“Lest We Forget”
This is a comment we hear all the time when November 11th comes around. It is a day that came out of the “War to end all wars”. A hopeful comment at the time but as we know, it was around 20 years later another war broke out.
In addition, those who survived the brutality of fighting were left either mentally or physically torn apart. World War I changed lines of succession in the British Empire, depleted male populations within different countries, and left both men and women questioning themselves or with life long issues.
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I include women because many women served as nurses, ambulance drivers, or worked in the signal core. Although, they were not soldiers, they were often in the front lines, experiencing much of the same thing.
World War 1 finally ended on the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. A year later, 11/11 was declared to be Armistice day in both America and the UK. Both the red poppy symbol and the famous words
“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.” by Robert Lawerence Binyon 1914
Are from people in World War 1. The red poppy is from the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae. Unfortunately, John McCrae died in January 1918 in France after working as a physician for Canadian Troops. On the other hand, Robert Lawerence Binyon worked as an orderly in France, so both saw the results of the fighting first hand.
Over time, this day has evolved from celebrating the end of World War I, to honoring all those who served in the military. Even now, people do a moment of silence at 11:00 on November 11 to remember all those who served their country. Let us hold all veterans in our hearts today and thank them for their service.
