WWI Tidbit - Remembering

Poppies have long symbolized those who fell on the battlefields of France during WWI - largely because of the poem "In Flanders Fields" written by John McCrae in May 1915 about the Great War.

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.

source

This year - and this summer, in particular - marks the 100th-anniversary of the start of WWI, with these key dates:

June 28, 1914 - Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated by a Serbian

July 28, 1914 - Austria declares war on Serbia

August 1, 1914 - Germany declares war on Russia, Serbia's ally

August 3, 1914 - Germany declares war on France, Russia's ally

August 4, 1914 - Great Britain declares war on Germany in response to Germany invading Belgium

Having studied much about this war and the time period, I'm thrilled to have my Of Love and War series release during this anniversary year - taking readers from the home front, to a war hospital near the front lines, to England in 1920 as the world struggles to recover from the effects of the Great War. 

And speaking of release - HOPE AT DAWN comes out in two weeks!