Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day, also known as Poppy Day is held in Commonwealth Countries to remember the members of their armed forces who have died or have been affected by war and conflict. 

Every year on November 11th people hold two minutes of silence because "at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month" World War I was officially over. In this war, The Allied Countries including: Britain, France, Russia, Italy and the United States fought against The Central Powers which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria. The First World War was officially declared over with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.

Following a tradition that was inaugurated by King George V in 1919, the day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-commonwealth countries. In Denmark, Veterans’ Day is celebrated on 5 September to remember past and present members of the armed forces who have done service in armed conflict. The United States celebrates Memorial Day in May to remember the people who have died while they were serving in the country’s armed forces.

Poppies are the symbol of Remembrance Day and people typically wear a small artificial poppy pinned to their clothing on the days leading up to Remembrance Day.  People also place poppy wreaths around the monuments dedicated to the unknown soldiers.  The poppy became the symbol of Remembrance Day thanks to a poem called In Flanders Fields written during World War I by a Canadian physician, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. McCrae wrote the poem after attending the funeral of a friend and fellow soldier Lieutenant Alexis Helmer.  The poem refers to the red poppies that grew over the graves of fallen soldiers. 

In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae, 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
    Between the crosses, row on row,
  That mark our place; and in the sky
  The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
  Loved and were loved, and now we lie
      In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
  The torch; be yours to hold it high.
  If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
      In Flanders fields. 

 

If you would like to teach your children more about Remembrance Day there is a great video on YouTube called The Poppy Story. There is also a wonderful book based on Remembrance Day called Blowin’ in the Wind by Bob Dylan and illustrated by Jon Muth.