Remembrance Day 2020 – the date and events affected by the Covid pandemic
OK, so Remembrance Day/Remembrance Sunday will be slightly different this year – due to the general emergency situation.
Usually this November date is powered by an army of volunteers working around-the-clock to celebrate veterans, serving troops, families and the younger generations – to unite in appreciation for the fallen who fought during the two world wars.
Obviously as with many things, the 102nd Anniversary of the armistice which finally ended the First World War will be “somewhat different this year” according to the Veterans minister Mercer.
The traditional Cenotaph service will take place this year as usual at 11 am but will be closed to the public – for the first time in its century-long history.
Mel Waters, chief executive of military charity Help for Heroes, said: “Remembrance is an important time to remember the fallen, but also to remind the nation that many veterans are living with illness or injury and continue to need support.
“We are sorry to hear that the annual Cenotaph event is not going ahead, but the safety of those participating must be the priority.”
The Celebrations
The celebration known as Remembrance Sunday takes place on the second Sunday of November – closest to the 11th – as the guns of WWI fell silent on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 – exactly when the Armistice was signed – marking the end of years of sufferance. From the official Armistice Day celebrations held at Buckingham Palace in 1919 this date is celebrated throughout all nations of the Commonwealth together with many nations marking the anniversary as a day of memorial.
Every year in November, the nation marks the wars that have scarred our past and the bravery of the men and women who fought them. Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, which fall on Sunday November 8 and Wednesday November 11 this year, offer us all a chance to remember not just those who fought, but what they fought for.
