Remembrance Sunday takes place on 9 November this year – just four weeks from today.
A two minute silence is observed at 11am on 11th day of the 11th month because this is when the Great War, or World War 1, came to end in 1918, ninety years ago, with an Armistice being declared. The nearest Sunday to that date is always known as Remembrance Sunday.
It seems almost unbelievable that 20 million soldiers lost their lives during this war, and a further 40 million were wounded. Even though most of the fighting stopped on Armistice Day, some continued fighting until the end of the war was made official on 28 June 1919 with the Treaty of Versailles. This was exactly five years after the war started, triggered by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.
Nowadays, this anniversary is used to remember all the people – worldwide – who have died in wars since World War 1.
Many stitchers will be considering making a special card, bookmark or picture with a poppy design. The poppy was chosen as a symbol of remembrance because soldiers remembered that they were in full bloom in the Flanders Fields, between southern Belgium and north-west France.
In the UK, ex and current servicemen and women, veterans and members of the public join with the Royal Family and dignitaries in London’s Whitehall, where they lay poppy wreaths on the Cenotaph. Similar events take place all over the country, with army bands playing traditional music of remembrance.
Poppy designs are abundant on the internet, and there are some beautiful patterns (charts) to choose from.
Heritage Crafts have gone one step further – by converting the painting by a military artist, Malcolm Greensmith into the pattern illustrated below. It is called ‘Remembrance’. The conversion was done by Susan Ryder. You can buy this on Heritage Crafts’ website.
Stitching an eye-catching design can be a good way to remind everyone of the tremendous sacrifices made by the armed forces both in the past and today, and to respect the losses experienced by so many families.
Warm Regards
Iona
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