Armistice Day Remembers Soldiers Who Sacrificed Their Lives

Armistice Day is commemorated each year on 11 November, marking the pact that ended the First World War in 1918. The agreement was signed at 5:45 am in a railway carriage in Compiègne, France, and it took effect at the 'eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.' This day is dedicated to reflecting on the sacrifices of British soldiers in both World War I and subsequent conflicts. The observance began to honor the fallen, including soldiers who died during and after the First World War. Notably, George Edwin Ellison of Leeds is recognized as the last British combatant to die in the conflict, just before the armistice came into effect. Over time, this date has transitioned into an annual occasion for collective remembrance throughout the Commonwealth and is known as Veterans Day in the United States. The silence observed on this day has origins in a desire to remember the fallen, credited to the mayor of Cape Town and Edward George Honey, who promoted the concept in the aftermath of the war. The tradition reflects a significant shift in public sentiment towards honoring individual soldiers rather than celebrating military triumphs. Additionally, the wearing of the poppy flower symbolizes remembrance, first proposed by Moina Belle Michael and inspired by the poem 'In Flanders Fields' by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, emphasizing resilience and hope in the face of war's devastation.