Symbols of remembrance

Since then, the red poppy has been complemented by poppies of different colours. The white poppy was first sold by the Peace Pledge Union in 1934. Black poppies have been adopted by many non-white servicemen. The purple poppy symbolises the lives of animals lost in war.

Although the intention was to avoid religious imagery, this was not always the case. Tyne Cot cemetery in Flanders was designed to appear as a 'well-ordered English churchyard'. This would have
been comfortingly familiar to many contemporary servicemen. In 1969 the satirical film Oh! What a Lovely War closed with an aerial shot of white crosses - ironical rather than sentimental.

The flowers left thick at nightfall in the wood

This Eastertide call into mind the men

Now far from home."
In Memoriam, Easter 1915 by Edward Thomas

Some local memorials also included symbols relating to victory in war. Harefield's village memorial includes a laurel wreath. The memorial at Uxbridge burial ground is topped by a winged Victory figure.

Lest we forget