Anzac feature: Knitted poppies for Te Kūiti

A poppy-knit organised as part of a New Zealand Motor Caravan Association rally in March has resulted in a variety of red and purple poppies being distributed for Anzac parades across the region.

Waikato chair of the NZMCA Michael Cullen and wife Chrissy presented some of the poppies to Te Kuiti RSA secretary and president Erika and Barry Batley last week.

About 1200 motor caravanners attended the rally, and Chrissy organised the poppy knit, Michael said.

“About 40 ladies knitted close to 150 poppies and we are distributing them to motor home friendly towns in my area. My area goes from Raglan in the west right across Te Aroha. We are looking at Raglan, Te Aroha, Morrinsville, Matamata, Cambridge and Te Kūiti.

“The ladies have since knitted more and there are about 25 poppies distributed to each, red ones and two or three purple ones as well.”

Purple poppies are in remembrance of the animals that served. Michael said he thought that meant horses, but on reading about it learned it included pigeons, and all sorts.

More than 16 million animals served in the First World War, including about 8000 horses from New Zealand.

Horses, donkeys, mules and camels carried food, water, ammunition and medical supplies, and dogs and pigeons carried messages.

The purple poppy also known as the “animal poppy” is a memorial tribute remembering the service and sacrifices of all animals, great and small, that subsequently lost their lives in service; as well as honouring and recognising animals within the armed forces who bravely serve and work the frontline today.

Animals cannot volunteer and have no choice in becoming involved in war when they serve alongside human military personnel. Like humans, animals living in war zones suffer from the effects of war – injury, stress, lack of food and water.

The white poppy pays tribute to those who died in conflict, but emphasises an ultimate commitment to achieving peace and challenging the way we look at war.

This one is the hallmark of the Peace Pledge Union.

The black poppy commemorates all those who have died, and are still dying, due to war and its legacy.

It remembers dead soldiers, dead civilians, dead conscientious objectors. It remembers those who have fallen victim to invasion, occupation, gender-based violence, starvation and poverty.

In New Zealand the Anzac poppies are worn on April 25, but in Australia and England they are more predominant on Remembrance Day November 11.

The poppies were introduced after 1921 when a group of widows of ex-French servicemen visited the former British commander in chief Earl Haig, and presented some of the poppies they had made suggesting they be sold to aid the distressed and incapacitated as a result of the war.

In Britain neither government nor society accepted responsibility for the former troops after the war. Haig had organised the British Legion as a means of coping with the problems of thousands of men who had served under him on the Somme.

The first red poppies in Australasia were made in France. The first NZ poppy day was held in 1922 because the ship bringing the poppies from France arrived too late for the 1921 appeal. They went on sale on April 24, with many centres selling out early in the day.

The red Flanders poppy was first described as flower of remembrance by Colonel John McCrae who was professor of medicine at McGill university of Canada before the war.

He wrote the now famous ‘On Flanders’ Fields’ while in charge of a first aid post at the at the second battle of Ypres in 2015.

He wrote in pencil on a page torn from his despatch book:

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.

This piece was one of a four-part Anzac feature, focusing on the next generation to serve and protect. Others in the feature include Zoe Ball recalling her time in the navy straight from school, Hannah Searancke's decision to leave university for the New Zealand Defence Force, and the benefits Joel Bradley got out of his time in the army.