Lees in France

11 November

Armistice, Veterans, and Remembrance Day across the world

Today is a national holiday in France known as Armistice Day. So being a good expat I decided to research what the French have to say about this day, especially since it coincides with the USA’s Veterans Day. I must admit I had no idea many countries (over 30) acknowledge the same day, or weekend, and the significance of the actual date. Some countries have named the day Remembrance Day. 

Armistice means the “suspension of fighting.” The following website, https://nationaltoday.com/french-armistice-day/ states, “The armistice was signed at Compiègne in France at 5:45 AM in 1918, but came into effect at 11:00 AM. The odd recurring insistence of the figure 11 on this day led to the famous saying highlighting the armistice -”the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.” This agreement ended WW1.

The French symbol used for this day is the blue cornflower because the uniforms were blue and the French flag contains blue. Today I am reminded of an afternoon, during the beginning of Covid 2020, where the kids and I joined friends exploring Poor Farm Park. Returning home we stopped and played in this amazing field covered in blue cornflowers. 

Veterans Day in America has been associated, for our family, as the day Grandpa (Bob Lee) would dress in his Army uniform, parade through the elementary halls of our kids’ school, and participate in the school ceremony, along with other Veterans of wars fought decades ago to present day. Every year this particular ceremony would bring tears to my eyes and smiles on kids faces. Such a juxtaposition indeed. Pictures below circa 2016.