Original: Lieutenant Colonel John Alexander McCrae ( November 30 , 1872 -- January 28 , 1918 ) was a Canadian poet , physician , author , artist and soldier during World War I and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres . He is best known for writing the famous war memorial poem '' In Flanders Fields '' .
Simplified: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae ( November 30 , 1872 â '' January 28 , 1918 ) was a Canadian poet and soldier in World War I who is best known for writing the poem '' In Flanders Fields '' after seeing the death of his friend the day before .