Remembering the War Dead in UK ….. and Lanka

Kumar Kirinde et al in the RAFOA circle

Ref to the subject, each year on 11^th November, Britain and the Commonwealth countries remember their war dead in a formal manner by laying Poppy wreaths at their respective national war memorials and war graves related to those fallen in battle and those who died while in service during the two World Wars. 11^th November  1918 is the day WW1 came to an end with the signing of the Armistice. Hence this day is considered as the remembrance day.

Examples:

1. The  Cenotaph, Whitehall, London
2. The Cenotaph War Memorial, Viharamaha Devi Park (VDP), Colombo.

Even though remembrance day was originally meant for those fallen in battle during WW1, it was extended to those who fell in battle or died while in service during WW2 which commenced in 1939 and ended in 1945. But now this day is also meant for ‘fallen’ armed forces personnel, fighting in post war armed conflicts, external or internal, a fact I am sure many people are not aware of. The reason for this could be that the respective nations which faced post war armed conflicts or are presently facing such conflicts have war memorials and commemorations specially dedicated for the fallen during such conflicts.

Examples:

1. National War Memorial at Sri Jayewardenepura, Colombo dedicated to all military and police personnel killed due to militancy and the Ranaviru day commemoration.
2.     The Armed Forces Memorial at Staffordshire, UK dedicated to the 16,000 servicemen and women of the British Armed Forces killed on duty or through terrorist action since after the Second World War.

   National War Memorial, Sri J’pura, Colombo  

The Armed Forces Memorial, Staffordshire, UK

Accordingly a series of articles and compilations as listed below, more or less arranged in a logical sense for you to understand and / or remind what the remembrance day is all about will be shared starting from today with Doc. No.1 which is attached hereto.

1. 1.       Remembering the Fallen – How it started
2. War Graves, War Memorials & Commonwealth War Graves Commission
3. The Cenotaph at Whitehall, London
4. The Colombo (Cenotaph) War Memorial
5. Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Sri Lanka
6. The Remembrance Poppy
7.  Sri Lanka’s Civil War (1983-2009) – Remembrance of the Fallen