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John McCrae

by Coltin from Innisfil

Hi, my name is Coltin. I am ten years old. My hero is doctor John McCrae. Before you start to read about my hero, I will tell you a little about him. John thought of poems to do on his spare time. He was the one to write "In Flanders Field." OK, I will not spoil the story about John McCrea.

John McCrae served both in the South African War and World War 1. John reserved a scholarship to the University of Toronto at the age of 16. McCrae was the first every Canadia assigned to the British army. In 1917 he had severe bouts of asthma and bronchitis.

In mid August there was a war between Germany and Canada. Within three weeks into the war, nearly 45,000 people rushed to join. John McCrea was among them. In about 1915 John McCrae was in the trenches in Ypres, Belgium, it was the heaviest fighting place in the world of wars.

In December, John McCrae wrote a poem called "In Flanders Field" when he was in the trenches of Ypres, Belgium. He saw poppies and then he thought of the poem and so then he wrote it. And then he died in January 28, 1918.

Today they still read the poem called Flander's Field and it is still really popular and when it is Remembrance Day everybody wears a poppy and respects the people that saved them from fighting today instead of us fighting and so we can live free and even today they have to fight and just think how lucky we are not to have wars on and some kids are not as lucky as we are. And they have to fight. Even little grade three's have to fight and it is not pretty and I am just glad that we do not have to fight and you should too.

Page created on 5/22/2008 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 5/22/2008 12:00:00 AM

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