The red poppy was created as the symbol of remembrance in November 1918 by Moina Belle Michael, a woman from Georgia working in New York. Inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields, she bought a bale of red silk and made poppies as a symbol to commemorate all who died in the first world war. Anna Guérin in France encouraged war widows to sew poppies and sell them to raise money for orphans. Haig copied and spread this idea in Britain in 1921.
These two creative women have been airbrushed from our remembrance. Is the Royal British Legion (Poppy sellers in revolt over Legion plans, 16 August) continuing this arrogant habit of pushing women aside? We need a wider awareness of how all can, and do, contribute.
Sylvia Usher
Hull
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