COLOURFULWORLD

Saturday 10 November 2018

100th anniversary of Armistice Day at Kings Park

On my way to the city for Open House Perth 2018 I alighted at Elizabeth Quay Train Station and at the bus station next door caught the 935 Bus to Kings Park and Botanic Gardens.
Tomorrow, Sunday 11th of November marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice which ended World War I (1914-1918) on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.


State War Monument surrounded by poppies. the square plaques with names are for soldiers who received the Victoria Cross
Kings Park has many war memorials and tomorrow from 9a.m. the Royal Australian Regiment will conduct half-hourly gun salutes from Kings Park, until 11a.m. when uniformed servicemen and women will join the commemorations in front of the State War Memorial.
At 1 minute before 11, almost 180 volunteer buglers stationed in various parts of the city will play the "Last Post". About 40% of these players are school kids, with the youngest player being 7 years old and the eldest is 90. About 6000 people are expected to attend the service.
After the service the RSLWA (Returned and Services League of Western Australia) encourage veterans and families to attend the Centenary of Armistice picnic at Government House Gardens from 12 to 3pm.

The reason for my visit to Kings Park today was to avoid to crowds tomorrow and see the splash of red poppies, knitted by thousands of volunteers for the Poppy Project - 61,513 different poppies representing the Australians killed in the 51 months that WW1 lasted.
Each handmade poppy took about 2 hours to knit by the "Poppy Ladies" and they worked on this project for about 18 months.
They've done a wonderful work!

Over 60000 hand knitted poppies

  



One of the Poppy ladies chatted to some people about the project

And why are poppies the symbol of Remembrance day? It's said that a friend of Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae was killed at the Battle of Ypres in Belgium. He then wrote this poem that he called "In Flanders Fields".

                                      

 The Last Post:

                                       

32 comments:

  1. These fabricated poppies are quite a splash of colour, and just right for the 11th.

    I'm planning on attending the national service here tomorrow, and visiting the War Museum afterwards.

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    1. It should be a beautiful service for sure William.

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  2. ...an impressive tribute.

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  3. I still have the sheet of poppy-Gallipoli-seeds right by my PC P presented us with in 2015.
    I can´t decide what to feel. War is so darn stupid, honour is another thing.
    Just saw a docu on men who lost their faces in WW I. Like... really.
    Why can´t people live in peace, poppies I´d love anyways.
    They are beautiful.

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    1. Nothing has been learned from previous wars it seems as wars and conflicts are still ongoing, which is very sad.

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  4. Wow, Sami. What wonderful pictures. Did you take these?

    I love the idea of making knitted poppies. What a great tribute!

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    1. Yes Carole, I went to Kings Park yesterday to avoid the crowds today and as I knew the poppies had already been "planted".

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  5. Great work in Kings Park. It looks quite spectacular.

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    1. Thanks Andrew, it does look spectacular.

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  6. Came to your heart-warming post from Carole's and arrive on your doorstep from the Southern Highlands of NSW. Thank you for telling the world of one part of the many, many poppy fields around Australia this Sunday morning . . . we have not nor ever can forget the tragedies and sacrifices then or many times after . . . I wish we had learned from the losses . . .

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    1. Thanks for your visit Eha.
      Sadly I think the lessons haven't been learnt and there are still far too many wars and conflicts around the world.

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  7. What a fabulous tribute. I had NO idea so many Australians were killed in WWI. It was devastating to see so many poppies and realize what they represented. I'm so glad the poppy ladies created all these. They are so amazing. BTW, I also noted the Last Post in my tribute today. It was lovely to hear it.

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    1. Thank you Elizabeth. I didn't know so many Australians had died either.
      The Last Post is beautiful and very moving.

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  8. Such a wonderful tribute, and the pictures of those beautiful poppies brought tears to my eyes. As always, you shared some new to me information that is truly appreciated! Hugs...RO

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    1. Thank you RO, it was very moving to see the field of poppies.

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  9. these memorials are very beautiful and moving. I am always very touched by the way the anglo-saxons fervently commemorate the fate of these soldiers who died in the first world war. the strange thing is that poppies began to disappear from the fields because of the chemical treatment of agriculture at the same time as the last survivors of this butchery that was this war

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    1. Thank you Kwarkito. Australians do like to honour those who fought and those who died in the various wars.
      That's sad about the poppies dying because of chemicals :(

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  10. The flower isn't as synonymous with our Veterans Day as they are with the WWI armitstice days. It's rather strange how America never hopped on that train.

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    1. Strange, here they use the poppies for all war commemorations.

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  11. Um dia muito importante e a não esquecer para que não se caia numa III Guerra Mundial.
    As fotografias estão fantásticas minha amiga.
    Um abraço e bom Domingo.

    Andarilhar
    Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
    Livros-Autografados

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    1. Obrigada Francisco. Nao sei se a licao foi aprendida pois continuam a haver muitos conflitos em todo o mundo infelizmente.
      Bom Domingo.

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  12. Incroyable shots Sami. So many poppies, so much work, so worth it for this amazing sight 💜

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    1. Thanks Grace, I loved that I could visit, it was really an incredible sight!

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  13. This is so beautiful -- I love how they did the poppies.

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    1. Thanks Jeanie, a lot of work and dedication from wonderful volunteers.

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  14. Dearest Sami,
    Wonderful tribute to the 100-year anniversary of the ending of WWI.
    Wonder if the younger generation still realizes that a World War involved the entire world and so many sacrifices were made.
    Love the poppy fields created by hand, either knitted or crocheted.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. In Australia a lot of the younger generation, grandkids and great-grandkids of those that fought in WW1 and WW2 also attend the parades and tributes. I find that wonderful that the families carry on the traditions of honouring their fallen war veterans. Thanks Mariette.

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    2. Kudos to that discipline for keeping the tradition alive!

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  15. A most amazing, beautiful and impressive tribute.
    Lest we forget.

    All the best Jan

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