Why do we have Armistice Day When the

Why do we have Armistice Day? When the war ended in November 1918, despite the jubilation, many people felt it was wrong to celebrate because so many people had died during the war.

On 11 November 1919, one year after the war ended, a newspaper announced that it was "Peace Day". People wore black as they would at a funeral. The king decided there should also be a period of silence to remember those who died.

When the church bells struck 11, people all over the country stood up and bowed their heads. Buses and trains stopped moving. People stopped working. Shopkeepers stopped serving. The electricity was cut off to stop the trams from running. Everyone just stayed silent to think about the soldiers who had died.

When the Cenotaph in London was built in 1920, people laid flowers there in memory of loved ones who had died in the war. Ever since the first Remembrance Day, people have followed the same tradition: every year on 11 November they stop for a short moment of silence and reflection.

On Remembrance Day we remember soldiers, service men and women who died or were wounded. Many soldiers in World War One were very young. They were still teenagers - the same age as some of your big brothers - when they left their homes and families.

Many were killed. Even more suffered injuries that changed their lives. Families lost sons, brothers, fathers, uncles. It made people very sad. Remembrance is about understanding how we cope with sadness and loss.

Remembrance is not about glorifying war but remembering the sacrifice others made during the Great War and other wars and conflicts since then.

Remembrance is about remembering - about learning from history and striving for peace in our world.

100 years ago, on Wednesday, allied armies all over Europe, received the following telegram. It told them to stop fighting at 11 o’clock French time.

Following message received aaa Hostilities will be stopped on the whole front at 11. 00 o’clock on the 11 th Nov (french time) aaa The out troops until further notice will not pass the line reached at this date at this hour aaa Defensive measures will not be relapsed aaa There will be no intercourse with the enemy.