Marty,
Thanks for posting the banners. The second one, with the field of red poppies, is especially moving to me. As the son of members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and and an American Legionnaire myself, the red poppies have a very special meaning.
Y'all may have seen these being sold in the states around this time of year (Memorial Day) and Veteran's Day by these organizations. War you may not know is that wounded and disabled veterans make these by hand and they are sold to honor and support our wounded an fallen heroes. The origin of the poppy and its symbolism dates back to WWI. A Canadian Officer wrote a very well know poem, In Flanders Fileds. His name was Lt Col. John McCrae. He was a also doctor and served in WWI and in Africa prior to that. The horrors of war and fallen comrades he witnessed inspired the poem. The poem's reference to poppies inspires their use. I've pasted the pen below as well as an image of the original handwritten work.
To all my fellow veterans, those serving today and especially those that gave all... SALUTE!
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 amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
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.