Flag Display – Remembrance

Remembrance Sunday is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life.

We remember the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, the vital role played by the emergency services and those that have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism.

Harleston Town Council signed up to a pledge to support our armed forces, more details can be found on our Armed Forces Covenant page.

The holiday has its origins in Armistice Day, which was dedicated in Great Britain on 11 November 1919, in commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the peace agreement that ended World War I.  The country paused in silence for two minutes in acknowledgment of the war’s fatalities.  Thereafter a period of silence became the centrepiece of Armistice Day events that occurred annually until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, when it was decided that general celebrations would not be held on November 11 of that year.  Instead, a proximate Sunday was observed as a ‘day of dedication’ during the span of the war.

After the conclusion of World War II, the British government, seeking to honour participants in both World Wars, officially replaced Armistice Day with the new Sunday observance, which was thereafter known as Remembrance Sunday. In 1956 the date was fixed as the second Sunday of the month. In recent years Armistice Day has been revived as an additional occasion for silence, though Remembrance Sunday remains the main day of commemoration.

The most recognisable symbol of Remembrance Sunday is the red poppy, which became associated with World War I memorials after the flowers bloomed in the former battlefields of Belgium and northern France.  In 1921 the newly formed British Legion (now the Royal British Legion) began selling red paper poppies for Armistice Day, and its annual Poppy Appeal has been enormously successful since.  In addition to poppies intended to be worn on clothing, wreaths made of poppies are frequently displayed at memorial sites.

Remembrance Day focuses on honouring the dead, whereas Armed Forces Day generally focuses on celebrating living current and ex servicemen and women.

There will be a display of flags in the town centre to celebrate the Remembrance Day.

The Flag Force team within Harleston’s Future runs an annual programme of flag displays in the town centre. Making use of the holders for the Christmas trees above shops along the main streets, these provide a continual use for an otherwise once a year display. The programme has been so successful it has encouraged other towns to follow the lead. Come and see the original and largest annual display of flags. You could even try and visit Harleston and see each flag display during the whole year. Great fun for children of all ages.