A small piece of Guelph in Ypres, Belgium

Ypres 2016 – Poppy Cenotaph, Ypres, Belgium

In September 2016, blacksmiths from all over the world gathered in Ypres, Belgium to forge a large First World War Poppy Cenotaph. Located in front of the In Flanders Fields Museum, the monument features the evocative image of a single Flanders poppy surrounded by a field of 2016 hand forged steel poppies.

Designer of the cenotaph, Terrence Clark, and his daughter Rebecca Knott, from the UK hosted a poppy forging event at McCrae House last May. Children tried their hand at forging steel poppies for a rare and unique opportunity to participate in the creation of a permanent sculpture that honours everyone involved in the conflict, both military and civilian on all sides – all those who died, all those wounded, all those displaced – and of equal importance, their families and communities. Three of the poppies from Poppy Day at McCrae House were included in the children’s wreath which was laid at the Menin Gate during the last post ceremony on September 5th.

Thank you to Linda Kearns for sharing photos of the completed First World War Poppy Cenotaph in Ypres, Belgium.

For more details about the Ypres Cenotaph, visit: https://goo.gl/9gbT4f

Posted by Dawn Owen on November 9, 2016