sample remembrance day speech

• Glossary of terms
• Privacy notice
• Accessibility
• World War I 1914 to 1918
• World War II 1939 to 1945
• Kokoda Track 1942 to 1943
• Burma-Thailand Railway and Hellfire Pass 1942 to 1943
• The Malayan Emergency 1948 to 1960
• Korean War 1950 to 1953
• The Indonesian Confrontation 1962 to 1966
• Vietnam War 1962 to 1975
• Gulf War 1990 to 1991
• Peacekeeping since 1947
• Biographies
• Oral histories
• Australians in wartime
• Great War memories
• Documentaries
• 3-nine-39 radio and video series
• National Service Scheme
• Veteran research
• Days of commemoration in Australia
• Event planning
• Personal commemorations
• Symbols of commemoration
• Memorial sites to visit
• Commemorative grants
• Anzac Day commemorative package
• Remembrance Day commemorative package
• Teaching resources
• Themes to explore
• Anzac Day Schools' Awards
• National History Competition
• Stories of Service series
• Commemorative Activity Centre

Sample speeches for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day

Use these speeches as a starting point for your own commemoration. We encourage local communities to research a veteran from their local area and to highlight their service in the speech.

Simple speech for Anzac Day

This speech would be suitable for a commemorative address for small ceremonies at primary schools, aged care facilities and other local community settings.

Read time 1 minute 25 seconds

We stand here this morning on (local details _____________) land. We acknowledge the traditional owners and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay respect to the Elders, past, present and emerging. Today, along with Australians everywhere, we gather to remember those who have served to defend Australia. We do this because it is the anniversary of the day when Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed on the beach at Gallipoli in Türkiye on 25 April 1915. This was the first major military campaign for soldiers from Australia and New Zealand. Since then, 25 April has been known as Anzac Day. ‘Anzac' comes from the name Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It was shortened to ANZAC in 1915. Since then, when Australians and New Zealanders have served together, they have often been known as Anzacs. At Gallipoli, Australians and New Zealanders served with soldiers from other nations, including England, France and India. The Australians at Gallipoli came from all sorts of backgrounds, but they shared the terrible experience of war. Ever since then, for more than a hundred years, the men and women in our navy, army and air force have honoured the memory of our original Anzacs. On Anzac Day, there are many ways to honour people who have served, and those who continue to serve, in Australia's armed forces. We can gather together like this, attend a dawn service or an Anzac Day march. We can also wear a sprig of rosemary as a symbol of remembrance. Towards the end of the ceremony, the Last Post will be played on a bugle. This historical music was played in army camps to announce the end of the day, a time when soldiers should be resting. The Last Post is played today for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. It means that they have done their duty and are now at rest. After the Last Post, there will be one minute of silence. This is a time to think about those who have served in Australia's armed forces, those who continue to serve, and about those who have lost their lives.

You can download this speech as part of our Anzac Day Kitbag .

Detailed speech for Anzac Day

This speech would be suitable for a commemorative address for public events at secondary schools, local war memorials and other community settings.

Read time 1 minute 30 seconds

We stand here this morning on (local details _____________) land. We acknowledge the traditional owners and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay respect to the Elders, past, present and emerging. Before dawn on 25 April 1915, the first soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed on the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula. The men were part of a British and French led invasion. The Allies' mission was to destroy Turkish guns that were preventing naval ships from reaching and bombarding the Turkish capital, Constantinople. If they succeeded, Türkiye might be forced out of the war and Germany would lose an important ally. Some 2000 Australians were killed or wounded on 25 April. It was a day of confusion and fear. One soldier called it ‘a day of sorrow' as he remembered the dead and wounded. At Anzac Cove, the Australians were the first to land. The New Zealanders followed later in the day. They advanced about a mile in some places, less in others, but they could go no further. For the next eight months, the campaign was a stalemate. In December, the Anzacs were evacuated. By then, about 8700 Australians and almost 2700 New Zealanders had been killed. They were some of at least 130,000 soldiers on both sides who lost their lives at Gallipoli. Anzac Day has been one of the most important dates on Australia's calendar since 1916. At first, it gave people a chance to honour the original Anzacs – the Australians and New Zealanders who fought on Gallipoli. Then it became a day for those who had served in the First World War. With Australians experiencing the Second World War, and wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations that have followed, Anzac Day has become an occasion to honour all who have worn our country's uniform in service. Today, we reflect on that service. We recognise more than a hundred thousand Australian service men and women who have lost their lives in military operations carried out in our country's name. We honour the values that have been invested in the original Anzacs – loyalty, selflessness, courage – and the ways in which later generations have measured their own achievements against those of the soldiers who fought on Gallipoli.

Simple speech for Remembrance Day

We stand here this morning on (local details ____ ) land. We acknowledge the traditional owners and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay respect to the Elders, past, present and emerging. The First World War was in its time the most destructive conflict yet experienced by humanity. When it began in August 1914, few imagined the course that it would take, or foresaw its terrible toll. From a population of just under 5 million, more than 400,000 Australians enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force – the AIF, the force that Australia sent to the war – and more than 330,000 served overseas. For most this meant Gallipoli, the Middle East or the war's main theatre: the Western Front in France and Belgium. More than 60,000 Australians lost their lives, a devastating toll for a small country. Yet they were a relative few. Around the world some 10 million military personnel died in what was then called the Great War. Families and communities everywhere were affected by the enormous loss. When an armistice ended the fighting on 11 November 1918, celebrations in the victorious nations were tempered by grief and sorrow. In Britain and the countries of her empire, the day's anniversary became known as Armistice Day. In 1919 and in every year since at 11 am on 11 November, people have paused to remember the dead. So great had been the loss of life, so devastating had been the destruction, that people hoped, even imagined, that the Great War would be the last war, ‘the war to end war'. But it was not to be. Two decades after the First World War ended, the world was plunged into a second global conflict. No longer could Armistice Day remain a day only to remember the dead of the First World War. After the Second World War ended in 1945, 11 November became known as Remembrance Day. The day's sombre associations have never changed. When we pause at 11 am on 11 November, we reflect on the price that Australia and countries around the world have paid through more than a century of war and conflict that followed the First World War.

You can download this speech as part of our Remembrance Day Kitbag .

Detailed speech for Remembrance Day

We stand here this morning on (local details ____ ) land. We acknowledge the traditional owners and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay respect to the Elders, past, present and emerging. The First World War ended more than a century ago. The fighting stopped when an armistice between the Allied powers and Germany came into effect at 11 o'clock on the morning of 11 November 1918. Millions had lost their lives during the war, among them more than 60,000 Australian service personnel – about one in five of those who served overseas. Many thousands more were wounded in body or mind. During the war and after its end, survivors returned home to a country both grateful for their service and traumatised by the war's enormous cost. The dead lay in cemeteries and unmarked graves around the world; from New Britain in the south-west Pacific, to Mesopotamia, Gallipoli, the Sinai, Palestine and the United Kingdom. But nowhere on earth do Australia's war dead lie in greater numbers than in the soil of the Western Front in France and Belgium. The momentous announcement that the fighting was over on this front, and with it the war, was met with joyful celebrations around Australia. But joy was neither universal nor unqualified. Too many had died, too many more wounded or made ill by their war service. Everywhere communities knew the pain of losing fondly remembered men. Across the country, memorials were erected to honour those who served and to remember the dead.In 1919, Britain's King George V proclaimed 2 minutes of silence at 11 am on 11 November. At the appointed hour, people around Australia, many gathered before local memorials, paused together in common reflection, remembering the dead and beginning a tradition that has endured for more than a century. In time, Australia's war memorials would come to honour the fallen of the Second World War and of the many other conflicts and operations in which Australians have served. Today, the Australian War Memorial's Roll of Honour lists the names of over 103,000 Australians who have lost their lives in war and conflict. As we pause on Remembrance Day, our thoughts turn to war's enormous cost and the toll it takes, not only on those who fall but on all who serve.

Ideas for local content

You might like to include a story of a veteran from your community who served Australia during a global conflict or peacekeeping mission. When talking about them, you could mention:

• their links to your community
• career before enlistment
• service branch (navy, army, air force)
• dates of service
• age at enlistment
• where they served overseas
• whether they received any medals for bravery
• whether they survived the conflict

You can look for the war service records of someone born in your town, or who enlisted in the forces there. You might find a name on an honour roll in your school or town hall, or on a local cenotaph or memorial.

Follow our handy guide to researching Australian wartime service .

Learning Activities

• Here they come—A day to remember
• Why We Remember: P-3 Commemoration presentation
• We Remember Anzac (Primary Resource)
• We Remember Anzac (Secondary Resource)

Further reading

• Suggested materials for Anzac Day
• Commemoration
• Gallipoli Campaign 1915
• Remembrance Day

Last updated: 30 August 2023

Cite this page

Indigenous content warning.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Nation Peoples of Australia and acknowledges their continuing spiritual, cultural, social and economic connection to Australia's lands and waters.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website contains images, names and voices of deceased persons.

Monthly updates on new content, free resources and commemorations.

We'll protect your details in line with our Privacy Policy. Learn about our newsletter .

Search form

Find us on....

• SCHOOL COUNCIL
• School Newsletters
• Other School News
• School Plans
• Cross Country
• Track and Field
• Lead in schools
• Transportation
• SCHOOL FORMS

You are here

A moving speech at the city's remembrance day service.

November 11th, Remembrance Day, is the day Canadians remember the brave men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace; specifically, the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and all conflicts since then in which members of the Canadian Forces  have participated to give us, and others, freedom.

I have not sacrificed anything for my freedom. It was given to me, by those who came before me and sacrificed so much. So now, it is my responsibility to never forget the service and the sacrifices of more than one and a half million Canadian soldiers, sailors, aircrew and merchant seaman.

They died so I could have the freedom to stand here, and give this speech. So I can get an education. Get a job. Live a free life. I am forever in their debt.

I will remember the sacrifices of everyone;

• The doctors and nurses who tended to the wounded;
•  The parents who watched their children fight things that they couldn’t protect them from;
• The children who were too young to understand why their moms and dads wouldn’t be home for Christmas;
• The teen boys, who were shipped off to fight before they even got a chance at adulthood;
• Or the kids who had to grow up too soon so they could take care of their families in the middle of the war.

Because they lost so much…and because they gave everything, I thank them. I will always remember.

Ladies and gentlemen, as we stand here in peace and safety, we pay our respects to all of the fallen, all of the wounded and all who served in conflicts over the last 100 years. Today, as we should every day, we remember those who volunteered, sacrificed, served, fought, and died, for our freedom. We thank you, and we salute you as we salute those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We will never forget. We will remember you.

• Brightspace/D2L
• COVID-19 Coronavirus
• Register Now
• School Cash

School Information

175 Glenwood Drive, Brantford, ON N3S 3H1

Governor-General David Johnston's Remembrance Day speech

This article was published more than 8 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.

Governor-General David Johnston speaks during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Nov. 11, 2014. SEAN KILPATRICK/The Canadian Press

The text of the speech Governor-General David Johnston delivered Tuesday to mark Remembrance Day at the National War Memorial:

At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, when the guns of the Great War at last fell silent, the fury of conflict was replaced by a deafening silence. In that fragile gap between the sounds of dying and the cries of relief, we were faced with all we had done, all we had lost, all we had sacrificed.

In that silence, we met a truth so obvious and so terrifying we swore we would never take up arms again.

"One owes respect to the living," said Voltaire. "To the dead, one owes only the truth."

We vowed never to forget.

We built monuments – massive pillars of stone and metal – and placed them at the very heart of our towns and cities, so they might stop us daily in our tracks.

We collected names, wrote these names in books and carved them into walls in a constant effort to save those we failed from the faithlessness of anonymity.

And we pledged to gather in our communities each year at this hour on this singular day of Remembrance so that we might fall silent again and again and again.

Today, we stand as one in silent tribute – not only to keep the vow made long ago but also to rededicate this symbol of that promise. When King George VI unveiled our National War Memorial, he called it "the spontaneous response of the nation's conscience, revealing the very soul of the nation."

Look upward now, and against the sky see the bronze figures of Peace and Freedom. Their arms are linked. They cannot be separated. Because freedom without peace is agony, and peace without freedom is slavery, and we will tolerate neither. This is the truth we owe our dead.

And now look down, to the resting place of a Canadian boy who died at Vimy Ridge. We don't know his name. He is our unknown soldier. In anonymity he honours all Canadians who died and may yet die for their country.

We will stand on guard for him and for them, as did Nathan Cirillo, who takes his place among them.

We will strive for peace and for freedom, as did Patrice Vincent, who joins them also.

As Governor General and commander-in-chief of Canada, I have the solemn privilege to stand with you and them today, just steps away from our houses of Parliament – where we resolve our differences through dialogue and the rule of law.

We are people of peace. Of respect and tolerance, kindness and honour. These qualities are alive in our national conscience precisely because we hold them as precious.

We have the luxury to do so because those we remember today believed those qualities to be precious enough to die for.

That is why we will keep those men and women in our memory. "Without memory," said Rabbi Dow Marmur, "there can be neither continuity nor identity."

We have had sombre occasion in past weeks to ponder our identity as the very symbols of our peace and freedom were violated.

And now here we stand, and here we shall remain: unshaken in resolve; grateful in remembrance of those who have sacrificed; rededicated, like this memorial, to our eternal duty: peace and freedom – the very soul of our nation.

Lest we forget!

Report an error

Share this Story: Transcript: Mayor David Miller's Remembrance Day speech

Transcript: mayor david miller's remembrance day speech, article content.

Good morning.

It is with mixed emotions I address this gathering for the last time.

As Mayor for the past seven years, I have been immensely proud to be with you to remember and honour those Canadians killed and wounded in military action.

However, being here on Nov. 11 also serves as a painful and tragic reminder that despite the hope that the carnage of World War 1 would make it the “war to end all war”, we are still a long way away from achieving the lasting peace that was perhaps naively envisioned but that we nevertheless still desire.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

• Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.
• Unlimited online access to National Post and 15 news sites with one account.
• National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
• Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
• Support local journalism.

SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES

• Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events

REGISTER FOR MORE ARTICLES

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

• Access articles from across Canada with one account.
• Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
• Enjoy additional articles per month.
• Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Don't have an account? Create Account

Sadly, in the year since we last gathered here, another 19 Canadian soldiers are among the men, women and children killed in wars and conflicts all over the world. That’s 19 more Canadian families torn apart – their lives changed forever.

As Torontonians we have an additional perspective on war because we are a city of newcomers.

There are people here today who fled war in their homelands for the promise of a better life for their families and for peace. But even as they have found peace here, they may have friends and family back home who are not as fortunate.

Just yesterday, I heard the story of Serge, a refugee from the Congo, who fled a civil war he described as like being trapped inside a burning house knowing you can’t get out and hoping someone, somewhere is calling 911.

For Serge, like for so many Torontonians, Canada responded to that call.

For all casualties of war, military and civilian, there is no peace. And for all of them we mourn.

I recall as a boy being told by my mother of the sense of uncertainty and fear that comes with having serving military personnel in the family, of my grandfather who would wait day after day for news of my uncle, fighting in the Royal Navy in the Second War or of their neighbour whose two sons served in the Suffolk Regiment, and sadly never returned home.

Those stories will always be with me as similar stories are with each of us, our friends and our neighbours.

While we all may understand the risks of war and of serving one’s country with honour, pride and distinction, that knowledge alone can never be enough to make up for the emotional damage that combat deaths inflict on friends, families and loved ones.

Nor is it enough to fill the void they leave.

Today, I’m reminded of the words President Jimmy Carter spoke in 2002 while accepting the Nobel Peace Prize.

He said…“War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.”

We gather today as we do every year in sadness, in mourning and in the faint hope that next year we will not be remembering any additional casualties of war.

Sadly, history teaches us that is not likely to be the case.

We all know that by Nov. 11, 2011, more Canadians will have died in service to their country and we will rightly be commemorating their ultimate sacrifice.

Would that we could choose the path of peace and embrace it.

Would that we were here today celebrating such peace, not resenting war; speaking of life, not death; looking forward with hope, not dread.

The reality is that the depravity of war continues today.

And that means never forgetting the sacrifices others have made for us.

Here in Toronto, we bear witness to the return of the bodies of our fallen soldiers as they are transported from CFB Trenton to the Coroner’s Office.

This past June I was proud to preside over the dedication of the Route of Heroes which is the final part of the journey of fallen soldiers into our city.

This acknowledgement was important because victims of war should never be forgotten – even as we pray for peace.

Remembrance Day is not only about mourning our dead. It is a time to say thank you to ALL who have served Canada with distinction.

Each year, we pause to remember those soldiers, sailors, aircrew and merchant seamen who served, and those who were killed, in the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, peacekeeping operations since 1948 and Canada’s current mission in Afghanistan.

As well, we extend eternal gratitude to the service men and women who returned from armed conflict and peacekeeping missions, some with physical and emotional scars.

As I look around today at people who fought on the front lines, I’m reminded that some of the most powerful lessons we can learn about war come not only from media reports and images, but by listening to our veterans.

Their stories of the storming of Hill 70 at Vimy Ridge and the Normandy landings on D-Day to the battles of Hill 355 and Hill 187 in Korea are stark reminders of the destructive hell war brings.

Remembrance Day is a time to develop a deeper understanding of the vital contributions veterans made – and continue to make – to our Canadian ideals of democracy, freedom and peace.

In that moment we lost the last living link to an important page in Canada’s history, viewed by many as our nation’s coming-of-age.

As his voice has gone silent, it falls upon us to know our history, share the stories that have been told and take the time to remember.

. I encourage you to visit this page.

On this Remembrance Day, take a moment to acknowledge the veterans that are with us today for their bravery and heroism:  extend your hand and say, ‘thank you’.  Thank you for your service.

On this, the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour we in Toronto join grateful residents in more than 2,000 cities, towns and villages throughout Canada who gather at cenotaphs and memorials to remember those who gave their lives in service of their country.

We place wreaths on memorials and take part in moving ceremonies to honour the many Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice and to pray with the hope that no more join their ranks.

Today is a day for the people of our great City to join with all Canadians to say thank you to all those who have done so much for our country and to salute those who continue to serve Canada today.

It’s also a day for us to hope and pray that one day the true peace we all desire will come to pass.

Share this article in your social network

Subscriber only. first reading: why trudeau isn't resigning.

Jamie Sarkonak: House arrest for impregnating daughter a result of race-based sentencing

John Ivison: Steven Guilbeault opts for distortion over discernment

Kanye West and 'wife' banned for life from boarding Venice boats over obscene behaviour

Opinion: Governments shouldn't house the middle class

Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Latest from Shopping Essentials

7 travel booking hacks to help you secure the best deals on flights.

From leveraging cost comparison sites to booking on off hours and days, these hacks will help you get the best deals when booking air travel

Sofia Richie Grainge adds David Yurman ambassador to her 2023 highlight reel

2023 was an 'It Girl' year for Sofia Richie Grainge.

Best gifts for babies under 1 year old, according to parents

Parent- and kid-approved gifts for babies 0 to 12 months old

Training to climb the Empire State Building in 30 days

From fitness to nutrition to what to wear

Diptyque Paris launches first line of refillable candles

This Just In: French perfumer Diptyque Paris has launched its first line of refillable candles.

This Week in Flyers

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here . By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy .

Remembrance Day Websites Speeches

Remembrance Day speeches by prominent Australians and New Zealanders:

● Scott Morrison , Prime Minister of Australia (2018 Remembrance Day commemorative address, Australian War Memorial )

● Jacinda Ardern , Prime Minister of New Zealand (2018 Armistice Day cnational ceremony )

● Senator Mathias Cormann (2017 Remembrance Day Ceremony, Australian War Memorial)

● Jeff Kennett , former Premier of Victoria (2016 Remembrance Day commemorative address, Australian War Memorial )

● Dr Jackie Huggins (2015 Remembrance Day commemorative address)

● Julia Gillard, Prime Minister (2011 Remembrance Day address, Canberra). Video (youtube.com). Report (theaustralian.com.au) - if the web page of this report has been removed, email us at anzacwebsites.com and we will make a saved copy available.

● Quentin Bryce, Governor-General [pdf] (archived from gg.gov.au) 2010 Remembrance Day speech.

● Prof. Kim Beazley [pdf] (Australian War Memorial Anniversary Oration, 11 November 2009)

● General Peter Cosgrove (archived 2009 Remembrance Day commemorative address)

● Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister (Remembrance Day Address, 11 November 2008)

● John Howard, Prime Minister (Remembrance Day Speech, 11 November 1997)

● Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor-General [pdf] (archived from gg.gov.au) Remembrance Day Commemoration, Wollongong, 11 November 2005.

● Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston, Chief of the Defence Force (Remembrance Day Commemorative Address, 11 November 2005)

● Paul Keating, Prime Minister (Remembrance Day Speech: funeral service for the Unknown Australian Soldier, 11 November 1993). Listen (archive, mp3 file).

● David Cunliffe, New Zealand Government Minister (Remembrance Day Address, St Matthews in the City, Auckland, 11 November 2006)

Writing a Remembrance Day speech

● Remembrance Day Websites

● Music for Remembrance Day ceremonies

● Remembrance Day lesson materials

● Anzac Day ceremonies

● Anzac Day speeches

● Memorials and Rolls

● Anzac Day Websites

Anzac Day Websites main page

Please see our Privacy statement .

OV10-Bronco Commissioning and Forward Air Controllers Welcome

18 august 2023.

Welcome address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the OV10-Bronco Commissioning and Forward Air Controllers, 26…

Tech in Government: Digitisation is an essential strategy for the preservation of data

09 august 2023.

Address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Tech in Government Conference, 8 August 2023.

Annual Bomber Command Memorial Service

04 june 2023.

Address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Annual Bomber Command Memorial Service, 4 June 2023.

Sandakan Commemorative Service

26 may 2023.

Welcome address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Sandakan Commemorative service, 26 May 2023.

Nurses and Midwives Remembrance

09 may 2023.

Welcome address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Nurses and Midwives Remembrance and Thanksgiving ceremony,…

Anzac Day National Address 2023

25 april 2023.

Address to the Nation given by His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd).

Anzac Day Commemorative Address Dawn Service 2023

Commemorative Address delivered by Prime Minister, The Hon Anthony Albanese MP. 

The Australian War Widows ACT Field of Remembrance & Anzac Service

21 april 2023.

Address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Australian War Widows ACT Field of Remembrance & Anzac Service…

Soldier on Gala Keynote

01 april 2023.

Speech given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for Soldier on Gala Keynote Address, 1 April 2023. 

In Conversation: Born of Fire and Ash Book Launch

15 march 2023.

Welcome speech given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Born of Fire and Ash Book Launch, 15 March 2023.

Ralph Honnor oration

07 december 2022.

Speech given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Ralph Honnor oration, 7 December 2022.

Dr Nelson’s Book Launch: Of Life and Of Leadership

29 november 2022.

Welcome for Dr Nelson’s Book Launch: Of Life and Of Leadership, 29 November 2022.

Remembrance Day Commemorative Address

11 november 2022.

The Commemorative Address for Remembrance Day 2022 was delivered by Mr Kerry Stokes AC. 

105th Anniversary Beersheba Breakfast

31 october 2022.

Speech given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the 105th Anniversary Beersheba Breakfast, 31 October 2022.

National Legacy week launch

29 august 2022.

Address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the National Legacy Week launch on 29 August 2022

05 June 2022

Address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Annual Bomber Command Memorial Service on the 5th of June 2022

2022 National Sandakan Remembrance Day Commemorative Ceremony

27 may 2022.

Address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the 2022 National Sandakan Remembrance Day Commemorative Ceremony, 27…

Banka Island service introduction

25 may 2022.

Address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial for the Banka Island Massacre 80th anniversary commemoration, 16 February…

Red Shield Address

23 may 2022.

Address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial

Order of Australia Service

Nurse and Midwives Remembrance Ceremony Commemorative Address

10 may 2022.

Commemorative Address given by Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN, Chief Executive Officer, Australian College of Nursing

Nurse and Midwives Remembrance Ceremony Welcome Address

Welcome address given by Mr Matt Anderson PSM, Director, Australian War Memorial

Anzac Day Commemorative Address Dawn Service 2022

25 april 2022.

Commemorative Address given by Mr Michael Ruffin OAM. A veteran of Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam.

Anzac Day National Address

Last updated: 11 July 2023

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Society and culture
• Community and society

Remembrance Day

British Ambassador addressing a solemn memorial service of remembrance

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. May I first thank the British Chamber of Commerce and Andrew Tay and the staff of the Himawari hotel for organising today’s event. In most countries, including in Cambodia, we usually observe this day on Remembrance Sunday. And this year, as in every year, the Remembrance Sunday commemoration service in the UK was held in London at the Cenotaph led by HM the Queen honouring all of our heroes from Britain and the Commonwealth – it is they who are the ones who have given so much for the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Remembrance Sunday is the closest Sunday to the moment when the guns fell silent at the end of World War 1 in 1918 on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. This year, we chose here in Phnom Penh to mark this moment today - on the actual 11th – on Armistice Day. Part of the reason for this was practical – to avoid the clash with Cambodia’s national day celebrations and the end of the Water Festival holiday events. But it is also fitting that we do so in this year 2014, which marks the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War – World War One – which was supposed to be the war to end all wars.

This year has seen much reflection of the events that led up to the outbreak of the First World War and Britain’s entry into it on 4 August. Earlier this year, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office republished a series of telegrams sent by Ambassadors in the European Great Powers showing how an extraordinary and unpredictable series of events led to such a conflict, the scope of which was unimaginable hitherto. The wartime Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey, said on the eve of WW1: “The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.” These were prophetic words and this year many households, businesses and public buildings, including the Foreign Office in London, participated in the Lights Out event - a cultural programme to mark the centenary – and turned out their lights to leave a single candle or light burning.

Many expected WW1 to be a short-lived, with talk of troops being home by Christmas. However, by the November it was already clear that was not to be the case. That war would continue for 4 more long years with tens of millions of soldiers and civilians killed or seriously wounded. At an event to mark Armistice Day at the French Embassy this morning, I learnt that no fewer than 20,000 military and civilian support personnel from Cambodia also contributed to the conflict as part of the French Indochina effort.

Next month, we will reflect once again on that terrible conflict of 100 years ago, here in Cambodia, a country more familiar than most with the cost and tragedy of war. We will partner with European Embassies and local schools to mark the Christmas Truce. This was the spontaneous ceasefire between British and German soldiers fighting each other in the trenches on the Western Front on Christmas Day of 1914. They met in ‘no man’s land’, buried their dead, sang carols, exchanged gifts and even played an impromptu football match - a reminder that, even in the midst of the most terrible suffering and carnage, there is hope for reconciliation and humanity. And that strong and unshakeable alliances and friendships, such as we now enjoy in Europe, are possible between nations who were previously implacably opposed to each other. We aim to carry this message of hope to the youth of Cambodia through historical presentations and a friendly football tournament to recall this amazing event.

Ladies and gentlemen, we come here, of course, to pay our respects to all of the fallen and of the wounded in all conflicts over the last 100 years. 2014 also marked the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of WW2 and the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, commemorated by World Leaders, including HM the Queen, in Normandy this summer. This spirit of courage, bravery and sacrifice continues to the present day. As we welcome home our returning troops from Afghanistan, we grieve for the 453 of them who were lost to that conflict. We also pay tribute to the Cambodian troops currently serving overseas in UN Peacekeeping operations in countries as far afield as Mali and Lebanon. We wish them success in their missions and a safe return home upon their completion.

Today, as every day, we remember those who volunteered, served, fought, and died, all for the cause of freedom. We have with us today several veterans of these conflicts. We are grateful for your service. We thank you, and we salute you as we salute those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We will remember them.

Related content

Is this page useful.

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

Speaker of the Senate

Speech at the 19th annual ceremony of remembrance.

Speaker Regan, Minister Hehr, Honoured Parliamentarians, Veterans & Members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen:

It is an honour for me to welcome you to the 19th Annual Ceremony of Remembrance. Today is a solemn occasion for all of us…as Canadians…to reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave men and women in uniform.

We gather today to commemorate the incredible bravery and strength of those who came before us, those who served and those who continue to serve in their wake.

I would especially like to thank our veterans for joining us this morning. They have known first-hand what it means to face the many difficulties associated with military life and have given this country an immeasurable gift through their service. To them and to those who came before them…we are forever indebted and grateful.

As we are gathered here today, the eight paintings that adorn the walls of this Chamber depict scenes from the First World War. They serve as a reminder of our history and those who fought on our behalf so that we can be free.

Over two million Canadian men and women from all walks of life have made…and continue to make lasting contributions during times of war, conflict and peace. Today, we commend the bravery of these individuals, and reflect in particular on those who served in the Battle of Vimy Ridge and Beaumont Hamel during the First World War.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. Every year on July 1st, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians observe Memorial Day in honour of the hundreds of members of the Newfoundland Regiment who lost their lives fighting at Beaumont-Hamel at the opening of the Somme offensive.

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians do this because the void left by the sacrifice of that generation of young men has long been felt in our province, and it continues to live on in our memories today. Their story of extraordinary devotion and courage will – and always must – be shared.

It is fitting that on this same day, Canadians celebrate Canada Day – for without the sacrifices of the young men at Beaumont Hamel, and of all the young men and women who followed in this and subsequent wars, there may well have been no Canada to celebrate.

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, whose victory is widely considered as one of the most defining moments for our country.

In many ways, it was through the Battle of Vimy Ridge that the Canadian identity was forged.

It was during this battle that, for the first time, all four divisions of the Canadian infantry attacked together. Men from all regions of our country were united in their fight to defeat a common foe, driven by their love for Canada.

While Canada has since been involved in other military conflicts and peacekeeping missions, the significance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge has not changed. The Vimy Memorial is a permanent reminder of the sacrifices made by these brave soldiers.

Each year, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we honour and remember them and the more than 118,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for Canada.

The great English writer and World War I veteran Edmund Blunden on the bravery of soldiers fallen in war, wrote:

“They died in splendour, these who claimed no spark of glory… save the light in a friend's eye.”

May we forever preserve their memory, and may we never forget them. May that be our solemn promise.

Thank you. Merci.