November 11th is Remembrance Day. It is also known as Poppy Day. Remembrance Day marks memorial day which take place every year to remember countries in the Commonwealth whose members of the armed forces lost their lives serving their country. Remembrance Day is always on the 11th of November (11/11). It was on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, that combat in World War came to an end in 1918.
On November 11, 1918, at 11 o’clock in Paris, France time, the Armistice, between Germany and the Allies, was signed to mark the end of the Great War, World War I. Remembrance Day is also called Armistice Day in other countries, in and out, of the Commonwealth. In the United States it is referred to as Veteran’s Day.
Remembrance Day has been observed since 1919. The poppy (papaver rhoeas) is said to grow naturally in Western Europe soils. It was one of the first flowers to bloom on the battlefields amongst the strewn bodies of the fallen soldiers.
Their bright red colour symbolised the blood shed during the conflict, it also symbolises the hope of new life, and the poppy became the symbol of Remembrance Day.
In Sri Lanka the funds collected from the selling of paper poppies goes to the the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association. You can contribute by buying poppy flowers, poppy wreaths and tills from the SLESA Headquarters in Colombo.
Wear a Poppy this Remembrance Day to remember the slain heroes and to support the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association.
