Bleuet
The blue cornflowers or bleuets that bloom in France are a national symbol of the sacrifices of French soldiers during World War One. The nickname originated in 1915, when veteran soldiers applied the name to new recruits arriving at the front in new, sky-blue uniforms that no longer included the traditional red trousers. Like the red poppy adopted by Commonwealth troops, the cornflower blooming in the battlefields came to symbolize the fact that life went on. The sale of cloth cornflowers made by disabled soldiers was first a private initiative in the 1920s to benefit pensioned soldiers at the Invalides, only in 1935 becoming an official practice used to mark November 11. In 1957, this was extended to include May 8.
