November 11 is Remembrance and Veterans Day

 

 

Remembrance Day in Canada, Veterans Day in the United States, and Remembrance Sunday in the United Kingdom all trace their origins to the end of the First World War. The armistice that ended hostilities on the eleventh hour of the eleventh month (November 11, 1918). This inspired a shared tradition of commemorating the sacrifices made by soldiers. In all three countries, the first observances were known as Armistice Day. Over time, however, each nation adapted the commemoration to reflect its own historical experiences and cultural values. Canada and the United Kingdom retained a focus on remembering the fallen, while the United States broadened the meaning of the day to honor all those who served in its armed forces. 

The tone and purpose of these observances reveal subtle but important differences between our cultures. In Canada and the United Kingdom, Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday are solemn occasions centered on honoring those who lost their lives in military service. Ceremonies, moments of silence, and the wearing of red poppies encourage reflection and collective mourning. By contrast, Veterans Day in the United States is more celebratory, expressing gratitude toward all veterans—both living and deceased—for their service and dedication. While still respectful and reflective, the American observance emphasizes national pride and appreciation rather than mourning and loss.

 Each country’s traditions highlight how remembrance reflects its national character. In Canada, citizens pause for two minutes of silence at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, often gathering at war memorials as the poem “In Flanders Fields” is recited. We also buy poppies to wear on our jackets (proceeds support our vets) And at the service, we leave them on the Cenotaph. 
The United States marks Veterans Day with parades, ceremonies, and speeches honoring those who served, particularly at Arlington National Cemetery. 
In the United Kingdom, the main national ceremony takes place at the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday, where the royal family, politicians, and veterans lay wreaths in a deeply formal and dignified service. 
Together, these observances demonstrate a shared respect for military sacrifice, expressed in ways that reflect each nation’s history, values, and identity.

  

 

 

Today, Our Peep will be at the Kettle Valley Cenotaph. Wreaths will be laid, Taps will be played (on the bag pipes by Moi!) and In Flanders Fields will be recited. Oh and Mom will leave her poppy on the Cenotaph. 

 

 

 

 

 

Veterans and Rememberance Day

 

What is Remembrance Day?

Remembrance Day is observed in many Commonwealth countries, including Canada, to remember those who died in military service, and honour those who served in wartime. It is observed across Canada each year on 11 November — the anniversary of the Armistice agreement of 1918 that ended the First World War. On Remembrance Day, public ceremonies and church services often include the playing of “Last Post,” a reading of the fourth stanza of the poem “For the Fallen,” and two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. Wreaths are laid at local war memorials and assemblies are held in schools. Millions of Canadians wear red poppy pins in the weeks leading up to and on 11 November in remembrance.

 

The Poppy

 The symbol of Remembrance Day is the red poppy, which grows on the First World War battlefields of Flanders (in Belgium) and northern France. As the artillery barrages began to churn the earth in late 1914, the fields of Flanders and northern France saw scores of red poppies appear.

The first person to use the poppy as a symbol of remembrance was American Moina Michael, who had been inspired by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields.” Michael pledged in 1918 “always to wear a red poppy of Flanders Fields as a sign of remembrance and the emblem of ‘keeping the faith with all who died,’” referencing a line in the poem.

Members of the Canadian Legion sell the poppies and the funds raised go to help those Veteran's in need. The tradition in many places in Canada (including our local war memorial)  is to place their poppies on on the memorial after the ceremony.

 

Mom's Grampa was in the First World War in the trenches and as an ambulance driver. He met   Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae who wrote "In Flander's Fields".

Mom will be watching the wreath layings on TV this year and we will hang out with her!