The Story of John McCrae John McCrae is the author of the famous poem, In Flanders Field, written during the First World War. John was born in 1872 and raised in Guelph, Ontario and is remembered as one of Guelph's most famous citizens.McCrae was more than a poet, and was in fact a doctor, soldier, author and artist. The biological grandparents of John McCrae, Thomas and Jean emigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1849 and settled …showed first 75 words of 2454 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2454 total…for a friend, Alexis Helmer, that McCrae was inspired to write In Flanders Fields. The poem was written May 3, 1915 and first published that same year. McCrae, later became ill with pneumonia, which was soon accompanied by meningitis. Four days before he died; he was honoured by being the first Canadian appointed as consulting physician to the First British Army. John McCrae died on January 28 1918, and was buried with military honours at Wimereaux Cemetery in France.