Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

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Ross Moorhouse
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Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

Post by Ross Moorhouse »

Remembrance Day Tradition
What is Remembrance Day?
Why is this day so special to Australians?
The Remembrance Day ceremony
What is Remembrance Day?
Remembrance Day - 11 November - is set aside as a day to remember the sacrifice of those who have died for Australia in wars and conflicts. It was originally known as Armistice Day.

Why is This Day So Special to Australians?
At 11 am on 11 November 1918 the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years continuous warfare. The allied armies had driven the German invaders back, having inflicted heavy defeats upon them over the preceding four months. In November the Germans called for an armistice (suspension of fighting) in order to secure a peace settlement. They accepted the allied terms of unconditional surrender.

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month attained a special significance in the post-war years. The moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front became universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in the war. This first modern world conflict had brought about the mobilisation of over 70 million people and left between 9 and 13 million dead, perhaps as many as one-third of them with no known grave. The allied nations chose this day and time for the commemoration of their war dead.

On the first anniversary of the armistice, 11 November 1919, the two minutes' silence was instituted as part of the main commemorative ceremony at the new Cenotaph in London. The silence was proposed by an Australian journalist working in Fleet Street, Edward Honey. At about the same time, a South African statesman made a similar proposal to the British Cabinet, which endorsed it. King George V personally requested all the people of the British Empire to suspend normal activities for two minutes on the hour of the armistice "which stayed the world wide carnage of the four preceding years and marked the victory of Right and Freedom." The two minutes' silence was popularly adopted and it became a central feature of commemorations on Armistice Day.

On the second anniversary of the armistice, 11 November 1920, the commemoration was given added significance when it became a funeral, with the return of the remains of an unknown soldier from the battlefields of the Western Front. Unknown soldiers were interred with full military honours in Westminster Abbey in London and at the Arc de Triumph in Paris. The entombment in London attracted over one million people within a week to pay their respects at the unknown soldier's tomb. Most other allied nations adopted the tradition of entombing unknown soldiers over the following decade.

After the end of World War II, the Australian and British governments changed the name to Remembrance Day. Armistice Day was no longer an appropriate title for a day which would commemorate all war dead.

In Australia on the 75th anniversary of the armistice, 11 November 1993, Remembrance Day ceremonies again became the focus of national attention. On that day the remains of an unknown Australian soldier, exhumed from a First World War military cemetery in France, were ceremonially entombed in the Australian War Memorial. Remembrance Day ceremonies were conducted simultaneously in towns and cities all over the country, culminating at the moment of burial at 11 am and coinciding with the traditional two minutes' silence. This ceremony, which touched a chord across the Australian nation, re-established Remembrance Day as a significant day of commemoration.

Four years later, in November 1997, the Governor-General, Sir William Deane, issued a proclamation formally declaring 11 November Remembrance Day and urging all Australians to observe one minute's silence at 11 am on 11 November each year to remember those who died or suffered for Australia's cause in all wars and armed conflicts.

The Remembrance Day Ceremony
Commemorative ceremonies such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day share many customs and traditions. The central element of Remembrance Day ceremonies is the minute's silence. Here is more information about common features of a commemorative ceremony:



http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration...e/tradition.htm
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RE: Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

Post by wodin »

I have my poppy;)

However how many people do you see wearing them? The only ones I see are on the news. Sad state of affairs.
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RE: Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

Post by Ross Moorhouse »

I will be buying 2 of these badges and will have one on my work bag 24/7.
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RE: Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

Post by Hexed Gamer »

During the week (this week), it is unlikely you see anyone NOT wearing a poppy in much of Canada.

I am proud to say, that Tim Hortons has been engaged in handing out the specially minted poppy quarters this year.

I am sending one of these to a few international friends I know actually. They have a temporary painted poppy over top of the engraved permanent one on the coin.

Rememberence Day here for me is one of the hardest days for me. Just thinking of all those young lads who will never grow old always makes me cry.

No other day on the calendar means more to me.
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RE: Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

Post by New York Jets »

Tomorrow is my wife's birthday, as well! I am also a vet! So, it's a doubly good day!
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RE: Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

Post by wodin »

ORIGINAL: Hexed Gamer

During the week (this week), it is unlikely you see anyone NOT wearing a poppy in much of Canada.

I am proud to say, that Tim Hortons has been engaged in handing out the specially minted poppy quarters this year.

I am sending one of these to a few international friends I know actually. They have a temporary painted poppy over top of the engraved permanent one on the coin.

Rememberence Day here for me is one of the hardest days for me. Just thinking of all those young lads who will never grow old always makes me cry.

No other day on the calendar means more to me.

Im sorry to say that isnt the case in the UK. I havent seen anyone wearing one yet.
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RE: Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

Post by Riun T »

I'm a Canadian vet as well, and I find today has a deep emotion that I think is lost in today's fast,ATV,Half hour shuttle flight,get it in a drive threw type mentality. I served in the North Saskatchewan Reg. late 84/to89, and I'm 38yo now. I also got a EMT certification threw the military, My point being that if any of u reading get a chance to see any displays of actual in the field geer,uniforms,or medical kits and equipment, DO go see it. Here in Canada most of our legion halls and Armorys have a static display of some of the local vets WW2 equipment and ALL us modern soldiers should take a long moment to think of all the underlying developments and technologys that occured usually by civilian research in the various fields that where not even remotely dedicated to war production. My overall point is that today I am exceedingly thankfull to ALL people today, because all their endevers made it that we ALL don't have to raise our stiff arms { ZIEG-Hiel!!!} or bow down to any Emporer!!!! AND I've got lots of POPPYS!!
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RE: Tommorrow is 11/11/2004... Remembrance Day Tradition

Post by wodin »

A fantastic book Im reading at the moment which is the experience of the 4th field Canadian is fatastic. Guns of War by George Blackburn
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