Friday, November 11, 2011

Poppy Day 2011




In Malaysia, It is organized by The British High Commission. Only Invited Guest Are welcomed to this event at Malaysia's Memorial Square Of Independence (Tugu Negara) followed by Lunch hosted by The High Commissioner.


(BBC)Millions of people across the UK (& Commonwealth Countries) are expected to observe a two-minute silence later to mark Armistice Day (or better known as Poppy Day)


The annual event starts at 11:00 GMT, mirroring the time guns along the western front fell silent for a final time at the end of World War I in 1918. Ceremonies will commemorate those who died in two world wars and later conflicts, including 385 UK personnel killed in Afghanistan since 2001.


In London, a ceremony will take place at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Gen Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, and the professional head of the British Army General Sir Peter Wall will attend along with servicemen and women.


The Royal British Legion - which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year - is also holding a "Silence in the Square" event in Trafalgar Square.


There will be readings and performances in the run up to the silence from the Downton Abbey actor Dan Stevens, Strictly Come Dancing's Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, and singing trio The Soldiers. Events are also planned across the UK including in Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast, Plymouth and Newcastle.


Further afield, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will be holding services at its cemeteries in Libya in Tripoli, Benghazi and Tobruk.


Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond, visiting Afghanistan for the first time since his appointment last month, will mark the event with at least 3,000 troops at a new vigil site at Camp Bastion in Helmand province.


Mr Hammond, who arrived in Kabul on Wednesday, has already been to Lashkar Gah and accompanied troops from the 3rd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland on a foot patrol in Nad-e Ali.


Ceremonies at sea


In Staffordshire later, a service of remembrance will be held within the walls of the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum.


According to the arboretum, the Memorial is designed so that on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a shaft of sunlight shines through its inner and outer walls, hitting the central bronze wreath sculpture.


Prince William became the arboretum appeal's patron in 2009


On Thursday evening, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge held a fundraising dinner at St James' Palace in aid of the memorial's £12m appeal to build further facilities for visitors. Prince William launched the appeal and became its patron when he visited the Arboretum in April 2009.


In a speech, he said it had become the focal point for the nation's remembrance. "Those who make the journey to visit the National Memorial Arboretum - whether they are the families of those commemorated, old comrades, or simply those who wish to acknowledge the debt owed and to learn - deserve to be looked after when they are there," he said.
"That is why this appeal was launched."


The 93rd Armistice Day will also be commemorated by members of the British armed forces, wherever they are - be it Cyprus or onboard Royal Navy vessels at sea.


The Archbishop of Canterbury will visit the Royal Naval Air Station at Yeovilton, Somerset, to take part in the Act of Remembrance at the Royal Naval Cemetery at St Bartholomew's Church.
Traffic will be stopped in Inverness city centre for the two-minute silence - the first time since World War II that this has happened.


Leicester Cathedral clock has undergone last-minute repairs to enable it to time the start of the silence. It had stopped working following the theft of copper wiring last month. Events at the Cenotaph and other public locations will be broadcast on BBC Two and on the BBC News Channel.


The National Service of Remembrance, led by the Queen, will take place at the Cenotaph on Sunday.



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