Standing outside at midday today, I thought how beautiful - and appropriate - the 'two minutes of silence' tradition is. Work mates standing side by side on the footpath... buses and cars stationary and everyone presumably thinking the same thing. Despite the incredible sadness of today, it was a good feeling to see so many people united.
Just googled the history of the two minute silence and found out who first thought of it:
"On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 the guns of Europe fell silent. After four years of the most bitter and devastating fighting, The Great War was finally over. The Armistice was signed at 5am in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiegne, France on November 11, 1918. Six hours later, at 11am, the war ended.
In a letter published in the London Evening News on 8 May 1919, an Australian journalist, Edward George Honey, proposed a respectful silence to remember those who had given their lives in the First World War. This was brought to the attention of King George V and on 7 November 1919, the King issued a proclamation which called for a two minute silence:
“ All locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.”
Just googled the history of the two minute silence and found out who first thought of it:
"On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 the guns of Europe fell silent. After four years of the most bitter and devastating fighting, The Great War was finally over. The Armistice was signed at 5am in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiegne, France on November 11, 1918. Six hours later, at 11am, the war ended.
In a letter published in the London Evening News on 8 May 1919, an Australian journalist, Edward George Honey, proposed a respectful silence to remember those who had given their lives in the First World War. This was brought to the attention of King George V and on 7 November 1919, the King issued a proclamation which called for a two minute silence:
“ All locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.”
posted by pincshoos @ 1:55 pm
1 Comments:
At 3:08 pm,
Anonymous said…
Not a bad effort, for an aussie!
No seriously, it is an impressive thing to feel the city stand still and take a breath in respect. There's an interesting BBC article today too about the normality of life in London post 7/7. As a foreigner I was impressed, at the time and now, with the way people have composed themselves and continued to live their lives every day, as best they can. We are all no doubt sick of hearing the chants of "we just keep going, to show them they haven't won", but the truth is that to continue to LIVE this city is the way to keep the city alive, and Londoners should be congratulated on doing just that.
Great work to you too Pink Shoes!
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