REMEMBRANCE
Remembrance
Day
The National Day of Remembrance
is always the second Sunday in November. The Legion attaches
great importance to the significance of Remembrance in the life of
the nation, and to participation by Branches and Members in
ceremonies arranged for Remembrance Day. Branches should be
guided by the principle that the Act of Remembrance on Remembrance
Day is a national one, and members of the Legion should pay their
homage as citizens of their own locality.
Local Services of Remembrances
are generally arranged and led by the Civic Authority, and usually
include the laying of wreaths at a war memorial. Poppy wreaths
are obtainable through the local Poppy Appeal Organiser. The
Service may be held at the memorial or in a central place of
worship. Branches should give the fullest possible
support. In districts and parishes, Branches should avoid
their own intentions conflicting with those of other sections of
the community. For example, where the local church arranges a
Service of Remembrance as part of the morning or evening service,
this should be supported.
Where no such arrangements exist,
Branches should approach the church authorities with a view to
either a brief Service of Remembrance to precede or follow the
morning or evening service, or a Service of Remembrance in the
afternoon; in either case, Branches should respect the prerogative
of the church authorities as to the form of service. The
observance of Remembrance is not confined to any one denomination
and our members are free to attend any church, chapel or other
place of worship.
Suggested orders of service
appropriate to Legion purposes, and particulars as to their
availability, are contained in the Guide of Ceremonial and
Services, which is obtainable from the Supplies Department,
Maidstone. Whilst the decision must rest with the Minister
concerned, the Legion for its purposes prefers that the fifth verse
of the hymn "O God Our Help in Ages Past" is omitted from Legion
services because of the words "They fly forgotten".
The laying of wreaths on a
memorial need not directly be related to a Service of
Remembrance. Where Branches wish to take part in an organised
parade, the arrangements will depend upon depend the organising
body. In addition to participation in local Services of
Remembrance, arrangements are made for Legion members to take part
in the national Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, with a
subsequent march past. Those wishing to participate must apply
to Headquarters for tickets and instructions. Further details
are included in a Special Circular to Branches issued in March each
year.
It is not permissible for
expenses incurred in the organisation of memorial services,
parades, or (e.g.) memorial floodlighting to be charged against the
local Poppy Appeal.
National Festival of
Remembrance
The Festival of Remembrance is
presented annually at the Royal Albert Hall in London, on Poppy
Day. There are two presentations, one in the afternoon and the
second during the evening. Tickets for the afternoon
presentation are sold from the box office; for the evening
presentation the tickets are issued exclusively to Branches for use
by members and their spouses. For full information, reference
should be made to the Special Circular issued from Headquarters in
March each year.
War
Memorials
The War Memorials (Local
Authorities' Power) Act, 1923, as amended by Section 133 of the
Local Government Act 1948, and Parish Council Act 1957, empowers
local authorities to spend funds on the maintenance, repair and
protection of war memorials within the area they cover. These
powers also extend to the alteration of a memorial to commemorate
the fallen of any was subsequent to that in which it was
erected.
The powers apply to Parish,
Community, Town, Borough, District, County and Metropolitan County
Councils, whether or not the ownership of a memorial is vested in
them. Branches which consider that some action should be taken
in respect of war memorials in their district should therefore make
representations to the appropriate local authority, since the
Legion has no funds which can be applied to these
purposes. Poppy Appeal collections must not be used for this
purpose.
Two minute
silence
The Royal British Legion has
always supported the traditional Remembrance Sunday services and
the customary Two Minute Silence on that day. As the national
custodian of Remembrance, the Legion also believes that when 11th
November (Armistice Day) falls on days other than Sundays - on
working days - Remembrance should be brought into the everyday life
of the nation on those days as well.
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in
1918, the First World War ended. Since then, 11th November or
Armistice Day, has been enshrined in the memories of the nation as
a day to pause and remember those who have given their lives for
the peace and freedom we enjoy today. The revival of support for
observance of this demonstrates that, despite the passing of the
years and the declining number of veterans, the nation still feels
strongly about Remembrance.
Remembrance transcends all boundaries. The Legion seeks a small yet
important individual and collective act, a rare moment when the
nation can stand together and reflect on the price of freedom. That
price is still being paid. More than 12,000 British Servicemen and
women have been killed or injured on active service since
1945.
"If we are to maintain our peace and freedom, we must always
remember."
REMEMBRANCE DAY & THE POPPY
APPEAL
Remembrance Day with which the
Poppy Appeal is so closely identified, is by Government Decree
always the second Sunday in November. On this day Remembrance
Services are held in churches and at War Memorials throughout the
country, attended by members of The Royal British Legion, who join
with the general community in remembering those who gave their
lives, or who suffered defending our democratic freedoms, and in
dedication to the service of others.
The annual Poppy Appeal
House-to-House and static point collection takes place during
Remembrancetide, which is traditionally the 13 days before
Remembrance Day. Collections in public places normally take
place on the two days before Remembrance Day. By donating to
the Poppy Appeal, British people all over the world are able to
express in a practical way their sense of commitment to the welfare
of ex-Service men and women, widows and dependants who are disabled
or in need. The money raised by the Poppy Appeal is used
by the Legion to finance its many welfare and benevolent services,
mainly in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but also wherever
ex-Service people are living in other parts of the world. The
Royal British Legion Scotland has its own Appeal and looks after
their own ex-Service.
The November Appeal raises the
greater part, approximately two-thirds of the total funding needed
to sustain the schemes providing homes, sheltered housing,
convalescent care, help for disabled and needy ex-Service people,
training, jobs and pensions counselling. All Legion members
and Branches have an obligation under the Legion's Royal Charter to
raise funds for the Poppy Appeal throughout the whole
year. Without this work the Legion would not be able to care
for all those in need.
Even now many ex-Service people
and their widows survive who served in World War I. Many
hundreds of thousands, however, still suffer who served in World
War II or the very many conflicts and peace-keeping duties in which
the Armed Services have participated over the last 50
years. Many who survived find the added burden of age, coupled
with illness or disability, more difficult to bear
unaided. Because it is necessary for us to have Armed Services
there will remain a need for the work of The Royal British Legion
for many more years. The Poppy Appeal is a whole year round
endeavour, and we ask that you give it your full support and
volunteer your services to help as much as you are
able. Please contact your Honorary Poppy Appeal Organiser
(PAO) or telephone the Poppy Appeal at 01622 717172
- We urgently need your help.
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