11th November: Poppy Day

Dear friends,

Today is 11th November, Remembrance Day. The day commemorates the dead of both World Wars and of more recent conflicts.

Precisely it is the anniversary of the peace treaty or armistice that was signed by the Allied forces and the Germans at the end of World War I. In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an order was given for all shooting to stop. Soldiers lay down their weapons and people all over the world rejoiced. After four long years of bitter fighting, “the war to end all wars” (how it is commonly referred to) was finally over.

Shortly after this, many former allied nations set aside 11th November as a day to remember the sacrifices that men and women had made during World War I in order to ensure a lasting peace.

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Source: ghajnsielemprimary.wordpress.com

On and before this day, in Britain money is collected in the street on behalf of charities for ex-service-men and women. The people who donate money are given paper poppies to pin to their clothes. No politician would be seen on this day without a poppy! So, it is not a surprise that Remembrance Day is commonly known as Poppy Day.

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Why the Poppy? It is a bright red wildflower that bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of World War I and the poppy’s red colour came to represent the bloodshed of trench warfare.

The wearing of the symbol of the poppy was made popular due to the poem, Flanders Field, written by Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae after witnessing his friend and fellow soldier struck down in the midst of battle in World War I. You can read the poem: 

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Flanders Field
In Flanders Field 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 Field.

John McCrae, author of the poem “In Flanders Fields” Source: greatwar.co.uk

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Therefore, every year, Britain becomes an island of red poppies. Across the country, millions of poppies are displayed in people’s homes, workplaces and on their clothing.

Lest We Forget are also three words renown across most countries to show our remembrance of those who have fought, and those who have died fighting for freedom.

This year is also special. Commemorations have taken place across the world to mark 100 years since the start of World War I when Britain declared war on Germany, a global conflict which killed millions of people and led to the collapse of empires.

Representatives of 83 countries gathered last August to mark the centenary of World War I in Liège where fighting started a century ago, using the occasion to reflect on the conflicts raging near Europe's borders and to call for an end to violence in Ukraine and Gaza.

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Source: bbc.com

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In conclusion, the Centenary of World War I is the ideal moment to remind present generations of the importance of peace and to raise knowledge about the past. 

11th November remains a day of historic significance across the globe. It is a day where people gather together and turn their thoughts towards the avoidance of future wars. 

Let’s fight for peace then...

Teacher Barbara