dead (U.S.A.), here is a First World War memoir from a Medal of Honor winner that few may know about.

Scarlet Fields: The Combat Memoir of a World War I Medal of Honor Hero by John Lewis Barkley