November 11

Jacquie

Jacquie

Ward Girl
Moderator
This Tuesday marks the 90th anniversary of the end of World War 1. On November 11, 1919 we started observing Remembrance Day or Poppy Day, Veterans Day, or Armistice Day. The name varies from country to country but the important thing is it reminds of those brave men who gave their lives so we could live our lives as we lead them today.

A reminder of Remembrance Day is the poppy. Here in Canada we start seeing each other wear the poppy from the beginning of November. In recent years I've started to see more young people wear it :) The poppy was chosen as a result of John McCrae's Poem In Flanders Fields. For those that don't know McCrae was a Canadian Doctor serving France. He wrote it in 1915 after seeing a friend of his die :(

So what does Remembrance Day mean to you. Do you do anything special a 11am. I try my best to take my two minutes to thank all the men that gave their lives. I'm selfishly thankful for the fact that my dad got pneumonia during Basic Training in World War II and wasn't able to go overseas. I'm know I would have had a dad but not my dad. I was born years 14 years after World War II but still.........I'm also thankful for the men and women who wear the uniforms of the Canadian Military today. Thank you and your loved ones for giving your live to help others enjoy the freedom we have here.
 
It's good to learn something like that since I didn't really know that.

Nothing special happens here and I don't think anyone knows about it.Sad.
 
It's nice to learn that in Canada you all wear poppies to signify the importance of Rememberance Day, I think that it's a wonderful gesture of appreciation. I wish we could all do something like that here in the US.

For most of the week in which Remembrance Day falls, schools, or at least mine, host lectures and demonstrations given by veterans. I always enjoy listening to what they had to go through and learning about what war has meant to them. I usually say a special prayer for all of those who have served and are currently serving in the military everywhere. A lot of the time, my church will even have a special service on that day.
I just wish that everyone here would celebrate Remembrance Day. It shouldn't matter whether you agreed with the wars or not, but you should still praise those who did decide to fight for what they believed in.
 
Just spotted this Jac :)

Armistice is still commemorated here and the build up is evident with all the poppy sellers out in the streets etc.
There are services broadcast on tv and radio and held in nearly all local churches. The main one is held at the Cenotaph in Whitehall in London which is attended by members of the Royal family. I'm not especially pro-royalty but it's good to see that this is still an important date in Liz's diary.

I was in Israel many years ago on the 11th of November and saw a service there which was both very moving and fascinating despite the fact that there was bombing going on not so many miles away. Sad to see some lessons are never learned.
 
Here in Britain it's known as Both Armistice Day and Rememberance Day, usually all of the big celebrations/services are held on the Sunday closest to the 11th of Novemeber. We have had National Memorial Services today, as well as many servies being held in churches across the UK. In such services, there is a roll of honour read for all those who died, wreaths of poppies are laid at war memorials, the Last Post is played, a minute's silence is held and the National Anthem is played in memorial. The Queen went to the Rememberance Day service today in London, where she laid a wreath of poppies at the National War Memorial.

However, there will also be services of Rememberance held on Tuesday as well. At 11am on the 11/11 there is always a National minute's silence in memory of those who lost their lives fighting for Queen and country. In Flander's Fields was actually read out in our church service today.

Jacquie, I believe the Poppy is the flower of choice because it was the flower that grew in the fields of the Somme (France) where so many people lost their lives during the Battle of The Somme in 1916, the worst battle of WW1... Here in the UK we also wear poppies from the beginning of November right up to 11/11. It's sad to see that so many people here in the UK seem to have forgotten about all those who lost their lives fighting for our freedom, that's why I feel Rememberance Day is so important.
 
I live in Canada as well, and normally I'm at school on November 11th so our school has a Remembrance Day assembly and a moment of silence. We recite In Flanders Fields and just take time to appreciate the soldiers who risked or gave their lives to give us freedom.

I'm only a teenager so my dad wasn't affected directly, but my grandpa was. Like Jacquie, I'm thankful that my grandpa only had to stay behind and train soldiers, and not have to fight. My grandma said she prayed every night that he wouldn't have to go over seas.

My mom's uncle also faught in the war. He survived with only getting a bullet in his hand.

So I'm glad Canada still makes a point to remember these brave individuals who faught for us. Lest we forget. :)
 
I live in the U.S., and I remember that when I was a girl you'd see representatives of the Veterans' hospitals and such out selling artificial poppies to pin to your shirt around Veteran's Day. My father--a Vietnam War Veteran--would buy us one every year.

I haven't seen them around my area in many years, that's not to say they're not still around.

Thank you to those members of the Armed Forces--past and present--for risking your lives to protect ours.
 
Nope, not here. Not celebrated. Didn't even know this.
We had our own little bad thing during the spring 1918 (some may call that as civil war) and it's always been hard to discuss so nope. Nothing. We do celebrate our 91st Independence day on 6th Dec ;)

Edit: We do have Vetenras Day, it's 27th Apr. 27th Apr 1945 ended The Lapland war - the war right after the ending of WW II, when we had to kick out Germans out of the country and they thanked us by burning the most of Lapland. Like this city, where I study, was totally destroyed. Whole war was quite interesting, since at the same time, we had to demobilise our forces, because we had lost the war.
 
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Adorable_Crazy said:
Here in Britain it's known as Both Armistice Day and Rememberance Day, usually all of the big celebrations/services are held on the Sunday closest to the 11th of Novemeber. We have had National Memorial Services today, as well as many servies being held in churches across the UK. In such services, there is a roll of honour read for all those who died, wreaths of poppies are laid at war memorials, the Last Post is played, a minute's silence is held and the National Anthem is played in memorial. The Queen went to the Rememberance Day service today in London, where she laid a wreath of poppies at the National War Memorial.

However, there will also be services of Rememberance held on Tuesday as well. At 11am on the 11/11 there is always a National minute's silence in memory of those who lost their lives fighting for Queen and country. In Flander's Fields was actually read out in our church service today.

Jacquie, I believe the Poppy is the flower of choice because it was the flower that grew in the fields of the Somme (France) where so many people lost their lives during the Battle of The Somme in 1916, the worst battle of WW1... Here in the UK we also wear poppies from the beginning of November right up to 11/11. It's sad to see that so many people here in the UK seem to have forgotten about all those who lost their lives fighting for our freedom, that's why I feel Rememberance Day is so important.
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I live in england so I would have said exactly the same thing. I haven't 'brought' a poppy this year but usually they have 'em in school.I might get one today

I agree Steph it's sad to see that so many people here in the UK seem to have forgotten about all those who lost their lives fighting for our freedom.

My Grandfather (my mom's father) fought in the WW II and so did my dad's father. My mom's father is still alive and often use to tell us of how it was for him as a soldier.

So this day is very important for me and I would assume for our country.
 
In my area of the US, we get Veterans Day off from school. I always take time out to remember what the holiday is about, and be thankful.
 
I have school but have off from work (I work at a bank) and I've already taken a few minutes out of my day to think of the veterans that served this country. My friend is in the army, so I may go hang out with her today since if she gets sent overseas, there is a chance she won't come back.
 
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