Thus the symbolism of the poppy as a physical commemoration of war dead actually predates the First World War. Similarly in Holland a common folk belief persists that children should avoid picking poppies as it is believed it will give them cancer.

In English folk tradition, the poppy has long symbolised sleep and death. Scarlet corn poppy growth is aided by massive disruption in soil and thus the devastation of the natural environment caused by the Napoleonic wars saw fields littered with corpses alongside bright red poppies. These same sources drew the first documented comparison between the blood-red colour of the poppies and the blood spilt during conflict. Although it is commonly assumed that the origin of the poppy as a symbol is derived from the devastation of the First World War, there are several anonymous documents written during the Napoleonic wars which noted that following battle, poppies became abundant on battlefields where soldiers had fallen. The first use of the poppy as a metaphor can be traced back to the Napoleonic wars of the early nineteenth century, rather than the First World War. The history of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance is not as clear cut as has been previously assumed. Since the appeal’s inception in 1921, the poppy has become an international symbol of remembrance for those who have given their lives defending their respective countries. The history of the poppy as a symbol of respect for the war dead is now almost one hundred years old. The poppy appeal raises money for those who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces and have subsequently been affected physically, mentally or economically by war. In the present day the ‘poppy appeal’, organised by The Royal British Legion, takes place in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Sunday, which occurs on the Sunday nearest to Armistice Day. Symon Hill, the campaigns manager at the PPU, said there had been an increase in membership of the organisation after the war in Ukraine broke out, with dozens of new members joining each week.The remembrance poppy has become the defining symbol of reverence for the millions of soldiers who lost their lives in conflict. Sheliazhenko said: “In my message, I am saying that it is important to remember all victims of wars, which are essentially mass murders organised by governments that failed to resolve their disagreements peacefully.” The event will hear recorded messages from the Russian Movement for Conscientious Objectors, the Russian section of War Resisters’ International, of which the PPU is part, and Yurii Sheliazhenko, the secretary of the Ukrainian pacifist movement. The latter will speak at Sunday’s National Alternative Remembrance ceremony in Tavistock Square, London. Promotional videos have been made by the poet Benjamin Zephaniah and the comedian Kate Smurthwaite. The actor Mark Rylance is among those wearing a white poppy this year after launching a campaign by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), which distributes the symbols, worn as remembrance for victims of war of all nationalities. However, O’Rourke believes there is less controversy this year around the wearing of particular types of poppies. Last year, Leicester University was criticised by some commentators for including white poppies in its Remembrance Day wreaths. We do seem to be getting closer and closer again today.”

“Personally, I have worn a red poppy with a white one for many years and I do think of the origins of it during the 1930s when the world was edging towards a major war. I feel this is about adding something to that campaign,” she said. “In no way is it meant to diminish or take away from the role or significance of red poppies. Paula O’Rourke, a Green party councillor and lord mayor of Bristol, told the Guardian that she would be laying a wreath of red poppies, to which white ones would be added, to remember the sacrifice of members of the armed forces and support efforts to strive for a more peaceful world. Russian and Ukrainian peace campaigners will address the Alternative Remembrance ceremony in London in recorded messages as events take place across the UK.

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