Remembrance Day

11 November 1918 marks the end of the hostilities in the Great World War I after more than four long years of continuous warfare. The Allied Powers were at war with the Central Powers during World War I. United Kingdom, France and the Russian Empire were the key members of the Allied Powers. Many other countries like Belgium, Serbia, Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Greece, Romania and United States later joined the Allied Powers and were drawn into the war. Central Powers consisted of the German Empire, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire (Turkish Empire). It is on this day when the Germans called in for a peace settlement by surrendering to the allied terms. Also called as Armistice Day, it is observed as a way of remembering those brave soldiers who died in the war. Armistice generally means a scenario where both the parties at war decide to stop fighting (but not necessarily to end the war).

On the first anniversary of the Remembrance Day, a two minute silence was observed as part of the ceremony on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in London. King George V had personally requested all people of the British Empire to suspend activities for two minutes as a mark of respect to the brave soldiers, on the hour of the armistice. The second anniversary of Armistice was significant due to the return of the remains of some unknown soldiers. The remains were received with full military honours and buried at Westminster Abbey in London and Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

The red poppy was accepted as the official flower of remembrance to be worn on Armistice Day. This flower was chosen, as they were among the first plants that sprouted from the battlefield of France and Belgium. In soldiers’ folklore the poppies were red due to them being nurtured in the ground that was drenched with the blood of the brave soldiers. In 1945, after the end of World War II, the Australian and British governments changed the name from Armistice Day to Remembrance Day, to honour all who lost their lives in the war.

Ceremony in Melbourne at the Shrine of Remembrance
On Remembrance Day, a ceremony is held at the famous landmark of Melbourne, the Shrine of Remembrance. Located on St Kilda Road and just south of the Melbourne City (or the Central Business District) and built between 1928 and 1934, this permanent monument stands as a symbol honouring the lives of all men and women who had served and fought in the great war of 1914-1918. In spite of the financial difficulty and unemployment faced by the people then, the debt people owed to these great men and women was too huge to ignore. So a fundraiser/appeal was organised in 1928. In six months time a huge amount required to build the monument was raised. There was a huge competition among architects and artists in producing the design for the monument. 83 designs were submitted and the winning design was by two Melbourne returned soldier architects. Prince Henry, son of King George V, officially opened the monument/Shrine in 1934. Since then, other memorials added to the site as well.

In the heart of the Shrine, is the Stone of Remembrance. It is a marble stone sunk below the pavement. No hands may touch it. Visitors have to bow their heads to read the inscription: GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN

Shrine has a very special feature called the Ray of Light. At 11am on 11 November, a ray of light actually illuminates the word “LOVE” on the above inscription. The credit for this special feature goes to the collective minds of a skilled mathematician, astronomer and a surveyor. It is believed to continue doing so for 5000 years at least. In 1954, after the end of World War II, a memorial forecourt was added to the Shrine, where you also find the Eternal Flame. It was lit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1954.

This year the ceremony in Melbourne had an added significance. It is also the 75th anniversary of the Shrine since its official opening in 1934. School children holding wreaths of poppies arrived at the Shrine to attend the ceremony and to pay respect by observing silence. Performances by the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) Museum aircraft, Victorian Girls Choir, Victorian Boys Choir and the Australian Army Band were also part of the ceremonial function.

Let me end this blog by adding another noteworthy incident that happened on 11 November 2009. Angela Merkel is the first German Chancellor to attend the Armistice Day function in France. Angela Merkel and the French President Nicolas Sarkozy together participated in the function and laid a wreath on the tomb of unknown soldiers. It was marked as a “historic act” symbolizing the wish to strengthen the relations between the two nations.


Thank you for reading.



[Above information sourced from the following links and a few more. Please google for more details.
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/remembrance/
http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/remembrance/ceremony.asp
http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/customs/poppies.asp
http://www.shrine.org.au/content.asp?Document_ID=1
http://www.defence.gov.au/Army/2_Minutes_Silence.asp
http://www.dva.gov.au/commems_oawg/...ive_events/organise_events/Pages/silence.aspx
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/11/merkel-sarkozy-armistice-paris]

 

Dear Ayyan
That is brilliantly said! I have nothing to respond back to you. I am sure all of us share the same view with you.

 

Dear Shanvy/Ami/Deraj and Manjula
Firstly thank you for reading through. I can't agree more on the sentiments that all of you have expressed, including what Ayyan has said. War in the name of anything is a gruesome act.

 

Nice to see you here Monifa dear! (wow that rhymes nicely HERE and DEAR ). Thank you for stopping by to read. I am enjoying doing this at the moment and glad to know that there are others like you who do take the time to come and read, which is encouraging. It is a learning excercise for me.