The poppy legend originated in China. A white flower from which a potent drug was distilled was called The Flower of Forgetfulness. Ghengis Khan brought some of the seed westward, but after a battle the flower became red. In the centre of each was a cross. It was found that on many battlefields, when everything else had been laid waste, the landscape was soon ablaze with blood red-blooms.

On the Somme battlefield in 1916 (and again after the war was over), the land burst forth in a blaze of scarlet with patches of yellow charlock and white chamomile. Many graves of those buried near the front line were soon marked by the charlock due to the seeds being released when the grave was dug.

Lord MaCauley drew attention to the strange link of the poppy with the battle, and put forward the suggestion it should be regarded as the flower of sacrifice and memorial.