By: Andrea Ketis
Introduction
In Canada, Remembrance Day is a memorial day marked by parades and moments of silence to commemorate those who lost their lives in the line of duty. This event is typically observed by Commonwealth countries such as Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom, every year on November 11 at 11:00 a.m. Remembrance Day is also the anniversary of the Armistice Agreement signed in 1918, which ended World War I.
By remembering their efforts, we pay tribute to those who fought and gave their lives to create a better country and future for those who would come after them.
Symbolism of Poppies
During this event, people around the world wear red poppy flowers to honour the soldiers who have fallen and to show hope for a peaceful future. The poppy represents consolation, remembrance, and death; it is also a common symbol of sleep, peace, and rebirth. To this day, these flowers grow vividly on the First World War battlefields of Flanders, in Belgium, and in Northern France.
The idea of using poppies as an emblem for remembrance was first conceived by Monia Belle Michael, an American professor, humanitarian, and remembrance advocate. In November 1918, she was inspired by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae’s poem, “In Flanders Fields,” and its description of vibrant red poppies growing on the battlefields of World War I. Until her death in 1944, she proposed and peacefully campaigned for red silk or paper flowers to be worn in memory of fallen soldiers. Over time, memorial poppies were recognized by governments, veteran agencies, and the public and became a symbol of military sacrifice worldwide. She pledged “always to wear a red poppy of Flanders Fields as the emblem of ‘keeping the faith with all who died’,” referencing a line in the poem. She soon became known as the “Poppy Lady.”
Public Ceremonies and Church Services
On Remembrance Day, several public ceremonies are held by churches and schools in Canada to commemorate this event. The National Ceremony typically takes place at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Canada’s most prominent domestic war monument. This ceremony is nationally televised and attended by the governor general, the prime minister, senior Royal Canadian Legion officials, and a vast parade of people and veterans.
Specifically, the “Last Post” is played on the bugle: a poignant tune which was one of the evening regulation calls signalling the completion of sentry posts during World War I. The fourth stanza from Laurence Binyon’s poem, “For the Fallen” (more commonly known as the “Ode of Remembrance”) is also recited to commemorate wartime service and sacrifice. This poem serves to remind us that the soldiers who bravely lost their lives no longer have to worry about the future, knowing that their efforts will live on in the minds and hearts of the citizens of the country they fought to preserve. As stated by the poet Binyon, “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn them.” Services typically conclude with two minutes of silence at 11:00 a.m.
Conclusion
Remembrance Day is an important event in Canada and worldwide, honouring the veterans of World Wars I and II. By remembering their efforts, we pay tribute to those who fought and gave their lives to create a better country and future for those who would come after them.