Lest We Forget – Armistice Day

At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we will remember them.

The Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11am on 11th November 1918.

To this day, we mark Armistice Day around the United Kingdom with a two-minute silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Today we will commemorate the signing of the Armistice, which brought an end to the First World War, and will remember all those who gave their lives in service to their country since 1914.

Flanders Fields and the Poppy

Flanders Field (known as Flanders Fields) is the name of World War I battlefields in the medieval County of Flanders, which spans southern Belgium and northwest France. 

From 1914 to 1918, Flanders Fields was a major battle theatre on the Western Front. A million soldiers were wounded, missing or killed in action here. Entire cities and villages were destroyed, their population scattered across Europe and beyond.

Beautiful countryside was blasted, bombed and fought over, again and again. The landscape swiftly turned to fields of mud: bleak and barren where little or nothing could grow.

But out of this devastation the delicate but resilient bright red Flanders poppies grew and flourished in their thousands.

Wearing a poppy is a show of support for the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

It represents all those who lost their lives on active service in all conflicts; from the beginning of the First World War right up to present day.

It also honours the contribution of civilian services and the uniformed services which contribute to national peace and security and acknowledges innocent civilians who have lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism.

The Knitted Soldier

A life-size knitted soldier has appeared at a town’s war memorial.

The soldier was placed at Syston War Memorial Clock Tower, in Leicestershire, by an anonymous knitter on Sunday ahead of Remembrance Day. The detail is stunning.

The Knitted Soldier
The Knitted soldier was placed at Syston War Memorial Clock Tower in Leicestershire

We will remember them.

One comment

  1. Armistice day is truly a day of Rememberance and reflection . Whole generations rallied to their countries call and in their millions volunteered selflessly to do their duty ( right or wrong ) and a whole generation were physically and mentally scared by the experience .
    Thus the 1914 – 18 war became known as the ‘ war to end all wars’ this was not to be .
    Political issues across Europe led to a second world war , ( has we learnt nothing ) and this was as terrible as the first.
    Sadly since 1945 there is conflict almost at anytime for Britons they have seen the Korean war , the Falklands war and war in Kuwait / Iraq, there are also many ” unseen ” conflicts like the ” troubles ” in Ulster that have led to casualties and fatalities. It is all these service men and women and animals who paid the ultimate sacrifice that people are asked to do a simple act of observing a two minute silence on the 11th hour,11th day ,11th month .
    LEST WE FORGET.

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