Poppies

The New Zealand Remembrance Army ceramic poppies are an environmentally friendly, durable, respectful, and permanent marker of service. It also means their service becomes visible and they are easier to find in the future.

The NZRA has placed over 20,000 ceramic poppies on appropriate graves nationwide as part of its restoration work, demonstrating their suitability and longevity.

By contrast, the familiar paper/plastic lapel poppy is designed to be worn or laid, not fixed to stone. When left behind, the plastic parts become non‑biodegradable litter and microplastic pollution. Blu-tac can also damage the stone.

We place ceramic poppies only on graves where service is not obvious, specifically:

• Memorial graves to sons or daughters killed overseas.
• Civilian/standard graves with no mention of military service, but where the NZRA has verified the person has served.

The NZRA does not place ceramic poppies in Veterans’ Affairs service sections, on granite service graves, bronze plaques, or on Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) graves. If poppies are mistakenly affixed to those areas, they will be removed.

Attaching ceramic poppies

If the NZRA or a volunteer places a ceramic poppy on an eligible grave, they use a soft‑setting sealant/adhesive, this means Using a soft, flexible sealant (such as FixAll ) to avoid stress on the stone and allows future removal without damage.

We aim to find family first and seek permission from the family before attaching a poppy – but this is not always possible. We are happy to remove the poppy if two family members request removal.

If there is any doubt about a head stone, we can place the poppy at the base of the headstone (resting on the plinth or ground) without fixing it to stone. This is respectful and avoids any adhesive contact with the memorial.