Rememberance Day is the day that we remember those who died in World Wars I & II, so that we may never make the mistakes they made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John McCrae, a World War... something Vet. He wrote this poem about a battle he fought in Flanders, a place in Germany. He said once that the things he remembered most about that battle was the countless poppies across the fields, and the larks singing above the sounds of the guns and cannons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Flanders Fields

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

 

 

 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

 

 

 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

 

 

 

In Flanders fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

 

 

 

To you from failing hands we throw

 

 

 

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

 

 

 

If ye break faith with us who die

 

 

 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

 

 

 

In Flanders fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the John Mitchell wrote this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reply to Flanders Fields

 

 

 

Oh! sleep in peace where poppies grow;

 

 

 

The torch your falling hands let go

 

 

 

Was caught by us, again held high,

 

 

 

A beacon light in Flanders sky

 

 

 

That dims the stars to those below.

 

 

 

You are our dead, you held the foe,

 

 

 

And ere the poppies cease to blow,

 

 

 

We'll prove our faith in you who lie

 

 

 

In Flanders Fields.

 

 

 

Oh! rest in peace, we quickly go

 

 

 

To you who bravely died, and know

 

 

 

In other fields was heard the cry,

 

 

 

For freedom's cause, of you who lie,

 

 

 

So still asleep where poppies grow,

 

 

 

In Flanders Fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As in rumbling sound, to and fro,

 

 

 

The lightning flashes, sky aglow,

 

 

 

The mighty hosts appear, and high

 

 

 

Above the din of battle cry,

 

 

 

Scarce heard amidst the guns below,

 

 

 

Are fearless hearts who fight the foe,

 

 

 

And guard the place where poppies grow.

 

 

 

Oh! sleep in peace, all you who lie

 

 

 

In Flanders Fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And still the poppies gently blow,

 

 

 

Between the crosses, row on row.

 

 

 

The larks, still bravely soaring high,

 

 

 

Are singing now their lullaby

 

 

 

To you who sleep where poppies grow

 

 

 

In Flanders Fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Crawford wrote his poem Please Wear a Poppy, to help the world remember.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLEASE WEAR A POPPY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Please wear a poppy," the lady said

 

 

 

And held one forth, but I shook my head.

 

 

 

Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,

 

 

 

And her face was old and lined with care;

 

 

 

But beneath the scars the years had made

 

 

 

There remained a smile that refused to fade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A boy came whistling down the street,

 

 

 

Bouncing along on care-free feet.

 

 

 

His smile was full of joy and fun,

 

 

 

"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"

 

 

 

When she's pinned in on he turned to say,

 

 

 

"Why do we wear a poppy today?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lady smiled in her wistful way

 

 

 

And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,

 

 

 

And the poppy there is the symbol for

 

 

 

The gallant men who died in war.

 

 

 

And because they did, you and I are free -

 

 

 

That's why we wear a poppy, you see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I had a boy about your size,

 

 

 

With golden hair and big blue eyes.

 

 

 

He loved to play and jump and shout,

 

 

 

Free as a bird he would race about.

 

 

 

As the years went by he learned and grew

 

 

 

and became a man - as you will, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,

 

 

 

But he'd seemed with us such a little while

 

 

 

When war broke out and he went away.

 

 

 

I still remember his face that day

 

 

 

When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,

 

 

 

I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But the war went on and he had to stay,

 

 

 

And all I could do was wait and pray.

 

 

 

His letters told of the awful fight,

 

 

 

(I can see it still in my dreams at night),

 

 

 

With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,

 

 

 

And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Till at last, at last, the war was won-

 

 

 

And that's why we wear a poppy son."

 

 

 

The small boy turned as if to go,

 

 

 

Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.

 

 

 

That sure did sound like an awful fight,

 

 

 

But your son - did he come back all right?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A tear rolled down each faded check;

 

 

 

She shook her head, but didn't speak.

 

 

 

I slunk away in a sort of shame,

 

 

 

And if you were me you'd have done the same;

 

 

 

For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,

 

 

 

Thought our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And so when we see a poppy worn,

 

 

 

Let us reflect on the burden borne,

 

 

 

By those who gave their very all

 

 

 

When asked to answer their country's call

 

 

 

That we at home in peace might live.

 

 

 

Then wear a poppy! Remember - and give!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

n 1918 the armistice that ended World War I came into force, bringing to an end four years of hostilities that saw 61 919 Australians die at sea, in the air, and on foreign soil. Few Australian families were left untouched by the events of World War I - 'the war to end all wars' most had lost a father, son, daughter, brother, sister or friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 11am on 11 November we pause to remember the sacrifice of those men and women who have died or suffered in wars and conflicts and all those who have served during the past 100 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 5am on 11 November 1918, three German government representatives accepted the armistice terms presented to them by an allied commander, General Foch of the French Army. The demands of the armistice included the withdrawal of German forces to the east bank of the Rhine within 30 days; immediate cessation of warfare; and surrender of the German fleet and all heavy guns with no further negotiations until the signing of the peace treaty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The armistice became effective at 11am the same day, and as the guns fell silent on the Western Front in France and Belgium, four years of hostilities ended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cease-fire was made permanent the following year when members of the Commonwealth and the League of Nations signed the Treaty of Versailles. People across the world celebrated the war's end - celebrations tempered by thoughts of the enormous suffering and loss of life resulting from the war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More than 416 000 Australians volunteered for service in World War I. Of these, 324 000 served overseas. More than 60 000 Australians were killed, including 45 000 who died on the Western Front in France and Belgium and more than 8 000 who died on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Australia and other allied countries, including New Zealand, Canada and the United States, 11 November became known as Armistice Day - a day to remember those who died in World War I. The day continues to be commemorated in Allied countries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After World War II the Australian Government agreed to the United Kingdom's proposal that Armistice Day be renamed Remembrance Day to commemorate those who were killed in both World Wars. Today the loss of Australian lives from all wars and conflicts is commemorated on Remembrance Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In October 1997 the Governor-General issued a Proclamation declaring 11 November as Remembrance Day - a day to remember the sacrifice of those who have died for Australia in wars and conflicts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Proclamation reinforced the importance of Remembrance Day and encouraged all Australians to renew their observance of the event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The central element of Remembrance Day ceremonies is the one minute silence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Melbourne journalist, Edward George Honey, first proposed a period of silence for national remembrance in a letter published in the London Evening News on 8 May 1919.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The suggestion came to the attention of King George V. After testing the practicality of five minutes silence - a trial was held with five Grenadier Guardsmen standing to attention for the silence - the King issued a proclamation on 7 November 1919 which called for a two-minute silence. His proclamation requested that "all locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 11am on 11 November 1919, Australians, for the first time, paused and stood in silent tribute to the men and women of the Australian Imperial Force who died on battlefields in the Middle East, Gallipoli and Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1997 the Governor-General issued a Proclamation urging all Australians to observe the one minute silence on Remembrance Day. It is still appropriate for two minutes silence to be observed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In May 1915 Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps was working in a dressing station on the front line to the north of Ieper, Belgium, when he wrote In Flanders Fields:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are the dead. Short days ago

 

 

 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

 

 

 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

 

 

 

In Flanders fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe;

 

 

 

To you, from failing hands, we throw

 

 

 

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

 

 

 

If ye break faith with us who die

 

 

 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

 

 

 

In Flanders fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poppies in Flanders Fields

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1918 Moira Michael, an American, wrote a poem in reply, We shall keep the faith, in which she promised to wear a poppy 'in honour of our dead' and so began the tradition of wearing a poppy in remembrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was French YMCA Secretary, Madame Guerin, who in 1918 conceived the idea of selling silk poppies to help needy soldiers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poppies were first sold in England on Armistice Day in 1921 by members of the British Legion to raise money for those who had been incapacitated by the war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The practice began in Australia the same year, promoted by the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia (now known as the Returned & Services League of Australia - or RSL).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the lead-up to 11 November each year, the RSL sells red poppies for Australians to pin on their lapels, with proceeds helping the organisation undertake welfare work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since 1921 wearing a poppy has enabled Australians to show they have not forgotten the more than 102 000 Australian servicemen and women who have given their lives in wars and conflicts during the past 100 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flanders poppy seeds may be grown in Australian gardens. By planting the seeds in April, the poppies bloom in November, in time for Remembrance Day. They serve as a visual reminder of those Australians who have died in war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rosemary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ancient Greeks believed that rosemary made their memories stronger. This idea has been carried on today when people wear sprigs of rosemary as a symbol of remembrance for those who have died in wars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unknown soldiers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twentieth century warfare resulted in millions of unknown dead resting in unknown graves. Of Australia's war dead from World War I and World War II, 35 527 (about 35 per cent) have no known graves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The names of many Australians who died in World War I appear on memorials along the Western Front, including the names of about 18 000 men of the Australian Imperial Force with 'no known grave'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1993, to mark the 75th anniversary of the 1918 armistice, the Australian Government exhumed the remains of an unknown Australian soldier from the Western Front for entombment at the Australian War Memorial's Hall of Memory, Canberra.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Unknown Soldier's remains were exhumed from the Adelaide Cemetery, near Villers-Bretonneux on the Western Front. A State Funeral was held on 11 November 1993 - Remembrance Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unknown Soldier's coffin on the Stone of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before proceeding to the Hall of Memory, the Unknown Soldier's coffin was placed on the Stone of Remembrance outside the Memorial where the Prime Minister, Paul Keating, delivered a eulogy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. . . We will never know who this Australian was. Yet he has always been among those we have honoured. We know that he was one of the 45,000 Australians who died on the Western Front, one of the 416,000 Australians who volunteered for service in World War I . . . and one of the 100,000 Australians who have died in wars this century. He is all of them. And he is one of us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Australia's Unknown Soldier was laid to rest in the Hall of Memory, World War I veteran Robert Comb, who had served in battles on the Western Front, sprinkled soil from Pozieres, France, over the coffin and said, "Now you're home, mate".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Australian War Memorial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving and Remembrance Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first Thanksgiving Day in Canada after Confederation was observed on April 15, 1872, to celebrate the recovery of The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from a serious illness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No record is found of a Thanksgiving Day between 1872 and 1879.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From 1879 to 1898, both inclusive, it was observed on a Thursday in November. In 1899, it was fixed on a Thursday in October, where it stayed until 1907, with the exception of 1901 and 1904 when the date was fixed on a Thursday in November.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From 1908 to 1921, it was observed on a Monday in October, the exact date being appointed by proclamation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From 1921 to 1930, the Armistice Day Act provided that Thanksgiving would be observed on Armistice Day, which was fixed by statute on the Monday of the week in which November 11 fell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1931, Parliament adopted an Act to amend the Armistice Day Act, providing that the day should be observed on November 11 and that the day should be known as "Remembrance Day".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accordingly, the old practice was resumed of fixing Thanksgiving Day by proclamation, and it has been since 1931 on the second Monday of October, with the exception of 1935 where, after Thanksgiving Day had been fixed on October 14, it was decided to hold the general election on that date. A new proclamation was issued deferring the observance to October 24, a Thursday. This resulted in a great deal of controversy and the practice of observance on a Thursday was not pursued in future years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From 1936 to 1956, inclusive, a proclamation was issued yearly to appoint the second Monday of October as Thanksgiving Day. In 1957, a proclamation was issued fixing permanently Thanksgiving Day on that day, thus eliminating the necessity of an annual proclamation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prior to 1867, there had been proclamations issued in Canada, the first one recorded being for 1799. The following is a list of the dates of the proclamations and observance of General Thanksgiving Days, and reasons therefore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proclamation and Observance of General Thanksgiving Days and reasons therefore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My family has a few words has a few words:

 

 

 

 

 

 

the people who were in the war must have been very brave to fight for this nation's freedom.I am very greatful and you should be too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a special day for the people who died.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're both quite immature.

to answer your question blipo, it's also remembrance day here in the UK

to answer your question blipo, it's also remembrance day here in the UK

 

 

 

Ok

Yup, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we pay our respects to all of those lost, either enemy or friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice post Blipo, well made.

Thank you. I wonder if it was co-incidence that the treaty to stop fighting was signed 11 11 11, or if it was on purpose

Just a small mistake, Flanders is in Belgium, not Germany :)

Just a small mistake, Flanders is in Belgium, not Germany :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was just going to say that because, well, I live there. :wink:

 

Just a small mistake, Flanders is in Belgium, not Germany :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was just going to say that because, well, I live there. :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O.O

 

 

 

Sssshhh......

I wonder how happy the war vets would be if they wanted to look at the medal of honor on google and all they got was a video game :)

I wonder how happy the war vets would be if they wanted to look at the medal of honor on google and all they got was a video game :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

''war is enjoyable to those who have not experienced it''Can't remember who said it, but it's so true. I love war games, but the actuall wars which caused the making of those games were horrible.

 

I wonder how happy the war vets would be if they wanted to look at the medal of honor on google and all they got was a video game :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

''war is enjoyable to those who have not experienced it''Can't remember who said it, but it's so true. I love war games, but the actuall wars which caused the making of those games were horrible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't remember who said this, either: "The point of war is not to die for your country, but to make your enemies die for theirs"

 

 

 

I don't remember who said this, either: "The point of war is not to die for your country, but to make your enemies die for theirs"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Patton, though not in those exact words. It's called Veterans day here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: Found it on Wikiquote, I remember hearing it from Patton the movie, it goes:

 

 

 

"Now I want you to remember that no * ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb * die for his country."

here its called vets day. and here we remeber everyone in war. not just the dead.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

 

 

 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.

 

 

 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

 

 

 

We will remember them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lest we forget

Lest we forget..

Lest we forget

Lest we forget.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But we do forget. We're forgetting. No one cares anymore :(

Lest we forget..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only way to avoid a WW3 is not to forget. Forgetting and denying the facts make it sure that it it will happen again.

My school lost some 200+ pupils in the two world wars combined, we have several large stone tablets with the names of the dead inscribed, we observed the two minute silence, and had special poems read out in a special assembly. Tomorrow (Sunday) morning there is a special Christian service which i am attending as an RAF cadet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you go home, tell them of us and say: 'For your tomorrow we gave our today

Wow, brilliant post, Blipo... You packed that post with all the information needed. Well done for making it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had an assembly at school for it with a one minute silence... And sixth formers came around selling poppies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

//Mitch

My school lost some 200+ pupils in the two world wars combined.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From my father's side, at least 8 soldiers died at WW2. That only counts those who have the same last name (my last name isn't common in Finland, I've done a bit research and so far everyone with a same last name have been somehow related to me.), so the number goes up quite a lot if add those who have a different last name. I haven't done any research from my mother's side, but I know that at least my grandma's dad died there at the age of 22 and his older brother died too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of my grandparents experienced the war. From my mother's side, I have no idea what my grandfather did (he died 2 months after I was born) but he was born in 1938 or 1937. My grandmother was sent to Sweden because she was ~9 when the war started. From my father's side, my grandmother worked at Lotta SvÃÆÃâÃâärd (google for more info if you are interested) and my grandfather was a civil. If the war had lasted 8 months longer, my grandfather would have been forced to join the army.

i know too much about the war from my parents and i also go scouts... 3 hours in frezzzing weather standing stilll.... it was worth it!!!

My grandfather was at Normandy and the Ardennes during the Nazi counteroffensive. Sure, I may be from America, but I respect all who risked and gave thier lives to save the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

People seem to forget a very powerful saying in today's world. There is a small memorial in Washington D.C. with the names of every man and woman who died during the Korean war. Inscribed in large letters on this almost forgotten monument are the words:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Freedom is not Free"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nowadays, most of the world seems to take freedom for granted. I will continue to remember all of the brave souls who died to keep freedom alive.