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The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month

 

The Shrine of Remembrance 
Melbourne, Australia

When I was growing up my parents referred to November 11 as Armistice Day. It commemorated the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, which was the day and time in 1918 that the armistice for World War I was signed. What we call World War I was also known as the "war to end war," after a book by H.G. Wells, published in 1914.

But as we know that despite its devastation the First World War didn't end war, and in 1954 President Eisenhower changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day, which honors all veterans. 

When I was in Australia in 2018 I visited the Shrine of Remembrance, which was built to remember the thousands of Australians who served in World War I. Thousands died and were buried far from Australia and here was a memorial that families could visit and remember their loved ones. As years passed it became a place of remembrance for all who served in the conflicts that followed "the war to end war." 




   
This post is a lot more serious than I intended, but war and the hope for peace stay in my thoughts daily. On the day when the United States and other countries remember those who served in the military, this post just about wrote itself. I pray that one day, and a day not far off, there will no longer be a need for war memorials.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care, dear Buttercupland friends. 

6 comments

Anonymous said...

I thought I recognised that photo as I began to scroll. Being a Melbournian it was great to see our Shrine of Remembrance.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I hope you had a Happy Veterans Day, what a nice tribute to those that served, not only here but abroad too. They say that the Power to war will not end until the love of Power has ended.I pray for peace daily and hope that time comes soon. We must love one another with all we have. Forgive one another, for all have sinned. Only God can do this and did. He died once for all so all could be forgiven.

Anonymous said...

Today and every day, we should remember the Veterans and active-duty military men and women who fought, served and sacrificed to insure that we can continue to live in freedom.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Lynda said...

One of the things I love about your blog is the diversity of subjects. Daily life has many varied aspects. War is heartbreaking. I am thankful for those who are willing to fight to right the wrongs in this world but it would be wonderful to get a break from it sometimes. However we read in our Scriptures of this type behavior from the beginning of time and know its origins begin with our beliefs and faith. We all have some type of those and whether they are Godly or the opposite.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

It's always good to remember this day and the sacrifices made by so many. Sadly, many folks may just regard the day as a day off from work and not recall its significance. Thankfully, Nashua, NH, had a parade on Saturday which started at 11:10am and while it was a large event, it was good to see families gather along Main Street in remembrance.

Casilime said...

Your post is a masterpiece of brilliance! Insightful, well-articulated, and truly valuable. Thanks for sharing your perspective.