This story backgrounds the beginnings of Poppy Day and acknowledges those volunteers seen out and about in our communities selling red poppies to help raise funds for the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RNZRSA / RSA). The RSA is a voluntary welfare organisation which was first formed in 1916 by returning Anzacs from World War I. 

Poppy Day began on 24 April 1922 - the day before Anzac Day - as an emblem to commemorate those who gave their lives, and to raise funds to assist widows and orphans in northern France and NZ veterans and their families. Nowadays, selling red poppies by volunteers is the RSA's primary means of raising funds for the welfare of returned service personnel and their whānau, including those who served more recently. "The first poppy appeal in 1922 netted 13,166 pounds – poppies were sold for one shilling each. Today's poppies are sold for a gold coin donation and we average close to a million poppies sold each year."  (Source: RSA: Poppy Day ) 

1. Poppy Day FIRST held 1922

The first Poppy Appeal was held by the RSA on 24 April 1922. The selling of poppies has taken place each year, usually on the Friday before Anzac Day (25 April). The exceptions were during 2020 and 2021 when street appeals were postponed due to the impact of COVID-19, and online donations were organised. 

2. BEGINNINGS OF POPPY DAY IN NZ

POEM "IN FLANDERS FIELDS", 1915:

In May 1915, Canadian John McCrae had written the poem "In Flanders Fields" after a friend was killed in battle when both were fighting in the Flanders Fields at Belgium. The poem was later published in the London magazine Punch on 8 December 1915 and republished by other country's newspapers, including in New Zealand. The opening line “In Flanders fields the poppies blow” inspired the use of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance. (McCrae also use the word “grow” instead of "blow" in other handwritten and printed versions.)

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French Government used poppy as emblem, 1918

In 1918, the French Government created ‘La Ligue des enfants de France et d’Amérique’, with the poppy as its emblem. Artificial paper poppies were made in exchange for donations to support orphans in France. The French Government arranged for Madame Anna Guérin (1878-1961), who had been lecturing in the United States during World War I, to set up the American branch – the ‘American-Franco Children’s League’ (also known as ‘American Star’).  In 1918, Madame Guerin began holding Poppy Drives in the United States – distributing artificial paper poppies, in exchange for donations - to support orphans in France. The poppy sellers wore sashes bearing “In Flanders Fields the poppies grow”  from the opening line of McCrae's  poem.    

Source:  Madame Guérin: Who put the poppy on your lapel? Madame Anna A. Guérin did. 

CONCEPT OF 'INTER-ALLIED POPPY DAY', 1920:

In September 1920, Madame Guérin gave an address about ‘Inter-Allied Poppy Day’ at the American Legion Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, following an invite by the American Legion National Commander, Colonel Frederick W. Galbraith Jr. She promoted World War I Allied countries using artificial poppies, made by French widows and orphans, both as an emblem for remembering those who gave their lives and as a fund-raiser to support the surviving families. 

Also at the Convention was American Moina Michael (1869 - 1944) who had applied for an US  patent which was granted on 11 March 1919 for her ‘Victory Emblem’ badge design which depicted a Torch of Liberty and a Flanders Poppy.  After reading John McCrae's poem  in a copy of the Ladies Home Journal,  Michael was inspired to write a poem "We Shall Keep the Faith"  on 9 November 1918. Afterwards, Michael vowed to always wear a red poppy as a symbol of remembrance for those who served in WWI and designed the emblem badge.  The Ironwood Daily Globe (30 May 1944) reported:  “At the inspiration of Miss Michael, the poppy was adopted as the official memorial flower by the Georgia department of The American Legion in August 1920. Georgia delegates were instructed to present a resolution to the Legion’s national convention in Cleveland that fall to make the flower the official memorial flower of the national organization.”  However, at its national convention in November 1921,  the American Legion chose the daisy over the poppy and later adopted the poppy in October 1922. 

The concept of 'Poppy Day' was also spread by Madame Guérin to England, Canada, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand.  

Source:  Madame Guérin: Who put the poppy on your lapel? Madame Anna A. Guérin did. 

NZRSA adopts Guérin's Poppy Day idea, 26 Sept 1921:

On 27 August 1921, Madame  Guérin's representative Colonel Samuel Moffat arrived in New Zealand to promote the concept of selling poppies to both commemorate the fallen and to raise funds to assist living veterans. He met with the Standing Sub-Committee of the Dominion Executive of the Returned Services’ Association in Wellington who asked him to submit a detailed memorandum. Moffat was invited to return to the RSA's next meeting on 26 September, after he had visited Australia to promote 'Poppy Day'.  On 26 September 1921, the Dominion Executive passed a resolution to adopt the red poppy and Anna Guérin's 'Poppy Day' idea. 

 Source: Madame Guérin: Who put the poppy on your lapel? Madame Anna A. Guérin did.

3. Why NZ has Poppy Day before ANZAC Day

On 6 October 1921, the President of the British League, Earl Haig, announced that he wished Armistice Day on 11 November to be known as Remembrance Day and that it would be a ‘Poppy Day’. The RSA ordered 360,000 poppies from Madame Guerin’s French Children’s League to sell in New Zealand for Armistice Day but the ship S.S. Westmoreland arrived too late. To recover their costs, the RSA sold the poppies on the next available commemoration date which was Dardanelles Day, commemorated as Anzac Day in NZ and Australia.  

4. Organising volunteers to sell poppies, 1922

The call went out for volunteers to assist with the selling of poppies. In Welllington, the Evening Post reported (19 April 1922): 

 "The Mayoress (Mrs. Wright) is asking all ladies interested in the sale of poppies to meet her in her room at the Town Hall to-morrow (Thursday) at 3 p.m. All women's organisations are asked to co-operate by sending representatives to the meeting. As there are 24,000 poppies to be disposed of in Wellington alone, a big army of workers is necessary, and as the cause is a very worthy one it is anticipated that a ready response will be made to Mrs. Wright's request." 

First poppy day a success:

The first Poppy Day in New Zealand on 24 April 1922 was a success.

The Evening Post's' headline (26 April 1922) exclaimed about the sales in Wellington:

EXCELLENT RESULTS

The war-workers of Wellington, who were in the main responsible for the staffing of the street stalls on Poppy Day (with some welcome additional help) were able to rejoice from beginning to end of the day. Beautiful weather prevailed, and an absolute enthusiasm in the purchase of the dainty, well-made poppies which have been forwarded from France, being the work of widows and orphans. Many pleasant episodes there were, and not one disagreeable incident to mar the pleasure and success of the day. It was a fitting preliminary to Anzac Day, when thousands of poppies were worn, and the amount received by the hon. treasurer, Mrs. Underwood (up till last evening), having been announced as £1203 0s 41/2d, must well reward all concerned for their hard work. There are still some sums to come in."

Throughout New Zealand, there were 245,059 small poppies sold for 1 shilling each and 15,157 larger versions for two shillings each, of  which twelve poppies were used to make a wreath. Of the £13,166 raised, £3,695 was sent to the French Children's League in northern France to assist the widows and orphans who had helped make the poppies. The remainder was used by the RSA to assist unemployed returned soldiers in need, and their families, during the winter of 1922.  A grateful letter of thanks was received by the NZRSA Executive from Madame Guérin.

5. Ongoing support from volunteers for Poppy Day

6. Behind the scenes: Making the poppies

Originally, the poppies were made in France by the French Children's League and shipped to NZ until 1927.  The RSA then obtained poppies from the British Legion. The Legion had begun making Remembrance Poppies designed with two petals and a leaf at the Poppy Factory which opened in Richmond, Surrey in 1922. The Legion also opened Lady Haig's Poppy Factory in Edinburgh in 1926 to serve Scotland - the poppies were designed with four petals and no leaf.   

Since 1931, the RSA began producing its own poppies which were initially made by disabled veterans at the Auckland and Christchurch RSA, and then manufactured by the Christchurch RSA at Kilmarnock Enterprises.  By the end of the 1930s, the Christchurch RSA was also making an oversized poppy for motor vehicles. 

During 2011-2014, supplies were sourced both locally and from overseas with cheaper Chinese poppies also being imported in 2012.  

From June 2014, the contract for the manufacture and distribution of poppies was given to the Christchurch RSA.  All the poppies are made at a factory in Belfast in the  northern outskirts of Christchurch on a machine designed by the University of Canterbury. It is staffed by volunteers and can produce 2000 to 2500 poppies each day.  See video (1.31 min) in an article by Steven Walton on Stuff.co.nz:  RSA hopes to raise awareness of younger veterans on Poppy Appeal's 100th anniversary, 29 March 2022. 

7.  Wearing and displaying the red poppy

The red poppy can be seen at Anzac commemorative events, military funerals, and war graves and cemeteries in NZ and around the world.

 8. the Purple Poppy in remembrance of animals that        served

In recent times, amongst those wearing red poppies on Anzac Day, the purple poppy may also be seen or included in displays of poppies. The purple poppy is regarded as a symbol of remembrance of the animals who served during wartime. The symbolism of the purple poppy was initiated in Australia in 2003 by Nigel Allsopp, President of the Australian War Animal Memorial Organization (AWAMO). "He championed support to wear it alongside the traditional Red poppy honoring service men and women, as a reminder that both humans and animals have made and continue to make, sacrifices as they serve in the name of freedom. In 2017, with the support from the Australian Federal Parliament, February 24 was established as Service Animals Day. The Purple Poppy® Initiative soon spread internationally to Great Britain, Canada, France, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United States, all of which now recognize February 24th and the Purple Poppy, honoring service animals and celebrating the human-animal bond." (Source: National Service Animals Memorial: The Purple Poppy®)

In 2018, New Zealand introduced "Purple Poppy Day" when the War Animal Memorial was unveiled by the National Army Museum at Waiouru on 24 February. The memorial had been gifted by the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation and American sculptor Susan Bahary. Thereafter, the National Army Museum has promoted 24 February as War Animal Memorial Day, which is also known as "Purple Poppy Day". (See: National Service Animals Memorial: The Purple Poppy®) 

Purple poppies have been knitted and crocheted locally for "Purple Poppy Day" and for Anzac Day. See articles:

• Paula Hulburt (26 April 2018), "Purple poppy plan a purl-er", Stuff

• Alexander Roberston (25 April 2018), "Local Focus: Raining purple poppies for the animals of war", The New Zealand Herald. 

• The Sterling Kaiapoi: ANZAC Blanket Two Years in the Making Brings Residents Together (2025)

9.  VIRTUAL POPPY & IMPACT OF COVID

From 2009 - 2012, the RSA introduced a virtual poppy website where people could purchase and post a poppy in a virtual field of remembrance. Currently, you can also lay virtual red and purple poppies online on Auckland Museum's Online Cenotaph to commemorate New Zealanders and animals who served their country.  

Due to COVID-19 restrictions during 2020 and 2021, street-selling was postponed and online donations were organised. In 2021, those who donated to the RSA's Givealittle webpage received a virtual poppy which could be shared on social media. 

10. 100th anniversary of NZ Poppy Day: 2022 onwards

Street appeals resumed during 2022 on 22 April, which also marked the 100th anniversary of NZ Poppy Day.  (See: Stuff.co.nz: Steven Walton, RSA hopes to raise awareness of younger veterans on Poppy Appeal's 100th anniversary, 29 March 2022) 

FIND OUT MORE:

• Auckland Museum: History of Poppy Day: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/anzac-day-2020/history-of-poppy-day

• Madame Guérin: Who put the poppy on your lapel? Madame Anna A. Guérin did. 

• National Army Museum: Purple Poppy Day

• NZ Defence Force: Anzac Day: https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/programmes-and-resources/anzac-day/

• NZHistory: Anzac Day - The red poppy: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/anzac-day/poppies

• NZHistory: RSA Women's sections: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/women-together/rsa-womens-sections

• Price, Anna (26 June 2014), 'Anzac poppy contract returns 'home''', The Press

• Royal British Legion: The Poppy

• RSA: Poppy Day

• TVNZ ONE News: Anzac poppy returns home to Christchurch: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/anzac-poppy-returns-home-to-christchurch-6012604

This DigitalNZ story was updated in April 2025