Lest we forget
For our tomorrow,
They gave their today.
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the guns of Western Europe fell silent after four years of hell and bloodshed. The Armistice treaty was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest and marked the end of The Great War (now called WWI)
Red poppies - Flanders Poppies - were among the first plants to spring up in the devastated battlefields of northern France and Belgium. In soldiers' folklore, the vivid red of the poppy came from the blood of their comrades drenching the ground. It is for this reason the humble red poppy is worn on Remembrance Day to remember, honour and pay homage to all those who died.
THE ODE
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn,
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
From "For The Fallen" Laurence Binyon (1869–1943)
The Last Post
More information about Remembrance Day here.
Wow, the scenery here is breathtaking. I think it is a very good idea to remember all those who have sacrificed their lifes and died for the country. It makes us realise how lucky we are to experience peace and to be free from the hardships caused by war.
ReplyDeleteWe call it "Veterans Day." We will honor two local WWII veterans at our Wednesday Rotary lunch meeting.
ReplyDeleteA very appropriate and well done post! And I had forgotten about poppies, so thank you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful homage dear friend!
ReplyDeleteYour video and pictures are very touched!
Léia
We will never forget their sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteincredible place!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. Wonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteWe were in London last week and so many people were wearing these poppies on their lapels. Beautiful image, great post.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent post, with the remembrance ode. Although in the US the day has been called "Veterans Day" since 1954, Veterans still hand out the red poppies.
ReplyDelete