Poppies Are Red, Cornflowers Are Blue

Synopsis

Mark Whitaker tells the stories behind the British and French flowers of remembrance, the poppy and the cornflower, recorded on location in Ypres, Verdun, London and Paris.

The adoption of the poppy in Britain is a particularly intriguing story, and one which has rarely been told in full. Through these contrasting symbols, and assisted by historians of the Great War, Whitaker gives an insight into the two countries' different approaches to remembrance.

Broadcast

1. Sun 8 Nov 2009
   11:45
   BBC Radio 4