Key facts
- Date
- 11 November
- Time of silence
- 11am, two minutes
- Symbol
- Red poppy
- Memorial
- Cenotaph, Whitehall
- Reason
- WWI Armistice signed 11/11/1918
Remembrance Day, also called Armistice Day, is observed on 11 November each year to remember those who died in wars serving Britain.
Why 11 November?
The date marks the end of World War One. The Armistice (ceasefire) that ended the war came into effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.
How It Is Observed
The Two-Minute Silence
- At 11am on 11 November
- People stop what they are doing
- Observed in workplaces, schools, and public places
- A time for quiet reflection
Remembrance Sunday
- The Sunday nearest to 11 November
- National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, Whitehall
- Services held at war memorials across the UK
- Wreaths laid by dignitaries and public
Wearing Poppies
- Red poppies are worn in the weeks before Remembrance Day
- Poppies grew on the battlefields of Flanders
- Sold by the Royal British Legion
- Funds support veterans and their families
The Cenotaph
- Located in Whitehall, London
- Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens
- "Cenotaph" means "empty tomb" in Greek
- National memorial to the war dead
- Focus of the annual National Service of Remembrance
What We Remember
- World War One (1914-1918)
- World War Two (1939-1945)
- All subsequent conflicts
- All who died serving in the armed forces
Why it comes up in the test
Know why 11 November, the two-minute silence, and why we wear poppies.
Common traps
- Confusing Remembrance Day with Remembrance Sunday
- Forgetting why we wear poppies
- Not knowing the time of the silence (11am)
Remembrance Day: common questions
It marks the Armistice that ended World War One, which came into effect at 11am on 11 November 1918.
Related topics
- World War One (1914-1918)A global conflict from 1914 to 1918, in which Britain and its allies fought against Germany and its allies. Known as "The Great War," it caused unprecedented casualties.
- World War Two (1939-1945)The global conflict from 1939 to 1945, in which Britain and the Allies fought Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan. Britain stood alone against Hitler for over a year.
Written from Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition), the only official source for the test. BritPass is not affiliated with the Home Office; if anything here differs from the handbook, the handbook is right.
