Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day marks the end of the First World War. It has been marked on 11th November every year since 1919. On 11th November 1918 at 11 am, the Armistice, or peace was signed between Britain and her allies and Germany and theirs. In this post, we will explore the history of Remembrance Day and how it has evolved over the past century.
Armistice Day 1918
On 10th November 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated and the new German government sought a peace treaty with the allied forces (Britain, America, France and their allies). A peace treaty, or an Armistice (Latin for stand still one’s arms) was signed at around 5 am on the morning of 11th November 1918. The treaty agreed to cease fighting at 11 am on that day. On the final day of fighting 10,944 were injured and 2,738 of those died. The daily casualties were unusually high and indicate that with peace on the horizon, each side fought with increased ferocity on the final day of the war. The treaty was signed by Ferdinand Foch, supreme commander of the Allied forces and the German representative, Matthias Erzberger at Le Francport near Compiègne in Northern France.
The estimated death toll of civilian and military personnel lies in the region of 15 to 22 million deaths. Britain and her colonies lost around 2% of its population in the Great War. Every family was touched in some way by this war which was one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history. When news reached the British Isles that a treaty had been signed after four years of intense fighting it was naturally met with jubilation. Crowds gathered in the streets, parades were held and marching bands celebrated this monumental moment in human history.
The following year, on 7th November King George V announced that the nation would observe a two-minute silence on 11th November 1919. The suggestion was put forward by Australian journalist Edward George Honey some months earlier. It was a time for the country to pause their daily lives and to remember the sacrifices their fathers, brothers, sons and friends had made. The Times described these two minutes as ‘a great awful silence’. The very first Remembrance Day event was held at Buckingham Palace that year.
The Unknown Warrior
On 11th November 1920, the funeral of the Unknown Warrior took place. The body, which was selected at random in France was taken to England and placed into a coffin made from trees from Hampton Court Palace. The coffin was met by crowds who lined the streets. It stopped at the Cenotaph which was unveiled by King George V. At 11 am, a 2-minute silence was observed. This brought the whole nation to a standstill. Buses stopped, and the stock exchange paused, it was a poignant moment in our history. The coffin containing the Unknown Warrior then made its way to Westminster Abbey where it was met with hymns and crowds.
The Unknown Warrior received so much attention from the general public because of its anonymity. Lying in that grave could be anyone’s son, father, brother, and yet also everyone’s son, father, brother. The body could have served in the army, navy or airforce and could have come from anywhere in the British Empire.
The Poppy
Poppies are now synonymous with Remembrance Day. In the warzones of France and Belgium, the landscape was bleak. Soldiers struggled with appalling conditions living in mud-filled trenches. Yet one colourful symbol survived and became a beacon of hope in the barren landscape – the poppy. This hardy flower grew in large numbers in these unimaginable conditions. There are accounts of the poppy growing amongst the dead in French fields during the Napoleonic wars. The sight of these poppies on the Western front caught the eye of Canadian Doctor John McCrae who was serving in Ypres in 1915. He put his literary skills to full use in creating the poignant poem ‘In Flanders Field.’ This powerful poem was first printed in Punch and eventually caught the attention of Monia Michael, she wrote in response ‘And now the Torch and Poppy Red, we wear in honour of our dead…’
The first poppies were sold in Britain in 1921 and we intended to act as a marker of respect for the fallen and the missing. They were also a symbol of peace. The flower became so popular that the Royal British Legion opened a factory in 1922 to manufacture the poppy and employ ex-servicemen to produce them still today. The profits from the sales fund are used to assist ex-servicemen and women.
A Time to Remember
During the Interwar years, Remembrance Day continued to be commemorated. The day was an opportunity to pray for peace in the world. Services were similar to those we hold today. Services were conducted in churches up and dow the country and throughout the Commonwealth. The Cenotaphs which had sprung up in towns and villages throughout the UK also became gathering places for Remembrance services.
During World War II, commemorations which had previously taken place every year on 11th November were halted. Instead, these services took place on the Sunday preceding 11th November. This decision was taken primarily to ensure that the production of military equipment and other necessities did not cease during the week.
Following the Second World War, Remembrance Day included the fallen soldiers of this recent conflict. And today, we remember all our fallen soldiers from all recent conflicts including the Falklands War, and the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts of the 21st century.
A Personal Note
Although this is not my area of expertise, Remembrance Day is something I feel incredibly passionate about. Many of us remember grandparents and Great-grandparents who either fought in the First World War or who lived through it. For us lucky ones who knew those from that remarkable generation, the Great War is in the not-so-distant past. We experienced the echoes of this time, heard the stories of war and civilian life and heard the horror in the voices of those who told their tales. These men and women must never be forgotten. Their sacrifices are inconceivable to us who are fortunate enough to be far removed from such times and experiences.
I dedicate this post to my two Great-Grandfathers Frank (1910 – 1994) and John (1911 – 2004) who I was fortunate enough to know in the winter years of their lives and benefit from their harrowing tales of the twentieth-century wars.
