The Poppy has been used as a symbol of respect for the servicemen and women that lost their lives during the war for over a century. 

The red poppy is instantly recognisable as the emblem for Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday commemorations.

As the inspiration behind John McCrae's moving poem In Flanders Fields, the flower became synonymous with remembering those who lost their lives in the Great War.

Why we wear poppies on Remembrance Day

The Northern Echo: Why we wear poppies for Remembrance Day (David Jones/PA)Why we wear poppies for Remembrance Day (David Jones/PA) (Image: David Jones/PA)

From 1921, Artificial poppies started to be sold as a means of raising money for the Earl Haig Fund which supported ex-servicemen and families of those who did not come home. 

The following year, the British Legion opened a factory staffed by disabled ex-servicemen which continues its important work to this day. 

For more information, visit the Imperial War Museum website.

The symbol has only grown, with other charities adopting the flower in different colours to convey distinct meanings.

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Black poppy meaning on Remembrance Day

The Black poppy is a fairly recent addition, having only been launched in 2010.

Selena Carty set it up and it is worn to remember black, African, Caribbean and Pacific Islanders who lost their lives at war.

The Black Poppy Rose organisation, which sells the poppies, says on its website that it is a "symbol that signifies pride, honour and glory, with the hope that future generations will be inspired by these largely untold historical legacies".

Purple poppy meaning on Remembrance Day

Purple poppies were introduced back in 2006 by the charity Animal Aid as a way of remembering the animals that lost their lives at war.

The charity started the appeal because it felt the animals that die at war – which tend to mostly be horses and dogs – are often forgotten.

White poppy meaning on Remembrance Day

White poppies serve as a pacifist symbol of remembrance of the war.

According to the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), the body which distributes them today, white poppies represent three things: remembrance for all victims of war, commitment to peace and a challenge to the glamorisation of conflict.

It intends to commemorate all victims of all wars – both military and civilians of all nationalities.