Remember the Fallen and Celebrate the Armistice

A minute of silence is given on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month to remember those who died in the service to their country.  A minute of silence is a pretty powerful thing and this is probably where a lot of minds go when they think of something associated with Remembrance Day. 

But like all observances, there are more symbols and gestures that go with an observance.  And what we do here isn't quite like what happens elsewhere to celebrate the armistice that brought the end to the first World War.

The poppy is probably the next best thing identified with concerning Remembrance Day.  It might actually be better associated with the day than the minute of silence.  Anyway, despite the poppy essentially being a weed, it has become the symbol of fallen soldiers (at least in the British Commonwealth) in large part because of the poem In Flanders' Fields.  The poem was written by Canadian army physician John McCrae and its opening lines can be found on the back of our 10 dollar bank note.  The poppy has also graced no fewer than three Canadian 25 cent pieces, the first of which was the first ever coloured coin made available for circulation.

Anyway, in Canada, the poppy is trademarked by the Royal Canadian Legion and they get some upset if you don't get their authorization before using it.  That said, here's an image of the poppy that shows the best possible way to keep it attached to an article of clothing, a Canada flag lapel pin.

As mentioned, the poppy is a symbol in other Commonwealth nations as well, although I believe it might not be quite as prominent as in Canada.  Britain uses it extensively, Australia and New Zealand much less.  Australia and New Zealand also don't do a whole lot on November 11, their observance in a similar vein is ANZAC Day on April 25.  That day is the anniversary of the first battle action of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps when they attacked Gallipoli.

In case you are wondering, April 22, 1915, is the first time the Canadians saw any fighting in the First World War.  I can't think of anything that has ever happened to commemorate that.  The better analogue to what the ANZACs did at Gallipoli would be what the Canadians did at Vimy.  That was April 9, 1917, which also tends to pass by unnoticed.  Though the Royal Newfoundland Legion observes ANZAC Day as their expeditionary force spent some time in Gallipoli in 1915.

But back to November 11.  Wreath laying is a common element of remembrance services.  They honour the fallen and the tradition dates back to ancient Greece and Rome.  In Canada and in other places, the focus of the national commemoration lies with the tomb of the unknown soldier.  This soldier is said to represent all of the country's war-dead.  In Canada, there is a special tradition of allowing a mother of a fallen combatant lay the wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier.  The mother is known as the Silver Cross mother and she is said to represent the all mothers across Canada who have lost a child in battle.

Australia has its own tradition, called the lone charger.  A single riderless horse leads a Remembrance Day procession, with boots that are placed backwards in the stirrups and without a saddle.  It's a pretty powerful image that the purpose of the event is to miss someone (many someones, really) that is no longer there. 

Perhaps the most unusual of all traditions comes from the Unites States of America where ravioli has become a traditional meal on November 11.  In the U.S., the day is known as Veterans Day and is the second day during the calendar year where that country recognizes its soldiers (the other being Memorial Day).  Apparently ravioli became a Veterans Day staple after then-President Woodrow Wilson invited 2000 U.S. soldiers to the White House for a meal.  President Wilson is also said to have participated in the preparation of the meal.