Remembrance Sunday is observed annually on the second Sunday of November in the UK, and this year, will fall on November 13th. Remembrance Day has its origins in Armistice Day, first dedicated on November 11th, 1919, to commemorate the wartime fatalities of World War I.
As part of the commemoration, a minute's silence was held at 11am on this day, originally at the request of King George V. This became a regular tradition annually in the UK until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, when celebrations were not held on November 11th, but instead was observed on a proximate Sunday.
Following the conclusion of World War II, the British government looked to honour the participants of both World Wars, and officially replaced Armistice Day with Remembrance Sunday.
Remembrance Sunday was then fixed as the second Sunday of the month of November in 1956, and is recognised by the symbol of the red poppy. The red poppy has now become a universal symbol of Remembrance Day, and originated when poppy flowers bloomed in the former battlefields of World War I in Belgium and France, a phenomenon that was depicted in the popular 1915 poem “In Flanders Fields,” by Canadian soldier John McCrae.
The symbol of the red poppy was also embraced by the Royal British Legion who sell red paper poppies that are pinned to clothing in support of the Poppy Appeal. In addition, wreaths of poppies are also frequently placed at memorial sites as a gesture of support.
Today, Remembrance Sunday is an opportunity to remember all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life. Remembrance events are just one of the ways we can help to ensure that the sacrifices of those who served to protect our way of life are never forgotten.
Get involved
Our company is one that has a deep connection with the military community. We have a strong track record of hiring from within the veteran community and our Managing Director, Ian Williams, served in the Welsh Guards for almost 10 years.
We are avid supporters of the military community and will always try to show support where we can. For those based in South Wales, here are some local Remembrance Day events:
· Remembrance Sunday Service – 13th November at Gellionnen Chapel, Swansea. 10.45am – 11.45am.
· Cardiff Field of Remembrance – opening Thursday 3rd November at 10.45am. The Field will close on Thursday 17th November. Reserve your place here.
· Silence in the Square event in Castle Square, Swansea – 11th November.
· Service of Remembrance at St Mary's Church on November 13.
If you are unable to attend any Remembrance Day events, you can show your support by donating to The Royal Legion’s Poppy Appeal, here: https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate .
There are a number of ways that you can donate, including:
By phone
Remember you can always call our friendly fundraising support team on 0345 845 1945 to make a donation by phone.
By text
To donate £2 text POPPY2 to 70545*
To donate £5 text POPPY5 to 70545*
To donate £10 text POPPY10 to 70545*
*Texts cost £2, £5, or £10 plus one standard network rate message (typically 97% of the donation amount goes to the Royal British Legion).
We will contact you by text on the mobile number you used to allow you to let us know how you would like to be contacted in the future and to find out whether you would like to add Gift Aid to your donation.
By post
Please print off a donation form and return to Royal British Legion, Supporter Care, Haig House 199 High Borough Street, London SE1 1AA.