What is Remembrance Day?
Remembrance Day and the Two Minute Silence have been observed since the end of the First World War. At 11 o’clock, on the 11th November, the nation stops to remember those who fought for our freedom during the two World Wars and those who have lost their lives in more recent conflicts. Today, with troops on duty in Afghanistan and other trouble spots around the world, Remembrance, and this two minute tribute are as important as ever.
For more information on how to support Remembrance Day and the national events taking place, visit the British Legion Website
What is the Passing of the WW1 Generation event?
2009 saw the passing of the three remaining veterans of the First World War living in the UK; 108-year-old William Stone in January, and both Henry Allingham, 113, and Harry Patch, 111, in July.
To mark the passing of the WW1 generation, a national event will not only recognise the service and sacrifice of Armed Forces personnel in the First World War but also mark the wider contribution of people, civilian and military, across the British Empire and will take place in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.
Attendance at the service will be by invitation only, but the congregation will consist of a broad cross-section of the population of the United Kingdom, with links to the War. The Lord Lieutenants in each county will nominate people to represent their areas. Attendees will also include members of the Armed Forces and the Government, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and other VIPs.
The Abbey’s most famous WWI connection is the grave of the Unknown Warrior. It’s located at the west end of the Nave and contains the body of a British Serviceman from the First World War, unknown by name or rank, whose body was brought from France to be buried there on 11 November 1920. The grave, which contains soil from France, is covered by a slab of black Belgian marble from a quarry near Namur. For more information, visit the Westminster Abbey’s website
![A soldier stands before a carpet of red poppy wreaths at a Remembrance Parade in London [Picture: Sergeant Mick Howard, Crown Copyright/MOD]](images/remem-day-2.jpg "A soldier stands before a carpet of red poppy wreaths at a Remembrance Parade in London [Picture: Sergeant Mick Howard, Crown Copyright/MOD]")
Learning about the People of the Great War
Millions of men and women from across the Empire served in the UK Armed Forces during the First World War which saw more than one million British and Commonwealth troops lose their lives.
The WWI generation included those associated with the horrors of the trenches, those engaged in duties at sea and in the air, and those working back home in vital support roles. The War left an enduring impact on those serving, on the nation and, indeed, on the World as a whole.
To help young people learn about the WW1 generation, the Imperial War Museum, in association with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and with support from the Minister for Veterans, have produced a thought provoking educational resource for schools: People of the Great War: Shaping the Modern World. A copy of the resource was sent free to every school across the UK in October 2008 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armistice. To find other education resources, and ideas about how your school can engage young people in themes around Remembrance Day, go to the education section of this website.
