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Two Minute Silence

Little boy places poppy petals in the Trafalgar Square fountains

At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The Two Minute Silence is observed on Armistice Day, the day which marks the end of the First World War.

In 2006 something slightly different happened to mark the Two Minute Silence. We hosted a major event in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 11th November, which culminated in members of the public placing poppy petals into the famous fountains. Visit our Photo Gallery to see pictures of this moving event.

Two Minute Silence

The Royal British Legion has always supported the traditional Remembrance Sunday services and the customary Two Minute Silence on that day. As the national custodian of Remembrance, the Legion also believes that when 11th November (Armistice Day) falls on days other than Sundays - on working days - Remembrance should be brought into the everyday life of the nation on those days as well.

The revival of support for observance of this demonstrates that, despite the passing of the years and the declining number of veterans, the nation still feels strongly about Remembrance.

Remembrance transcends all boundaries. The Legion seeks a small yet important individual and collective act, a rare moment when the nation can stand together and reflect on the price of freedom. That price is still being paid. More than 12,000 British Servicemen and women have been killed or injured on active service since 1945.

"If we are to maintain our peace and freedom, we must always remember."