Inspiration for “In Flanders Fields” During the early days of the 2nd Battle of Ypres a young Canadian artillery officer, Lt. Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2nd May, 1915 in the gun positions near Ypres. He was serving in the same Canadian artillery unit as a friend of his, the Canadian military doctor and artillery commander Major John McCrae. It is believed that after the burial service, John began the draft for his now famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.