I'm in Britain and you may or may not be aware of what goes on over here on the 11th of November and the closest Sunday. The Sunday service involves wreaths being laid at the Cenotaph by HM the Queen, the rest of the royal family, the leaders of the 3 main political parties, representatives of the armed forces and the High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries who contributed troops to the two world wars. For a week or so before, most people wear poppies and everyone on TV does (from the poem 'In Flanders Fields'). There is then a march past of 1000 plus ex servicemen. On Armistice Day (today) there is another service at the Cenotaph, today the 3 surviving Britsh veterans of WW1 laid wreaths (they are aged 108, 110, and 112) and all ocer the country there is 2 mins silience at 11 o clock. I just wondered if in America veterans day overshadows today and especially as America joined WW1 at the end whereas 1 million Britons died its not as significant.
anyway; I leave you with The Soldier, by Rupert Brooke, who died of an infected mosquito bite on the way to fight at Gallipoli in 1915
If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
Update:yes it was written by John McCrae I did know that but sorry for not mentioning, one of the great poems, also the Fallen is good not just the verse that is always repeated "They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them."
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
That sounds like a wonderful way to show how much you appreciate those who have fought for your country!
In Canada, We observe Remembrance Day on November 11th. It is a holiday in much of Canada but not in Quebec and only a holiday for banks in Ontario. The Maritimes it's a holiday for most businesses.
An the poem, "In Flander's Field' was written by a Canadian, John McCrae.
Well I think so, the 11th November is the correct anniversary after all and the Remembrance Sunday as the official day offers everyone who works and those who wish to attend Church the opportunity to do so. Holding the Remembrance Day parade during any other day would be almost impossible in London.