Tuesday, 5 November 2019

11 NOVEMBER; REMEMBRANCE DAY. "LEST WE FORGET"

             



"At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918, representatives of Germany and the Entente signed the Armistice that put an end to World War I, the deadliest conflict in world history up to that moment.



Death and destruction everywhere



The four years of The Great War-as it was called then- saw unprecedented levels of destruction and violence, thanks to trench warfare and to the introduction of modern weaponry such as machine guns, tanks and chemical weapons. By the time this war ended, 9 million soldiers had been killed and 21 million were wounded. The world was never going to be the same!!!!!



Chemical weapons started to be used in World War I



To commemorate that date and remember the members of the armed forces who died in that war, the Commonwealth countries started to observe Remembrance Day, as early as November 1919, only one year after the Armistice had been signed.

World War I devastated large areas of Europe



Remembrance Day is also called Poppy Day since the red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of this day due to the poem "In Flanders Fields". Poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour being a symbol of the blood spilled in the war.

Poppies blossom across Flanders fields



"In Flanders Fields" was written by the Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae in May 1915 after assisting to the funeral of friend and fellow soldier Alexis Helmer. It is one of the most popular and most quoted poems from the war.


                                     
This poem is the origin of Poppy Day


WAR POETS

This was not the only case in which poetry was intensely and dramatically connected to World War I. For the first time, an important number of English poets were soldiers, writing about their experiences of war. A number of them died on the battlefield, most famously Rupert Brooke, Edward Thomas, Isaac Rosenberg or Wilfred Owen. Others survived but were deeply influenced by their experiences, which were reflected in their poetry.

Europe is full of World War I cemeteries
                                       

To end with, we want to leave here a poem by Wilfred Owen, "Anthem For The Doomed Youth". We think it is the best possible way to show the horror, the cruelty and the brutality of war.





And as Commonwealth citizens like to say every November 11, on Remembrance Day: "We Shall Not Forget You".

Don´t miss the marvellous song "Remembrance Day" by Mark Knopfler: "We will remember them, we will remember them"





"Remembrance day" by Mark Knopfler











34 comments:

  1. Maite Fdez. Gómez8 November 2013 at 16:24

    How nice to read something about Remembrance Day!! I hope our students read it before November 11th.
    In fact, I am glad we don't celebrate this day in Spain. It means we didn't take part in The Great War.
    I like the video you've chosen for Knopfler's song because it is "so British..."
    Thanks again for all your posts. We do appreciate them!!

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  2. Pablo Rubial 3ºB5 November 2014 at 12:27

    I am going to watch TV this weekend just in case I can see a Poppy!!!!!!

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  3. Ana Fernández Gómez IES Pérez Galdós Las Palmas11 November 2015 at 11:40

    Today the students of 2nd ESO A (IES Pérez Galdós) have learnt about Poppy's Day thanks to your wonderful blog. Greetings from the amazing Canaries
    Ana

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Ana. It is always a pleasure having you as one of our readers. Thanks again.

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  4. Yarelys López I.E.S Pérez Galdós Las Palmas G.C11 November 2015 at 17:43

    Hello, this morning my class have visited this blog and we liked so much, I hate wars. We learnt so much about Poppy's Day!!!

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    Replies
    1. I am glad to hear that you have learnt!!!! Thanks for your commet

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  5. Tatiana Ortega González IES Pérez Galdós Las Palmas de Gran Canarias11 November 2015 at 17:47

    I like your blog. Please, Stop all the wars :(
    Greetings from IES Pérez Galdós

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  6. José Mª González Pérez (IES Pérez Galdós - 2º ESO A - Las Palmas)11 November 2015 at 18:24

    Hello! Today in the class we saw the story of Poppy's day. I think that it is sad .
    You are very brave.
    from Las Palmas, Jose.

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  7. Sol Mendoza Larriera 2nd ESO A (I.E.S Pérez Galdós)11 November 2015 at 19:23

    I like this blog. In my class we have a Poppy's draws!!!

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    Replies
    1. It would be very nice to see a phot of your class. Thanks for your commet.

      Delete
  8. Miriam Trejo Pérez (IES Pérez Galdós - 2º ESO A - Las Palmas)11 November 2015 at 19:31

    Hello! My teacher Ana Fernández showed us the story of Poppy's Day. I think that the story is sad. It is the first time that I read about it. Bye.

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  9. Gara Jimenéz 2nd A of ESO- IES Pérez Galdós. Las palmas-Gran Canaria11 November 2015 at 20:22

    Hi! Today in the english classroom we remembered the Poppy's day. We spoke about them and we saw this blog. Congratulations is a great blog.

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  10. Jorge Rodríguez González 2A11 November 2015 at 21:58

    The video of poppy day is so good

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  11. Miguel IES Pérez Galdós Las Palmas de Gran Canaria11 November 2015 at 22:08

    I dont like wars, and i like the popies day to remember all the soldiers than die
    in this war.i feel blue when i think in all this people.

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    Replies
    1. You look very sensitive and sensible when you say you don't like wars!!!

      Delete
  12. Lucia IES Pérez Galdós 2nd ESO A11 November 2015 at 22:28

    I hate war. We draw poppys in the heart of persons...


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  13. Pablo Gordillo Gordillo 2ª ESO (A) I.E.S Perez Galdos, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
    - I like the military world bad this is very touching, I love this blog.

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  14. Darío Koegel-Dorfs IES Perez Galdos 2ºA11 November 2015 at 22:34

    Its amazing the amount of people who died in the First World War. Thanks for this blog.

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  15. Paula Reyes 2ºA IES Pérez Galdós11 November 2015 at 22:39

    I like this topic is very interesting and in my class we drew poppies

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  16. Gerardo Hernández Mejías 2ºA Las Palmas de Gran Canaria11 November 2015 at 22:51

    I am sad, because those 9 million soldiers that had been killed and 21 million that were wounded.
    I hope that the people realize this error and they don´t do more.
    I learned a lot more with this text. Thank you.

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  17. Eliana López García 2°A IES Pérez Galdós13 November 2015 at 20:09

    I like Popi's Day but I hate war.

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  18. Miryam Díaz 2nd ESO Ies Pérez Galdós14 November 2015 at 15:27

    These people did not deserve to have died because of wars. I´m wear a poppy to remember.

    ReplyDelete
  19. JUAN FERNÁNDEZ MARTÍN 2ª IES PERÉZ GALDÓS15 November 2015 at 22:51

    I learned about this day because my teacher Ana Fernández Gómez loves this day because is a conmemorate to a millions of people who gave their lives for their countries. This is a very beatiful day. xxoo
    juan

    ReplyDelete