During the First World War, millions of soldiers saw the poppies in Flanders fields on the Western Front. Some even sent pressed poppies home in letters. Over 100 years later, the poppy is still a world-recognised symbol of remembrance of the First World War, and many of us choose to wear a red poppy in November. The poppy continues to capture our imaginations, reminding us to remember the human cost of war.

Through archival photographs, objects and artworks from IWM’s collections, this beautifully illustrated giftbook tells the poignant story of the remembrance poppy, from its origins on the battlefields of Flanders during the First World War to its enduring role as a symbol of remembrance today.