Remember

[Paleskin]

11am today,never ever forget 

[Doomhippie]

was still asleep at that time. Did I miss anything?

[Driscoles]

Compiègne 11th of November 1918

[Drunkendwarf]

Veteransday or Armistice day; end of WWI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_Day

DJ

(I had to google this one  )

[obsidian3d]

Remembrance Day in Canada. Both of my grandfathers and numerous uncles served. It's very important to me to remember the sacrifices they and thousands of others made, and still make today.

Our family was lucky, everyone came home and lived long happy lives. Not everyone was so fortunate.

[dadlamassu]

Today just after 1100, our grandson laid a poppy on behalf of his nursery.  He was cold but stood on parade with the rest of us without a sound. 



We will remember them.

[Wirelizard]

I went down to our main cenotaph today; it's both Victoria's city memorial and to some extent the provincial memorial, as we're the provincial capital. The city is also one of two major naval bases in the country, so we get a huge RCN contingent. Our local infantry reserve battalion is the Canadian Scottish (Princess Mary's), so not only to we get the Navy's band, we get the CanScot's pipe & drum band during the march-off after the ceremony.

The rain even stopped for a couple of hours, and we had a good turnout. Lots of kids there, they often have the best view up on someone's shoulders!

[Blodwin]

Excellent photo

[Sterling Moose]

I remembered:

[Ignatieff]

Great photos.  Well done chaps

[smirnoff]

On Sunday I was travelling to Devon to watch my lad play rugby for Glous.
Me and my mate stopped at a Costa Coffee on the A361; they had a telly on.
At 11.00 the cafe hushed and stood to a man; all serving stopped; all machines were turned off and this bunch of total strangers came together to respect the memory of our fallen.
Sad but proud event.

[Koppi]

In 2004 I visited London on the 14th of November. I was so impressed to see all those red wreaths - maybe one of you can explain a german the meaning of it - at the memorials. Really great tradition.

[fastolfrus]

Koppi -
It dates back to the armistice to end the Great War, 11 am 11th November.
The red poppies probably came about because of a poem:
"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."

Originally the paper poppies were made in factories by ex-servicemen, and they get sold to raise funds for the British Legion (a services charity).

[fastolfrus]

You will find footage of the memorial service on the BBC:
tv footage
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ny2z1
radio coverage
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nszsw

and of course there's Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Sunday

[fastolfrus]

Not just London.
Nearly every town and village in the UK has a memorial - in some towns it's a large stone obelisk or statue, on others it's a memorial hall or a memorial hospital. Depends on what the locals raised funds for.
We are in a small-ish provincial town on the coast of North Yorkshire, and have a large stone obelisk above the town (on the tallest local hill).
We have two services, one on the hilltop and a second one in the harbour around the lifeboat station.
Alasdair's old school has a service on the nearest schoolday before 11th November:
http://www.scarboroughcollege.co.uk/2012/11/remembrance-day-assembly-2012/

As an IB school there are quite a few German students now, I will ask one about their views on the day.