When I painted this I had just come back from a trip to Kanchanaburi to see the 'Bridge over the river Kwai' and 'Devil's pass' with my partner, until then I didn't understand the horrors of war. My partner asked me to paint something with Poppies as it was near November 11th Remembrance Sunday. I did some research and was taken back by the terrible scenes in the trenches and knew thats what I wanted to paint but wasn't sure where the Poppies came in, then it came to me they represent all those that didn't make it over the trenches or fell climbing over, young men cut down in their prime, there's a tear or two of mine among those poppies. This was donated to raise funds for the Koh Samui Ex Services club, it was bought by an former soldier who then donated it to the club where it hangs with pride.