On May 3, 1915, Canadian army surgeon penned In Flanders Fields.

50th Death Anniversary of John McCrae (1872-1918)
Canada Post issued October 15, 1968 
Designer: Imre von Mosdóssy

In Flanders Fields Poem by John McCrae
Issued by Canada Post May 3, 2015
on 100th anniversary of McCrae writing the poem
Designer: q30 design Inc.

The day before he wrote his famous poem, one of McCrae’s closest friends was killed in the fighting and buried in a makeshift grave with a simple wooden cross. Wild poppies were already beginning to bloom between the crosses marking the many graves. Unable to help his friend or any of the others who had died, John McCrae gave them a voice through his poem. It was the second last poem he was to write.
John McCrae – The Canadian Virtual War Memorial – Veterans Affairs Canada