What exactly is the difference between yesterday's rememberance ceremonies, laying of wreaths, wearing of poppies, playing of the last post, minute's silence, and today's rememberance ceremonies, laying of wreaths, wearing of poppies, playing the last post, minute's silence? Couldn't both be rolled into one as they seem to both be about exactly the same thing?
[News] Excuse my ignorance, but why TWO rememberance days?
- Thread starter goldstone
- Start date
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
theboybilly
Well-known member
Rather fittingly you won't have this issue next year as the 11th November falls on a Sunday.
Brok
🦡
- Dec 26, 2011
- 4,373
...
I think yesterday is known as armistice day 11/11 and today is known as Remembrance Sunday always the closest Sunday to the aforementioned. [emoji3]
Hastings gull
Well-known member
- Nov 23, 2013
- 4,652
Yesterdays was presumably because it was the actual day, notably the 11th, and traditionally the ceremony in London is held on a Sunday close to the 11th. Might this be for no better reason than less disruption to traffic is caused on a Sunday plus those wishing to attend are more likely not to be working. I don't know exactly - perhaps someone in the know can assist.
ManOfSussex
We wunt be druv
Remembrance Sunday is always the second Sunday in November.
theboybilly
Well-known member
A lot of truth in that no doubt but at the end of hostilities the only day the nation could have come together en mass was on a Sunday (when the vast majority attended church) Armistice Day has always been 'lower key' in my experience although it seems to be more observed in the last few years. I try to attend an event on both days but many can't because of other commitments
burnee54
East Upper Hermit
...and 100 year's anniversary.
Brok
🦡
- Dec 26, 2011
- 4,373
I am sure that thousands of men who lost their lives would have preferred to have had other commitments, too.
very true, however corrected for you......
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
And women.
Armistice Day was fixed in 1918, as 11th November in the 11th hour of the 11th month, when the guns fell silent. Everybody used to stop work and hold their two minute silences.
As said, Remembrance Sunday became fixed as it was easier to stop the traffic for memorial services, but a lot of organisations do both.
BensGrandad
New member
Most supermarkets and other shops and businesses observe the 2 mins silence at 11am on 11th day of the 11th month.
Most stores observe both Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, as it ought to be.
Creaky
Well-known member
I thought that Remembrance Sunday started, and in the main continues, as a day of religious ceremonies to remember the fallen.
Cadiz Seagull
Grey bearded old man
The First Word War ended at the eleventh hour of the eleventh month in 1918 although the actual cease fire was signed six hours earlier; they had to allow time for the soldiers on the front line to be notified to stop fighting at 11 (although some of them did not receive that notification in time and continued fighting after 11)
The Treaty of Versailles which technically ended the war wasn't signed until the next year, 1919, which is why a few war memorials have 1914-1919 as the dates, including the one in Grand Avenue in Hove.
Remembrance Sunday was set as the nearest Sunday to the 11th November (the 11th November was known as Armistice Day) and it's only relatively recently (maybe 20 years or so) that people have started to officially remember on the actual day, the 11th. Certainly when I was a kid it was only commemorated on Remembrance Sunday, not the 11th itself except when that was a Sunday.
If I was a pedant I might point out that as the war ended in Belgium and France the 11 o'clock might not correct, because 11 o'clock in UK is 12 o'clock in Europe.
Whether it was actually 11 or 12 o'clock in Europe I don't know; maybe it was 12 which allowed Britain to use the eleventh hour of the eleventh month phrase.
As I said, if I was a pedant I would point this out.
But I'm not, so I won't.
The Treaty of Versailles which technically ended the war wasn't signed until the next year, 1919, which is why a few war memorials have 1914-1919 as the dates, including the one in Grand Avenue in Hove.
Remembrance Sunday was set as the nearest Sunday to the 11th November (the 11th November was known as Armistice Day) and it's only relatively recently (maybe 20 years or so) that people have started to officially remember on the actual day, the 11th. Certainly when I was a kid it was only commemorated on Remembrance Sunday, not the 11th itself except when that was a Sunday.
If I was a pedant I might point out that as the war ended in Belgium and France the 11 o'clock might not correct, because 11 o'clock in UK is 12 o'clock in Europe.
Whether it was actually 11 or 12 o'clock in Europe I don't know; maybe it was 12 which allowed Britain to use the eleventh hour of the eleventh month phrase.
As I said, if I was a pedant I would point this out.
But I'm not, so I won't.
I'm sure this is the reason we have remembrance Sunday because it was about a church service and then a parade (or vice versa).
With regard to the OP, quite staggered that someone asked the question in the first place. I'm assuming Goldstone isn't some whippersnapper and has witnessed this for years!
AmexRuislip
Retired Spy 🕵️♂️
Edit
- Thread starter
- #18
Never really noticed the two days in the past. Maybe it's a higher profile this year, or maybe it's because they're on consecutive days. But I still think they should be combined into one day of rememberance. Having two just dissipates the effect. If one can "over remember", then that's what's happeneing this year.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
Having two doubles the effect. One takes nothing from the other. I attended two (not boasting) and did so, because I wanted to.
Have to agree with you. Seems to be an inconvenience to some!