In April 1915, Lt. Col. John McCrae, M. D., of the Canadian Army saw that clumps of wild red poppies had grown among the white crosses on the graves of those killed in the second battle of Ypres, Belgium. The sight inspired him to write the poem "In Flanders Field," and the red poppy became a symbol of faith and hope, of the continuing of life despite death. In the United States, posters urged the wearing of "Buddy" poppies made by veterans. Dr. McCrae was not among those veterans; he died in 1918 of pneumonia.