Why do we say lest we forget on Remembrance Day?

Why do we say lest we forget on Remembrance Day?

Borrowed from a line in a well-known poem written in the 19th century, the phrase ‘lest we forget’ means ‘it should not be forgotten’. We say or write ‘lest we forget’ in commemorations to remember always the service and sacrifice of people who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

Which famous poem is often recited on Remembrance Day?

In Flanders Fields
John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields — often recited around Remembrance Day or when a soldier dies in the line of duty — has managed to remain relevant to every conflict since the First World War.

What does lest we forget mean in Canada?

(Britain and Canada) Used in Remembrance Day ceremonies as a caution against forgetting those who died in war. (Australia and New Zealand) Used on ANZAC Day memorials as a caution against forgetting those who fell in the First World War.

What are the words to lest we forget?

Lest we forget—lest we forget! Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget—lest we forget! Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!

What day is the lest we forget?

11 November
Armistice Day – the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War in 1918 – is marked every year on 11 November. And the second Sunday of the month is Remembrance Sunday, when services and processions take place up and down the country.

Why did John McCrae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields?

John McCrae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields which inspired the use of the poppy as a symbol of Remembrance. In the spring of 1915, shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote his now famous poem after seeing poppies growing in battle-scarred fields.

What does the poppy symbolize?

The poppy is the enduring symbol of remembrance of the First World War. It is strongly linked with Armistice Day (11 November), but the poppy’s origin as a popular symbol of remembrance lies in the landscapes of the First World War. Poppies were a common sight, especially on the Western Front.

Who wrote the poem Lest we forget?

Laurence Binyon
A Cornwell plaque marks where Laurence Binyon wrote the world’s most commemorative poem. On an autumn day in 1914 Laurence Binyon sat on a cliff in North Cornwall, somewhere between Pentire Point and the Rump. It was less than seven weeks after the outbreak of war, but British casualties were mounting.

Who coined the phrase lest we forget?

Rudyard Kipling
“Lest we forget” is a phrase commonly used in war remembrance services and commemorative occasions in English speaking countries. Before the term was used in reference to soldiers and war, it was first used in an 1897 Christian poem written by Rudyard Kipling called “Recessional”.

Who wrote the poem lest we forget?