The British Embassy in Bahrain marked Remembrance Day yesterday in the gardens of the Manama residence, which included a wreath-laying ceremony.
The event is held annually to remember servicemen and women and civilians – from all conflicts past and present, and all sides – who have lost their lives.
The service was hosted by British Ambassador Alastair Long and attended by Foreign Ministry Director-General of Bilateral Relations Ambassador Shaikh Abdulla bin Ali Al Khalifa.
Among the attendees and wreath layers were schoolchildren, faith leaders, diplomats, officials, service personnel and members of the diplomatic and expatraite communities.
A two-minute silence was held to remember all those who had sacrificed their lives. At the end of the service a piper played a lament.
The piper plays a lament
Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day or sometimes Poppy Day, is commemorated every year on and around the November 11.
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare during the First World War.
In many parts of the world, people observe a two-minute silence at 11am every November 11, to remember those who lost their lives during the First World War, the Second World War and in more recent conflicts. In addition a service is held on the nearest Sunday.
Yesterday’s service in Bahrain held special significance as it marked the 80th anniversary of several pivotal moments in world history: Victory in Europe (VE) Day, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Victory over Japan (VJ) Day, and the founding of the United Nations.
As attendees gathered to honour the sacrifices of those who served and fell in conflict, they also reflected on the enduring importance of peace, reconciliation and international co-operation.
Ambassador Long said: “As we gather to honour the courage and sacrifice of those who served in times of war, we also mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War – a moment that reshaped our world.
“There followed the most extraordinary period in which humanity, having been brought to its lowest point, found common cause to build institutions and agreements for a new age of peace and progress based on rules common to all. The United Nations, UN Charter, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Geneva Conventions and other agreements followed that remain to this day the underpinning of global peace, security and shared responsibility.
“Remembrance affords us a chance to remember the horrors to which those tenets responded, the sacrifice made by so many so that we could learn the lesson, and the importance of recommitting to them for a better future, including when today too many continue to suffer the horrors of conflict in our world.”
Lieutenant Colonel Simon Cole, the Defence attaché at the embassy, added: “Remembrance Sunday is a solemn occasion to honour the bravery and sacrifice of those who served in defence of freedom.
“As we mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War, we remember not only the military victories but also the human cost of conflict – from the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific to the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These anniversaries remind us of the enduring role of defence in preserving peace, and the importance of international partnerships in preventing future wars.”
Many attendees wore the poppy flower, symbolising remembrance and hope for a more peaceful future.
The poppy has a long association with Remembrance Day. In late 1914, the fields of Northern France and Flanders were once again ripped open as the First World War raged through Europe’s heart. Once the conflict was over the blood red poppies were one of the only plants to grow on the otherwise barren battlefields.
The significance of the poppy as a lasting memorial symbol to the fallen was realised by the Canadian surgeon John McCrae in his poem In Flanders Fields.
The poppy came to represent the immeasurable sacrifice made by his comrades and quickly became a lasting memorial to those who died in the First World War and later conflicts. It was adopted by The Royal British Legion as the symbol for their Poppy Appeal, in aid of those serving in the British Armed Forces, after its formation in 1921.
As in previous years, the embassy will support the Royal British Legion’s Remembrance campaign maintaining the UK’s engagement with Remembrance.
&uuid=(email))