Remembrance Day is commemorated every year on the 11^th of November but what is the History behind the significant and special day?

Why?

Remembrance Day is the day we remember the lives lost during the First World War and when Germany officially surrendered on the 11^th hour on the 11^th of November 1918 and then more recently the lives lost in the Second World War.

Where did the commemoration come from?

The actual commemoration came from King George V in 1919 when he inaugurated the “Remembrance Ceremony” shortly after the Treaty of Versailles. The tradition was formed by a banquet held at Buckingham palace with the French Republic on the 10^{th of} November.

What

So, what do we do on Remembrance Day? We observe a two-minute silence on the 11^th hour on the 11^th day on the 11^th month every year, to remember when the gun went silent. It is common in villages and towns for small parades to be walked through the streets with local armed forces, emergency services, and youth groups and a remembrance service to be held on the closest Sunday to the 11^th of November, this year (Sunday 13^th November 2022).

Service

The service tends to include the two minutes silence, reading the names of the locals who lost their lives in WW1 and WW2, Hymes, Poems, and Reef laying.

The Poppy

On Remembrance and in the weeks leading up to Remembrance it is very common to wear an artificial red poppy on the chest, this is to show your respect and commemoration for the fallen soldiers and their families, and also helps to fund for veterans’ foundations.

Did you know?

The green leaf on The Royal British Legion Poppy is supposed to point to the 11 o’clock direction to commemorate the 11^th hour on the 11^th day on the 11^th month!