Ninety-nine years ago, at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, the bells tolled to remember the dead.
In 1919, Britain and other Commonwealth and Western countries, marked the end of the First World War with Armistice Day. The name changed to Remembrance Day in 1931 and generations later the tradition remains.
The original ceremonies were meant to honour the dead and surviving veterans of the so-called B次元官网网址淕reat War,B次元官网网址� but in the years since, casualties and survivors from the Second World War, Korean War, U.N. peacekeeping missions, and more recently, missions in Afghanistan and Iraq have been added to that list.
Remembrance Day holds the same significance today, but with a larger number of veterans honoured.
B次元官网网址淥ver the last 20 years, itB次元官网网址檚 become more and more meaningful,B次元官网网址� says David Zimmerman, professor of military history at the University of Victoria.
B次元官网网址淭oday, now, we have a greater presence of people who have fought in conflicts in Canada. ItB次元官网网址檚 become a much more current thing.B次元官网网址�
More than 40,000 Canadians served in the Afghanistan conflict, something many people donB次元官网网址檛 realize, including numerous people living in Victoria.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 become much more important now to Canadians to remember those people who have gone out and fought, and in many cases not returned, fighting for our country,B次元官网网址� he said.
The red poppy, too, remains a strong symbol of the commemoration of veterans and fallen soldiers. Largely attributed to Canadian poet John McCraeB次元官网网址檚 poem In Flanders Fields, the poppy became an almost universal symbol because it was the first flower to take hold and bloom in the cemeteries, even during the war.
However, even before the West declared war on Nazi Germany, some groups in Britain wanted a new symbol to remember times of war: the white poppy. Revived at various times through the 1960s, B次元官网网址�70s and B次元官网网址�80s, it was used by some to symbolize peace, especially on Nov. 11.
Even John McCreaB次元官网网址檚 poem has been used as anti-war symbol. But according to Zimmerman, thatB次元官网网址檚 not the purpose of the red poppy nor Remembrance Day itself.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no way John McCreaB次元官网网址檚 poem can be read and be seen as anti-war. In fact, itB次元官网网址檚 a call for people to join up, to make sure the sacrifice of those who are dying, that they havenB次元官网网址檛 died in vain,B次元官网网址� he said.
While Zimmerman has no problem with people advocating for peace, the white poppy is considered offensive by many veterans, he said.
B次元官网网址淭hey have been very adamant that they donB次元官网网址檛 want this day hijacked. TheyB次元官网网址檙e quite happy to have people have their own day when they want to commemorate [peace], but they would prefer [the symbol] not be a white poppy because they feel it confuses people.B次元官网网址�
Remembrance Day and the red poppy are about commemorating fallen soldiers and the people who sacrificed their lives, he said. The day and the ceremonies themselves have even become part of our national identity.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the community sending the message to the veterans and the families, particularly the families of those who did not return, that we honour and respect your sacrifice,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淵ou have that incredible moment where they play Taps, and then two minutes of silence at exactly 11 oB次元官网网址檆lock, the lowering of the flag and the raising of the flag, the music thatB次元官网网址檚 played. All of this is very, very powerful and is designed to remember and to pay tribute to those who have served.
B次元官网网址淚f any group of people deserve this sort of tribute, itB次元官网网址檚 those who serve in our armed forces.B次元官网网址�
