I talked talked throughout the minute's silence - so embarrassed

[greenapplesplatter]

I don't need any berating because I honestly feel like crap about it already!

I wanted into town with DD (4) today to see if we could get her haircut, we didn't have an appointment so I wasn't really aware of the time or what time we'd left the house at.

DD got her hair cut & I was zipping up her coat, she was chattering away asking if we could go to the park & I was answering her. Walked over to the door & asked 'how much do I owe you', hairdresser whispered the amount, thought it was strange but paid said thank you very much. Said to DD what do you say to X for your lovely haircut, she repeats (loudly) & hairdresser mouths you're welcome only then did I twig that the whole salon was silent. I sort of whisper oh god so sorry & bundled DD out of the door (she was still waffling on about her hair)

I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I've had a poppy on all week so I was aware but I just honestly wasn't thinking. I can't stop thinking about the whole thing & every time I do I cringe!!

I've been in the supermarket etc in the past when it's been observed but they've usually made an announcement before to say it's starting. I just wish someone had mentioned it prior to 11 (they shouldn't of had to - I appreciate that) or even motioned for us to shut up but when I think back it must of seemed like ages we were talking for.

Came home & donated an extra £25 to the British Legion online!!

[BurnTheBlackSuit]

Bigoldbird I think the reintroduction of Armistice Day is even more recent- last 10 years? We only marked Remembrance Sunday when I was growing up too, and even then not man people did. I remember being the only child at school who wore a poppy.

I wonder why it's recently had such a revival?

It also strikes me the difference between the Armistice Day silence to make the end of WW1 and the celebrations of VE and VJ Day.

[BluePheasant]

We were out shopping today and DD(4) and I both needed a wee. As we walked along the pavement to the public toilets I noticed a few shop assistants standing in their doorways and I still didn’t twig it was nearly 11am. As we left the toilets I realised I’d spent the minute silence telling DD to hurry up as I really needed a wee too and to make sure she pulled her tights up properly

Tbh though, I often miss it due to nature of my work but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel sadness and respect for the huge loss of life and the sacrices made by soldiers and their families.

[MsHarry]

Oh really Burn thanks for that, explains my confusion.

[DoesHeWantToOrNot]

I put the football on last Saturday and they were having an armed forces day and I put it on right at the silence and completely forgot and thought the tv was broken so I was fiddling about with the remote and then realised!

I had worked many times at it and been as a fan and forgot. I did get my poppy the next day though.

[BurnTheBlackSuit]

Apparently pp was right - Armistice Day silence was reintroduced in 1996 following a RBL and tabloid campaign. We had switched to nearest Sunday after WW2 so as to remember WW2 dead and make it not just about WW1. www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/nov/11/comment.mainsection

We seem to have gone back to focusing on WW1, but hopefully that's just because it's 100 years ago.

[MammaTJ]

I probably talked through the silence today, as I went in to town to meet a friend and support her through meeting her ExH and his GF (?the OW) through the first handover of their DD for a long time. I was too focused on her major anxiety and her DDs excitement to even think about it. Tomorrow though is all about remembrance. DD is in Air Cadets and has been polishing her parade shoes, and ironing her parade uniform. She has been telling me all week how important it is to remember the dead, so yes, I will make up for it tomorrow.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I think small places expect the fact they’re small to convey that they’re observing the silence. Whereas in larger places, tannoys are used repeatedly to convey the same message.

In your situation described, I can see how very easy it was to miss the two minutes silence.

You’re not a bad person for not noticing st the time.

[iwasyoungonce]

RoseWhiteTips

No one is disputing that, are they? However, TODAY’S silence was to mark the end of WW1.

sigh

Actually, yes, somebody was disputing this upthread.

[TeaAndToast85]

I arranged to meet a friend at 11 at a shopping centre today, and it didn't even cross my mind that it was 11th Nov. Luckily she was 5 mins late...a bit embarrassing as we are both history teachers

[JonSnowsWife]

It was an honest mistake OP.

Don't beat yourself up over it.

[Originalfoogirl]

Actually, yes, somebody was disputing this upthread.

Actually, no, somebody wasn’t. Somebody was obtusely arguing that “The Silence” was all about armistice, an that moments of silence should never be used to pay respect to other people in any other way because “otherwise we’d have silences all the time and they would become meaningless”. This was in reference to a silence held for the 7/7 bombings. Apparently today’s is the only “official” silence and that how it should be.

Which is utter tosh. Nationwide silences have been held for many other events as far back as 1910. There is no “official” silence, but generally those observed by the BBC tend to be followed nationwide.

And despite the fact they happen at times other than 11th November, they haven’t become meaningless, at least not to those of us who can have compassion for things other than remembering the war dead.

[overnightangel]

What I found most distasteful was that fact that on a day that is meant to symbolise PEACE , the Lord Mayor’s Show in London that I was watching on bbc this morning had members of the forces lined up with rifles with ridiculously horrendous looking sharpened bayonets attached. And this is supposed to be a ceremony to remember people who’ve died at the hands of these very weapons? Frankly I found it disgusting.

[SabineUndine]

It’s not compulsory therefore you don’t need to feel embarrassed anyway. If you would have liked to have observed it, why not make a donation to charity?

[khajiit13]

It happens. We had two 2 minutes silences at work this year for grenfell and the terrorist attack at Ariana's concert. But I was new and was missed out on the mass email that around. As were my two new colleagues so we talked throughout the whole thing. Both times.

[BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]

RoseWhiteTips

No one is disputing that, are they? However, TODAY’S silence was to mark the end of WW1.

sigh

Actually it was disputed. A couple of people gave examples of being embarrassed about not observing an 'unexpected ' silence - one example was actually on Christmas Eve and then someone else pointed out that having a silence is 'only' for armistice day which is clearly wrong.

I, as always, watched the Festival of Remembrance last night and, although I don't recall the exact words, the silence was introduced as being to remember ALL who have died in ALL battles and attacks. There was a moving segment which featured the London Bridge terror attack and representatives of the emergency services who attended were part of the act of remembrance and specifically mentioned.

The date and time is the time the guns stopped at the end of WW1 but the Remembrance is not only for WW1 soldiers.

[RoseWhiteTips]

It came into being because of them.

[maggienolia]

Our leisure centre makes everyone leave the pool during the two minute silence.
Not sure if thats common practice or not?

[fleecyjumper]

Lots of confusion here because Armistice day came the day before Remembrance Sunday this year. That doesn't happen every year. Armistice day is 11th Nov and Remembrance Sunday is the second Sunday in November. The televised festival of remembrance is on the Saturday preceding Remembrance Sunday which just happened to be Nov 11th this year so it coincided with Armistice day (but it doesn't always). So the silence on 11th Nov is for Armistice day; the silence at the Festival is for all wars and the silence on Remembrance Sunday is for all wars. As a past poster did explain, the Armistice day was the day of remembrance until after WW2 then remembrance Sunday (2nd Sunday in Nov) came into being and Armistice day wasn't observed. In 1996 Armistice day started to be observed again as well as Remembrance Sunday.

[ThisIsMyUsername02123]

Just my two cents on those who are expressing their disgust in the fact that they've had to "shush" people to observe the silence...

I don't think that people should be made to be quiet. If someone wishes to show their respect, they will. Consider the fact that soldiers sometimes went to war against their will - it is slightly ironic to silence people against their will, is it not? You must remember that not everyone agreed with the war and will therefore not consider the sacrifices made during it something to be commemorated.

Soldiers fought for freedom of our country, so give other people the freedom to choose whether or not to respect it.

As far as you go, OP, it was a mistake and I think the fact that you donated to the BL after returning shows the goodness in your character. Well done.

[Uokbing]

When I used to work in a large office and there was a silence for something they would signal it by ringing the fire alarm for a few seconds. The doors were those fire doors held open by magnets which would disable when the alarm went off, so at the beginning of the silence there would a be a huge clattering of doors. And also every time someone would forget and think it was an actual fire alarm and start getting up and going loudly 'oh for Gods sake' etc before sheepishly realising and sitting back down.

[MumW]

It's the act of remembering that is important and not those specific 2 mins.

If anything, it was the hairdresser who was at fault. She should have calmly announced that it was approaching 11 and that she'd appreciate the customers and clients observing the silence.

[timeforheroes]

Don’t feel bad OP, as others have said it was a genuine mistake.

I was in a coffee shop getting some takeaway drinks and the silence fell just as the guy serving me was finishing up my drinks. The whole shop fell silent, so DTwins decided to take it upon themselves to sing Daddy Finger to each other. The ENTIRE song. I tried shushing them but it just made them more excitable. Thankfully every other parent in the shop kept giving me encouraging smiles and nods. Longest 2 minutes ever.

[hollowtree]

I managed to do this today and yesterday. But I am always aware of the sacrifices made, not just for 2 minutes in November and I donate monthly to the Royal British Legion via direct debit so I don't feel too guilty!

[VioletCharlotte]

I was in Costa at 11am today. Everyone was silent apart from two ladies who, at a guess, were in their 80's, who continued with their conversation throughout. Was surprised as I would have expected it to be even more meaningful to that generation.

[Shockers]

I did that once at my son's football match OP. I still when I think about me prattling on while everyone else was silent...

It wasn't malicious in my case, or in yours though.

Today, as I nipped out to the shop, I saw an elderly gent sitting on a bench outside the pub. His medals were displayed and he looked sad. I smiled at him, but didn't speak. In the shop, I bought a bottle of Lancaster Bomber Ale, a box of chocolate brazils and a gift bag. I wanted to give it to him on the way back (my house is a minute's walk from the shop, so I'd been around 10 minutes altogether). He'd gone though. I wished I'd just stopped and spoken instead; he looked so sad.