John McCrae
John McCrae was a Canadian physician, soldier, and poet, born in 1872 in Guelph, Ontario. Growing up in a military family, he developed an early interest in the military, joining the cadet corps as a teenager and later enlisting in the militia. McCrae pursued a medical education at the University of Toronto, where his experiences as a physician inspired his poetry. He served in the South African War, which deeply affected him, leading him to step away from military service for a decade to focus on his medical career.
However, with the outbreak of World War I, McCrae felt compelled to return to military service. His most famous work, the poem "In Flanders Fields," was written in 1915 after the death of his friend during the war. This poem became emblematic of the conflict and is widely recognized today. Tragically, McCrae's life was cut short by pneumonia in 1918, but his poetry continues to resonate, reflecting the profound impact of war. His works were posthumously published in a collection titled "In Flanders Fields, and Other Poems."
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John McCrae
Poet
- Born: November 30, 1872
- Birthplace: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Died: January 28, 1918
- Place of death: Boulogne, France
Biography
John McCrae, a physician, soldier, and poet, was born in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, in 1872. His father, David McCrae, was a lieutenant colonel in the Canadian army. As a young boy, McCrae also was interested in the military. At the age of fourteen, he joined the Highfield Cadet Corps and then enlisted in the militia field battery, which was commanded by his father.
At the age of sixteen, McCrae graduated form the Guelph Collegiate Institute and became the first student from Guelph to win a scholarship to the University of Toronto. After three years at the university, McCrae developed severe asthma and took a year off from his studies. In 1893, he returned to the University of Toronto and earned his B.A. degree. He then enrolled in the University of Toronto’s medical school. While in medical school, McCrae supported himself by working as a tutor. Two of his students became the first female doctors in Ontario, Canada.
As a diversion from his rigorous medical training, McCrae wrote poetry. Many of his poems centered on the experiences that he encountered as a physician. During this time, McCrae published more than sixteen poems and short stories in various magazines. McCrae also continued with his military career. He worked his way up to the rank of lieutenant of the number two battery of Guelph and then served in the Queen’s Own Rifles. eventually rising to the rank of captain.
In 1899, McCrae moved to Baltimore, Maryland, in order to complete his residency in pathology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. However, that same year war broke out in South Africa and McCrae left his internship to serve in the Canadian military. He was assigned to lead an artillery battery from his home town of Guelph. During the South African War, McCrae became distraught over the poor treatment of the sick and injured soldiers. Eventually, McCrae became disillusioned with the military. After completing his tour of duty, he refused to participate in the military for the next ten years.
Instead, McCrae focused on his medical career. In 1901, he accepted a fellowship in pathology at McGill University in Montreal. One year later, he was appointed a resident pathologist at Montreal’s General Hospital. In 1904, he became an assistant pathologist at the Royal Victoria Hospital. He also studied for several months in England in order to become a member of the Royal College of Physicians.
In 1905, McCrae went into private practice as a pathologist. During this time, he lectured at several universities, including the University of Vermont and McGill University. He also contributed to a ten-volume medical textbook titled Olser’s Modern Medicine, published in 1909. McCrae often took breaks from his medical practice to travel to Europe, sometimes working as a ship’s doctor to pay for his voyages. In 1910, he served as the physician for Governor General Lord Grey on his excursion from Lake Winnipeg through the Hudson Bay.
In 1914, Canada entered World War I. Although still disillusioned with the military, McCrae felt it was his responsibility to enlist. In 1915, during the second Battle of Ypres, McCrae’s close friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed. In his grief, McCrae wrote the poem “In Flanders Fields,” first published by Punch magazine. This poem became one of the best-known poems of World War I.
In 1918, while serving in a field hospital, McCrae caught pneumonia. This illness, coupled with his asthma, contributed to his early death in 1918 at the age of forty-five. McCrae’s verse were collected in the book In Flanders Fields, and Other Poems, published posthumously in 1919.