11.00am on the 11-11-09

Remembrance DayRemembrance Day is a British day of

commemoration to remember the fallen soldiers.

It always happens on the 11th of November. This is because World War I ended on this date in 1918.

There is a two minutes silence at 11.00am on the 11th of November to remember those who lost their lives.

Remembrance SundayRemembrance Sunday takes place on the

second Sunday in November every year. Ceremonies are held at war memorials for

servicemen.The people in charge of these are the Royal

British Legion.Poppy wreaths are laid at memorials by

representatives of the Crown (the Queen lays the one at the cenotaph in London), ex soldiers, armed forces or cadet forces.

The PoppyIn the weeks running up to Remembrance

Day, most people in the UK wear a poppy.We wear the poppy to remember those who

diedThis is because in a place called Flanders,

where a lot of World War I was fought, poppies have grown there every year since then.

Poppies only grow in soil which has once been uprooted and disturbed.

The main commemorationThe main commemoration takes place at

Whitehall in Central London.Members of the Royal Family attend this to

honour all soldiers including coastguards and the navy.

The Royal Family walk to the cenotaph and wait for Big Ben to strike 11.ooam and for the King’s Troop, the Royal Horse Artillery at Horse Guard’s

Parade to fire a single shot from a cannon to begin the two minutes silence.

The Royal Marines buglers then play a song called ‘The Last Post’

‘The Rouse’ is then played by the Royal Air Force.

‘Beethoven’s Funeral March’ composed by Johann Heinrich Walch is then played while attendees to the service lay wreaths in a specific order starting with the Queen.

After everyone has laid their wreath, the public and the Royal Family sing the National Anthem before marching begins.

Veterans from World War I, World War II, wars in the Falklands, Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and the current war in Afghanistan and Iraq all parade and lay wreaths at the Cenotaph.

VideoCommemoration Service at Whitehall 2008

Big Ben, The Last Post and Royal FamilyRemembrance in Iraq and Afghanistan Rule BritanniaNational Prayer and AnthemThe British Grenadiers (Queen’s Birthday)

Remembrance Day in Northern IrelandRemembrance Day means a lot in Northern

Ireland as we remember those who have lost their lives in the fight between Catholics and Protestants.

We will remember two soldiers this year who were shot outside Army barracks in Co. Antrim by the IRA the day before they were due to go to Afghanistan to serve their country.

This happened on the 7th March 2009.A few weeks after this happened, a policeman

was shot dead by the IRA as well

Remembrance Day bombingOn 8th November 1987, in Enniskillen in

Northern Ireland, the IRA planted a bomb which killed 12 people and injured 63.

It happened during a Remembrance day service at a war memorial.

All the people who were killed were Protestants.

Video footage of bombing

Omagh BombClose to Enniskillen, another bomb went off on

15th August 1998.It was the worst death toll in all of the troubles.29 people died and hundreds were injured. The

IRA planted the bomb in a car in the city centre.Many people felt this was the last of the Troubles.

It wasn’tPeople in Northern Ireland remember this day on

Remembrance Sunday, because all those who lost their lives were innocent.

Video

Narrow Water BombAnother destructive bomb planted by the IRA killed

18 soldiers.It took place in Warrenpoint, close to the border

between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The first bomb was hidden in a lorry under haybales and was set off as army vehicles passed it killing 6 soldiers.

The second bomb went off 30 mins later killed 12 of the soldiers

We remember these soldiers on Remembrance day.On the same day, Lord Mountbatten, a cousin of

Queen Elizabeth was killed near Sligo by the IRA.Video