You can now scan your poppy to learn the stories of fallen Canadian soldiers

After scanning a poppy with a smartphone, the face of Edward G.C. Richards appears.

Born in Strathmore, Alta., on Oct. 10, 1916, he grew up in Whitehorse, where he volunteered for the air force. He completed bombing and gunnery school before leaving to serve the country flying Lancaster bombers in the Second World War. 

While on an air raid over Germany in March 1945, his plane was shot down. He was 28-years-old and left behind his wife and infant daughter.

In 1973, a mountain in the Yukon was named after Richards.

His story is just one of dozens being shared as part of a new campaign being run by the Royal Canadian Legion. It's called Poppy Stories, and it's a way of remembering fallen Canadian soldiers in the lead up to Remembrance Day on Nov. 11.

"It makes us realize that there are people behind these poppies," said Tammy Wheeler, executive director of the legion's Alberta-Northwest Territories command in Calgary, in an interview on the Calgary Eyeopener.

"They were real people, and they had real families and they suffered so much, so it's a way that we can read a little bit about them."

The initiative was launched alongside the legion's annual poppy campaign last week. Each year — from the last Friday of October to Remembrance Day — Canadians are encouraged to wear poppies to promote remembrance and to raise funds for veterans and their families.

Wheeler says those funds are used for emergency food and housing, for mental and physical health research and for those needing help to navigate the Veterans Affairs system. 

Funds raised locally are used locally, according to the legion.

To access the fallen soldier stories, smartphone users will need a poppy. They are free to anyone who'd like to wear one, but donations can also be made at poppy boxes around the city, some of which now also accept credit and debit cards.

"We are hoping across Alberta, Northwest Territories to raise about $3 million," Wheeler said. 

Smartphone users can go to poppystories.ca, where they'll be prompted to scan their poppy. There's no barcode or QR code — the website recognizes the shape of the poppy.

Then the photo and story of a soldier will appear.

About 50 stories of Canadian soldiers are on the legion's database, Wheeler says, with more being added each day.

Among other Albertans featured are Iwakichi Kojima, who immigrated to Calgary from Japan and became one of the 200 Japanese Canadians who volunteered to fight in the First World War. He died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge at 38. 

Nora Hendry Peters worked for hospitals in Lethbridge before enlisting in 1942. She spent most of the war serving in hospitals across Canada but was involved in a fatal car accident two years later.

Each story contains information about the person's background, family and interests, which are details Canadians should consider, says David Peabody, manager of the Military Museums in Calgary.

"They're ordinary people who were caught up in exceptional circumstances and laid down their lives to try and bring peace and stability around the world," he said.

"I think it's important to remember that, especially in this day and age where war is again a threat on the horizon."

The museum is holding its annual Remembrance Day ceremony, both in-person and virtually, but Peabody says the institution is another place where you can consider the stories of soldiers, any time of year.

"Even though something like World War II or Korea might seem like a long time ago, it's really not that long ago when you look at the scope of history," he said.

"I think it's important to know about the experiences of Canadians and how those helped shape our nation today."

Other Remembrance Day ceremonies can be found through the legion's locator.

The City of Calgary says it will provide more information on local Remembrance Day events next week.