Poppy Day
a national holiday in remembrance of the war dead
TRANSLATION
Poppy Day = nationaler Gedenktag für die gefallenen Soldaten --- How important is this English word? Poppy Day: 81,000 Google Hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
On Sunday morning thousands of people, proudly wearing their poppies, will gather in London for the POPPY DAY Parade.
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Did you
know?
Poppy Day
- A national holiday in the United Kingdom and other countries to remember fallen soldiers.
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WORD ORIGIN
Poppy Day, also referred to as Remembrance Day and Armistice Day, commemorates those who sacrificed their lives during World War I, World War II and other wars.
Many countries have a special day to remember those that fell in their wars; America has Veterans Day, while France has Armistice Day. The British commemorate those who fought in wars for their country on Remembrance Day.
The British Remembrance Day is always held on the 11 November. This is the day that World War One ended in 1918, when the armistice was signed in Compiègne, Northern France, at 5am. Six hours later, the fighting stopped, and to commemorate this there is a two minute silence in the UK at 11am, every 11 November.
The United States reserves May 30, Memorial Day, to commemorate its war dead.
The poppy's significance to Remembrance Day is a result of Canadian military physician John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields." The poppy emblem was chosen because of the poppies that bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their red colour an appropriate symbol for the bloodshed of warfare.
IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
If you'd like to know how John McCrae wrote this poem go to:
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders.htm
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IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
“After our meeting on Friday, I'm going to stay the weekend in London to observe Poppy Day with some of my British friends.”
- A national holiday in the United Kingdom and other countries to remember fallen soldiers.
---
WORD ORIGIN
Poppy Day, also referred to as Remembrance Day and Armistice Day, commemorates those who sacrificed their lives during World War I, World War II and other wars.
Many countries have a special day to remember those that fell in their wars; America has Veterans Day, while France has Armistice Day. The British commemorate those who fought in wars for their country on Remembrance Day.
The British Remembrance Day is always held on the 11 November. This is the day that World War One ended in 1918, when the armistice was signed in Compiègne, Northern France, at 5am. Six hours later, the fighting stopped, and to commemorate this there is a two minute silence in the UK at 11am, every 11 November.
The United States reserves May 30, Memorial Day, to commemorate its war dead.
The poppy's significance to Remembrance Day is a result of Canadian military physician John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields." The poppy emblem was chosen because of the poppies that bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their red colour an appropriate symbol for the bloodshed of warfare.
IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
If you'd like to know how John McCrae wrote this poem go to:
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders.htm
---
IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
“After our meeting on Friday, I'm going to stay the weekend in London to observe Poppy Day with some of my British friends.”
