The First World War finally ended on November 11 1918.
The guns stopped on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh
month.
To this day, almost 100 years later, at 11am on
November 11 many people across Britain stay silent for two minutes to think
about those who died.
At first, November 11 was known as Armistice Day
because 'armistice' is the word used for an agreement between enemies to stop
fighting. These days it is more usually called Remembrance Day or Poppy Day.
Poppies make a very good symbol for remembrance for
several reasons. They were the only flower that grew easily on the battlefields
after World War One. They're very delicate flowers too, that only live for a
short time, which is rather like the young men killed in battle.
The color is important too because the fields of
poppies look like fields of blood.
The Royal British Legion use money raised on Poppy Day
and at other events through the year to help thousands of ex-soldiers and their
families. They also organize festivals, parades and church services of
Remembrance.
