Lily Pollock & Chloé Boulianne
"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."
When many people think of Remembrance Day, they often think of this poem written by John McCrae, in honour of the fallen soldiers. But there is a lot more to Remembrance Day than just this memorial written in 1915.
WWI ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918. The following year, many of the allied countries started a "Remembrance Day." This day is also known as Armistice Day and Veterans Day. Two minutes of silence occur around 11 a.m. to honour and remember the soldiers who fought during the war.
The creator of Armistice Day is King George V, on the first Remembrance Day he said this about the 2 minutes of silence, “During that time, except in rare cases where this may be impractical, all work, all sound and all locomotion should cease, so that in perfect stillness the thoughts of every one may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.”
However, in 1931, Canadian MP Alan Neil introduced a bill to celebrate Armistice Day specifically on November 11th. With this legislation, the name was officially changed to Remembrance Day.
Around the world, countries celebrate Remembrance Day differently. In the UK, they have Remembrance Sunday which is the Sunday before November 11. Remembrance Day is not always celebrated on November 11th.
The poppy is one of the most iconic symbols of Remembrance Day. Madame Anna Guérin of France came up with the idea of the Remembrance Poppy. She was inspired by McCrae’s poem, “In Flanders Fields,” written about the poppies that grew where the fallen soldiers were buried. Anna created and worked for a charity to help France after World War 1. She made fabric poppies to sell to raise money for the charity. This is why we encourage you to buy a poppy, because the funds go to charities to help veterans.
So on Remembrance Day, wear your poppy proud and think about all the history and veterans it represents all around the world.
Lest we forget.
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