Everything But The Weed

Approved by:
Linda Maze, a Wedding photography Gainesville FL in Gainesville Florida

Every year at the beginning of November people young and old in the Great Britain and all other commonwealth nations start to wear a red poppy in the run up to Armistice Day on 11th November. Often known as Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom, it is the day we remember the men and women who have died in battle in the protection of their country. The Armistice was the deal that concluded World War I and it was signed on 11th November 1918 at 11am.

At 11 o’clock on the eleventh day of the 11th month, United Kingdom pauses for 2 minutes to observe a silence. Remembrance Sunday is observed on the second Sunday in November with marches, memorial services and the laying of wreaths at war memorials in cities, towns and villages all over  Great Britain. The image of Remembrance is the poppy and it has been adopted by the Royal British Legion who do so much good work to assist ex – service men and women.

The year after the end of World War I, King George V dedicated a day to recognize the individuals who had fallen all through the four year war and the first two minute silence was held in London on 11th November 1919 at 11am. The following day, the Manchester Guardian published that the 2 minute silence was impeccably observed. 

The poppy was chosen as the symbol of Remembrance for two reasons; its red colour reflected the bloodshed and the in the war torn fields of Flanders, the poppy was one of the few living things to blossom. The poppy is described in the poem “In Flanders Fields” which was published by the Canadian doctor John McCrae in 1915.

The design of the poppy worn as a symbolic representation of Remembrance varies slightly from country to country. In Great Britain, the arrangement of the poppy is a flat, firm paper leaf fitted on a plastic stem. Some also have a single green leaf and it is held in position with in a single pin. 

Wreaths laid at memorials on Armistice Day and throughout the year are usually made of artificial poppies and today countries every where have taken the poppy as the universal symbol of Remembrance.