John Mccrae Research Paper

John McCrae: A Canadian Poet
“In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place, and in the sky, The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard among the guns below.”(McCrae, 1). John McCrae was born in Guelph, Ontario Canada. He was the second son of Scottish immigrants, David McCrae and Janet Simpson Eckford McCrae. His father was a woollen manufacturer. He began to write in Guelph College Institute. John was always a remarkable natural attraction for people and animals. When he was fourteen he joined the Highfield Cadet Corps. “When he was sixteen, he graduated from the Guelph Collegiate Institute and won a scholarship to the University of Toronto, where he studied for three years. He was forced to take a year off due to severe asthma, a chronic illness he would struggle with for the rest of his life.”(John McCrae ,1)
John McCrae put his schooling on pause to fight in the Second Boer War in South
Africa. While serving he was shocked by the poor treatment of the sick and injured soldiers. He later graduated from Medical School in Toronto in 1898. He later studied Pathology at McGill University in Montreal. He became an associate of medicine at Royal Victoria Hospital in 1904 while serving as Resident House officer at Toronto General Hospital. McCrae later built a busy private practice, taught at McGill University and was appointed professor of Pathology at University of Vermont. He was never married and never had children due to the fact that he was always at war or practicing his craft. “ As the chief medical officer at a hospital in Boulogne, France, in World War I, he saw the suffering and death, he wrote about.”(McCrae, John 1)” He served in the Boer War in South Africa as an artillery subaltern in the Canadian Contingent from 1899 to 1900, was promoted to the rank of major in 1904, and reenlisted in the First Canadian Contingent soon after the start of World War I.” (John McCrae, 1)
McCrae’s most famous talent was writing beautiful poetry, but he also worked as a physician and served in WWI.
People may not find McCrae very significant, but he made a huge impact not only in the poetry world, but also in his everyday actions. One of his most significant poems was, In Flanders Fields. “Today, McCrae’s poem continues to be an important part of Remembrance Day celebrations in Canada and Europe, as well as Memorial Day and Veterans Day celebrations in the United States” (McCrae). The poem has become a key piece for the holidays we celebrate to remember our soldiers. McCrae graduated from the University of Toronto in 1898 with a bachelor’s degree in medicine. (McCrae) McCrae focused on medicine for most of his life poetry was more or less a hobby until his later years. “As a physician, he worked at Toronto General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, McGill University, the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Montreal General Hospital, and the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal.” (John McCrae
1)
“It caught the mood of a British public horrified by stories of atrocities, the German use of poison gas, the Zeppelin raids, and the German torpedoing of the unarmed passenger liner Lusitania.” (Hutchcroft). Flanders Fields was the most popular poem of the first world war. It is still the most popular war memorial poem today. It was the inspiration for adopting the poppy as Canada’s official flower of remembrance it was also adopted by the United States, France, Britain, Austria, and New Zealand as well as others. He also contributed verses to Canadian periodicals before World War I. “McCrae tended those injured in the battle. The poem, written after the death of a close friend” (John McCrae, 1)
John McCrae was a hard working man with a good heart.”McCrae was very fond of animals and often wrote home to his niece and nephew as if the letters were from Bonfire and signed with Bonfire’s hoofprint.” (John mcCrae 1) He impacted the world with his famous poem In Flanders Fields. He was a talented physician in the first world war and served during the “seventeen days of Hades” (When the German army was using poisonous gas for warfare). He studied medicine for many years and was a professor of Pathology. He is a great example of conviction, hard work, and a common person can be a hero. “Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.” (Mccrae, 3).