We will remember them

Thursday, November 11 was of course Remembrance Day, a national day of memorial observed in commonwealth member states when we can all stop, and in the two minute silence think about all the service men and women in the first world war and since who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The two minute silence marks the day the armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany which brought the end to the first world war. Hostilities formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Prior to the two minute silence the Last Post is sounded.

The poppy has become the enduring symbol of remembrance, and was first sold in Britain in 1921 to raise money for the Earl Haig Fund in support of ex-servicemen and the families of those who died in the conflict.

Poppy sales have continued ever since, raising huge amounts of much needed revenue, and throughout the country, serving and ex-service men and women together with an army of willing volunteers brave the weather to man their stalls and give us all the opportunity to show our respect and gratitude by buying and wearing our poppies with pride.

The day is normally commemorated with services and parades of remembrance but sadly, due to the pandemic, many memorial services have had to be cancelled this year. Thankfully there are many static displays across the country to mark such a special occasion.

Arriving at Kings Cross station, as I did last week, I saw the display in the photograph above which I wanted to share, what made it even more poignant were the displays in front of the giant poppy reminding us all of the seriousness of climate change and what collectively we are doing to our planet.

So many men and women fought and died for our freedom, for peace and to make our world a better place, what would they have thought, had they been alive today, seeing what a mess has been made of the world we have created and live in.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.

Image Credits: Nick Forman .