On the 11^th of November 1918, at precisely 11am, the First World War ended. Ever since Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the end of the First World War hostilities. It is currently an even more poignant event as the world seems on the brink of another catastrophy.

Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day due to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy.

The Cape Town Camerata would like to invite you to a special Remembrance Day Service on Sunday 12 November at 10am at the Gardens Presbyterian Church, 151 Hatfield Street. We will be singing a setting of the poem “In Flanders Fields”, the poem that inspired the poppy to become a symbol of Remembrance Day.

In Flanders Fields

BY JOHN MCCRAE

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.