Staff Reporter
REMEMBRANCE Day is being observed today, with people around the world honouring military personnel who died in wars and conflicts, marking 108 years since the Armistice that ended fighting on the Western Front during World War I.
The Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, bringing an end to hostilities at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. The first Armistice Day was observed in 1919, before the occasion evolved into Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries after World War II. In the United States, the day is observed as Veterans Day.
A central tradition of Remembrance Day is the two-minute silence held at 11:00 local time to remember those who lost their lives in military service. The tradition dates back to 1919 and followed a proposal by Australian journalist Edward Honey, alongside similar suggestions from South Africa. King George V endorsed the practice.
The red poppy remains one of the most recognised symbols of remembrance. The flowers were among the first plants to grow on the devastated battlefields of the Western Front after the fighting, inspiring their association with those who died in the war.
The symbol gained prominence after Canadian military doctor and poet Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields in 1915, inspired by poppies growing on the battlefields.
American Moina Michael and Frenchwoman Anna Guérin later helped popularise the wearing of artificial poppies as a symbol of remembrance. The first Poppy Day in Britain and Canada was held in 1921, with proceeds supporting veterans and their families.
This year, the Sydney Opera House was illuminated with red poppies ahead of Remembrance Day, continuing the international tradition of marking the occasion and honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Photo: Returned & Services League of Australia – NSW Branch (RSL NSW)
