When I was a child a two-minute silence was always carried out at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stood still to attention; the traffic all stopped (whether private or public). Additionally there were services and wreaths were laid at cenotaphs, but it was the 2-minute silence that was the most memorable part of the event.
The two-minute silence gradually fell by the wayside, probably coincidental with the change from Remembrance Day to Remembrance Sunday, being the Sunday nearest 11 November.
Today is a Sunday and is also the 11th day of the 11th month.
So today at the 11th hour, we should all keep silent for two minutes to honour our war dead from whichever war they died (and there have been far too many of them).
"At the going down of the sun and in the morning we shall remember them."
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At my (not particularly pleasant) secondary school, the bell would ring and we all stood up for two minutes in silence and then the bell rang again and we sat down again. I know that I for one thought about what we're supposed to (and generally my thoughts went to my grandad and the fact that because he survived I live) and it often made me sad. The schools I've worked in, so far, mark the occasion in a similar way and have special assemblies.
It seems to be when certain people are out and about their business that they don't remember. If they're not forced to think of it, they simply don't for some reason? A couple of times when I was working in a shop we all stopped doing what we were doing for the two minute silence. Cue loud complaints from customers about "why aren't you serving me? You're not doing anything"
There is a wreath-laying ceremony at the cenotaph in our village today at 11am, and there will be a 2-minute silence (apart from the birds). The radio is having a 2-minute silence too. So, take heart, it is still being observed. S.
I did get the feeling that, after a gap of quite some years, more people were observing it.
when at school we had a ceremony on the 11th of the 11th at 11. we also stood in silence. those days are long gone.
I remember at school we always had a remembrance day theme for assembly and a 2 minute silence at 11am. Where I work, when Nov 11 fall during the week we've had a tannoy announcement and then 2 mins silence. Really hacks me off when people just carry on their phone conversations regardless though!
L
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