Remembrance Sunday

Today is Remembrance Sunday and it has become a tradition to celebrate it in my household. So what is it all about and why do I celebrate it? Remembrance Sunday in the UK commemorates all the British and Commonwealth service men and women who fought and died in both World Wars to keep us free. Remembrance Sunday happens on the second Sunday in the month of November.

This year it fell on 8th November 2020 and we celebrated by attending a Remembrance service online because of the lock down restriction, but two years ago my family and I went down to Central London to see the Poppies laid down at the Cenotaph.

This was really significant because it was 100 years after the 1st World War ended at 11 am on the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918. In addition Remembrance Sunday fell on the 11th of November 2018, so the same date as Remembrance Day. I really wanted my children to understand the importance of the freedom they get to experience because of the sacrifice of these brave service members and their family, so being there and sharing the day with others was really memorable.

The reason Remembrance Sunday and Day is personal to me is because my maternal great grand father fought in 2nd World War as a Commonwealth service man. Learning that history of my family made me so proud, because of his sacrifice and contribution to the war effort we get to enjoy the freedom to live in relative peace today.

My great grand father actually survived the war and came back home to his young family, but sadly he died young and I never met him, therefore since I started living in the UK, Remembrance Day holds so much for me. I think of him and the fact that it would have been lovely to hear first hand his experience of fighting in the war and what made him sign up or enroll to be in the armed forces.

I want to end this by saying thank you to all the services members that fought in both World Wars, those that survived like my great grand dad, those that died at the war front and their loved ones who mourn the loss of husbands, wives, partners, fathers, mothers, uncles, aunties, children, nieces, nephews, and friends in wars that could have been avoided if human beings had just got along with one another. I add to the mix the loss of the opportunities of generations to meet people who otherwise may have lived longer if they did not go to war and died.

Remembrance Sunday and Day is a reminder to the world to live together in peace and avoid another World War ever again. Thank you for walking this memory with me and whenever you remember the freedom you enjoy today, please pause and say a prayer for the fallen and their sacrifice LEST WE FORGET.