Remembrance Day

In Canada, today is Remembrance Day... a day to honour war veterans, as well as those currently serving. It honours those who fell, as well as those who survived, with various horrific wounds to their bodies, minds and spirits. It was started after World War I, when the armistice was signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, so many of the events begin at 11 am. There are ceremonies and parades all across the country, although sadly in most places, it's business as usual (which is why I had to work today). We also wear a poppy, for the 2 weeks or so preceding November 11, as a symbol of remembrance. The symbol comes from the poem In Flanders Fields, written by John McCrae, who was a soldier in WWI.


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


I'm curious to know what, if anything, is done in other countries?

In the UK, we share the same traditions.
We had Remembrance Sunday on the 8th, where people through the country (including the Queen and Prime Minister) laid wreaths on memorial stones/statues.
There were also marches, including a march of living veterans from WW2.
We had 2 minutes silence today at 11am.
I wore a poppy today as I have for the past week, but it fell apart. That upset me.

In England, it's exactly the same. We wear poppies to show our respect and locally here, we have a cannon that goes off once at 11:00am which is when we hold one minute's silence. The silence happens throughout the country, but I think the cannon is just used around here because we can. >.<

Envy wrote:

In England, it's exactly the same. We wear poppies to show our respect and locally here, we have a cannon that goes off once at 11:00am which is when we hold one minute's silence. The silence happens throughout the country, but I think the cannon is just used around here because we can. >.<

We have a cannon? Wow :dry:

I said we had a cannon *locally*, where I live. Don't know about other areas of the country. :blink:

Ah, I assumed you were talking about the Rememberance Service in London.
Where abouts are you? North? South?
I want a cannon.