Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday is always held the second Sunday in November, this year it actually fell on the day in mind---November 11. It is like Memorial Day or Veteran's Day, a day in which the people are asked to remember those who died in World War Two (as the date would imply) as well as all other conflicts. For a week or two beforehand, most shops have small plastic poppies to pin on, and ask for a donation for a Scottish Fund, although I forget the actual name. The poppies are of course for Normandy. The donation to go towards the Scottish military and veterans thereof.

We went to a non-denominational service this morning held jointly by the four universities of Edinburgh, attended by groups from several different military branches. It was short enough that everyone was assembled in the Quadrangle of the Old College well before 11, so the customary two minutes' of silence could be observed.

Then they had a laying of the wreathes... I'm not sure exactly what the wreaths were to symbolize, possibly one for each major war? one for different military groups? And some military or traditional songs on the bugle/trumpet and a small bagpipe corps.

I brought my camera but decided, upon seeing the ceremony, that picture-taking would be disrespectful, so I don't have any pictures of this event. I did, however, update my albums... see links to the right. For ease, I started a new one for the second half of the semester.