Reflecting upon Veteran’s Day I came across a story from Australia about peculiar actions happening at the Australian War Memorial.

Since October, poppy flowers had been disappearing from the grave of an unknown soldier. One by one, poppies were placed and replaced as they continued to disappear.

It turns out that a pigeon was behind it all. This pigeon had been picking the poppies from this grave for some time but it’s WHAT the pigeon was doing with the poppies that I find so remarkable. The pigeon was building a nest from them. But it’s not just that. The pigeon built this nest of poppies on a stained glass window ledge at the Memorial. And the particular window pane, the artwork depicted a wounded soldier, which the Memorial staff said was a symbol of “endurance” and a “reminder of the powerful bond between man and beast on the battlefield.”

Pigeons don’t get enough credit. Most view them as annoying, dirty birds when in truth they are highly intelligent and have served as messengers throughout history especially in war. In fact 32 pigeons received medals in WWII for their service.

The poppy to most Americans, is a symbol of Memorial Day, but really started as a symbol of Remembrance Day or Armistice Day, which is November 11 (what we know as Veteran’s Day) in the UK, Canada, France, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand. It commemorates the anniversary of the 1918 Armistice and spawns from a poem, “In Flanders Field” which was penned by Lieutenant Col John McCrae, a Canadian who served as a surgeon. He was struck by the sight of the poppies pushing up thru the battlegrounds. Something beautiful among the horror.

So for this pigeon to take such an important symbol, from the grave of an unknown soldier, to build a nest at the Memorial in front of a stained glass window of a wounded soldier. To say it’s beautiful doesn’t do it nearly enough justice. It’s powerful. It’s moving. And that still doesn’t do the photos justice.

Check out the photos and the story here on Bored Panda. Share this story, share the poem and on this Remembrance Day, this Armistice Day, this Veteran’s Day, please take a moment and to think, remember and THANK a veteran. For all you do for us from the moment you put on the uniform.

“In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae

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