Remembrance Day, November 11

November 11, in many countries, is a day to remember veterans. In the U.K. it is known as Remembrance Day, while in the U.S. it is Veterans Day. It was begun to recall the end of World War I on that date in 1918. So that day was the 11th month, the 11th day---- and the shooting stopped at 11 o'clock England time. Remembrance Day has been expanded to include the sacrifice of those in other wars. In the U.K. there is two minutes of silence observed at 11 o'clock on Nov. 11th. Yesterday at church, as in all churches across England, we observed that two minutes of silence.

It seems to be observed more in England than in the U.S. People in the U.S. have traditionally worn paper poppies in honor of veterans, but here many more people can be seen wearing the poppies, which are available for a donation at the post offices and other businesses. (The poppy symbol comes from the poem "In Flanders Field" which was written in 1915. Poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in WWI.) Many store windows have something about Remembrance Day. One business in Martock has a huge wreath made of poppies. The photo at the top of the post shows poppy wreaths underneath a war memorial in Yeovil.
All of the newscasters and reporters on T.V. have been wearing the poppies every day since about the middle of October.



There are billboards showing veterans. One that I think is especially touching shows a woman holding hands with her small child, and holding the child's other hand, is a soldier, whose whole image is made of poppies.