Remembrance Day

Yesterday was Remembrance Day. At 11 o'clock, the whole school participated in a prayer service. Many of the children and teachers were wearing poppies, which have a special meaning. We made some in class and learned about some of the things we do on Remembrance Day and why we have it.

Remembrance Day - At 11am on the 11th day of the the 11th month, in 1918, the First World War ended. We now call this Remembrance Day as a way to remind us about how awful war is and how we should try to live peacefully so that people don't have to live through war again.

Poppies - We wear poppies as a sign of respect. The significance of poppies comes from a poem written by an army doctor called John McCrae, in 1915, called In Flanders' Field. His hospital was close to a field where they had been burying the soldiers who had died. Many poppies were growing between the graves, so he wrote a poem that starts like this:

In Flanders’ Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row

One Minute Silence - During the service, we have one minute silence. During this time, everyone thinks about the meaning of the day and about the people who have been killed or injured in wars.

Last Post -This is a tune played on a bugle at the start of the one minute silence. It was traditionally played at the end of the work day for soldiers, but now it's played at war memorial services to symbolise the end of the soldiers' duties.

The Flag - At the beginning of our prayer service, the Australian flag was at half-mast. This means that it was only half way up, which is a sign of respect or mourning. At the end of the service, it was raised to the top.

The Ode - The Ode is a special poem we say on Remembrance Day, as well as other days when we remember wars. It's from a longer poem, called For the Fallen, by Laurence Binyon. It is about how the soldiers who have died will never get older, like we will.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

In the afternoon, we chose some of the things we'd been learning about during the day and made them into Remembrance Day posters.

Indi with her Remembrance Day poster

Love from The Smarties and Mrs N