British expatriates reflect on sacrifices of soldiers
Poppies sold at embassy gates for Remembrance Day
Dubai: A two-minute silence was observed by members of Dubai's British expat community on Remembrance Day on Wednesday evening.
Approximately 200 people gathered in the British Embassy's residence garden for a Poppy Day service, which was attended by troupes of girl guides, brownies and scouts from across the city.
Remembrance Day services are traditionally held in the UK on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month or the nearest Sunday. It marks the moment the First World War ended after four years of fighting, with the signing of the Armistice Treaty by Germany and the Allies.
The services also remember those who lost their lives fighting in the Second World War and other conflicts past and present including the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Guy Warrington, Consul General at the British Embassy, said: "I enjoyed the service, it was nice and simple. It's an important act of remembrance especially in today's climate. But I would like to think the day has always been relevant, the two-minute silence is a good way for people to recognise the significance of the day.
"It was also great to see so many children at the service as they should not forget [the sacrifices made by the armed forces past and present]. I've just spoken to a woman whose son died while on duty in Afghanistan earlier this year. She's obviously still very upset especially as there are constant reminders of the conflict on our TV screens every day."
The Royal British Legion sold paper poppies, traditionally worn on the lapel, at the embassy gates. The poppies aim to raise funds to provide financial, social and emotional support to those who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces including their dependants.
Significance
Poppies were the only thing that grew on the battle fields of Flanders and Picardy in Belgium and Northern France in the aftermath of First World War conflicts.
John McCrae's poem In Flanders' Fields, written in 1915, was inspired by the sight of the flowers and is traditionally read at Remembrance Day services.
