General Chat

Are you telling me you don't celebrate Nov. 11th ON Nov. 11, isn't that just ........ umm strange :-S What is the point of it if it is not on Nov 11th????

Actually we have 2 minutes silence on Remembrance Sunday and also on the 11th.

"In Britain, beginning in 1939, the two-minute silence was moved to the Sunday nearest to 11 November in order not to interfere with wartime production should 11 November fall on a weekday. After the end of World War II, most Armistice Day events were moved to the nearest Sunday and began to commemorate both World Wars. "

However there is a two minute silence on the actual day 11.11. and many ( most ?) people observe that still as well as the Sunday services.

I observe the 2 minute silence on Nov 11th.
I have been 'caught' at work, picking up a ringing phone during this time - and putting it down again :-| - this has been recorded against me as well.

Jeez, it's only 2 minutes!!!

Oh well, if you say so! :-S

What makes you think we don't, Shy?

Was reading that you had it on Sunday but that don't seem right as the war ended on the 11 not on a specific day.

like RMS ...............

I'm always amazed that you don't have the Cenotaph services and full observance on the date, but on the nearest Sunday



mind you, I think Canada must be the only country in the Commonwealth that has a a public holiday and statutory Day of Observance on November 11th, that is observed in all three territories and in six of the ten provinces (Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec being the exceptions).

I just bit my tongue ;-)

oh dear


do hope you haven't done serious damage to your tongue ;-)

maybe!......I bit it so hard that I nearly bit it off.

I hear that a good surgeon might be able to stitch it back together again :-)

not sure about that.....first it went Red.....then White......Then Blue




I have to go now. I work part time as a detective and I also need to feed my police dog.

see you anon :-)

I would have thought they did it on a Sunday because most people didn't have to work... Now it is just another working day for most

From 1919 until 1945, Armistice Day observance was always on 11 November itself. It was then moved to the nearest Sunday because the silence caused problems in factories when machinery had to stop and then be restarted and output was lost at a time when Britain needed all the manufactured goods it could get.

After the 50th anniversary of WW2 ending there was lobbying to restore a silence to the 11th itself, while still maintaining the main commemoration for Remembrance Sunday. This is not so "observed" by the general public as the Sunday one, in my experience.

11 Nov is a statutory day off in France, parades to the war memorial, wearing of blue badges, very big lunch, "where is the 8th company on TV" (funny war movie) and so on. Very little actual history on TV etc far too scratchy.
Unlike the UK, Anzac, USA or Canada France had the bitter experience of occupation, traitors ( in ww2 only one prefect, Jean Moulin, refused to support the Bosche) and large scale civilian deaths and destruction. The scars run deep.

Germany doesn't bother itself with such ceremonies.

Nein

http://www.thirdreichruins.com/memorials.htm

On the 11th in UK there will be an offical 2 min silence most observe it,and stop on pavements ,shops schools and many official offices......Sunday will see the parades taking part and televised parades from round the world.so many other countries also observe Sunday as rememberence day.