Every November Britain honours those who have fought and died at war.
Armistice Day – the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War in 1918 – is marked every year on 11 November.
And the second Sunday of the month is Remembrance Sunday, when services and processions take place up and down the country.
At these services you will almost always hear the phrase “lest we forget” – but what exactly does it mean, and where does it come from? Here is everything you need to know.
What does ‘lest we forget’ mean?
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the literal translation of “lest we forget” is “it should not be forgotten”.
The phrase is used to warn people not to forget those who have lost their lives at war, while we live through times of relative peace.
You may see it written on poppy pin badges and other remembrance-related items. It is also inscribed on some soldiers’ graves and war memorials.
Where does it come from?
The phrase actually originates from the poem ‘Recessional’ by Rudyard Kipling, written for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
It only become adopted in its current use around a decade after the end of the First World War.
The theme of the poem is the importance of a nation not forgetting that God is the source of its success.
The phrase “lest we forget” occurs eight times in the poem.
The opening verse goes as follows:
God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
What was the First World War Armistice?
The Armistice was signed by representatives of the Allies and Germany, declaring an end to the First World War with the cessation of hostilities on land, sea and air.
By the end of September 1918, the German high command had largely recognised that their military prospects had become hopeless.
They began to negotiate peace with the allies on 5 October, by sending a message to US President Woodrow Wilson, who had proposed “Fourteen Points” for peace at the start of 1918.
Despite a late change of heart by the influential General Erich Ludendorff, any appetite for battle had escape the shattered German army after four years of gruelling conflict.
The Allies began discussing a truce on 5 November, although the European powers were generally opposed to President Wilson’s Fourteen Points, considering them idealistic.
An agreement was eventually agreed upon at 5am on 11 November, to come into effect at 11am Paris time.
Although it marked the end of all hostilities, the nations were officially involved in a state of war for seven more months, until the signing of the controversial Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.
What are the main Remembrance Sunday events?
In London, a national memorial ceremony takes place at the Cenotaph on Whitehall on Remembrance Sunday every year.
Royal Marine buglers sound “The Last Post” and wreaths are laid by members of the Royal Family, political party leaders, significant military figures and civilians.
A short religious service, included a two-minute silence is followed by a march-past including hundreds of military veterans.
The Royal British Legion also holds an annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall to honour those who served for Britain and the Commonwealth.
This year’s event is taking place on Saturday 13 November, with performances at 2pm and 7pm.
Outside the capital, most British cities hold events commemorating Remembrance Sunday, generally taking place at war memorials or public spaces and including parades, silent reflection and readings.
Why do we wear poppies to mark Remembrance Day?
The poppy has been a prominent symbol of remembrance for almost a century, with millions of commemorative flowers produced every year to pay tribute to Britain’s war dead.
Its origins lie in the opening lines of war poem In Flanders Fields by Canadian officer John McCrae, first published in December 1915: “In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row”.
The flower was adopted as a symbol by the newly-formed Royal British Legion, a charity established to provide support for members and veterans of the British Armed Forces and their families.
The appeal has grown from manufacturing poppies in a room above a shop in Bermondsey, south London to a facility in Richmond where 50 ex-servicemen and women work all year round producing tens of millions of the symbolic flowers.
Outside the UK, poppies are predominantly worn in Commonwealth nations such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and are also used to a lesser extent in the US.
