Remembrance Day
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 silence finally fell across Europe when four years of a devastating and acrimonious world war finally came to end. The Armistice – an agreement to stop fighting – was signed between Britain, France and Germany at five am in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiegne, France on November 11, 1918. Six hours later, the war was officially over.
In countries all over the world, Remembrance Day is observed on the 11th November to commemorate the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918, and also the end of World War II as well as other wars since. Wearing a red poppy to signify the symbol of the fallen and represent the sacrifice that was made by the men and women can be seen all over the world and after Australian journalist, Edward George Honey proposed a respectful silence to remember and honor those who had given their lives in the First World War, King George V issued a proclamation which called for a two minute silence:
“All locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.”
As the day draws to an end, please take a moment to think of all the brave men and women that sacrificed themselves to fight for your country and honor them in your way.