The Armistice

[j.sabourn]

London November 11 1918 0500 hr. The Armistice was signed.

The Naval conditions.
1. The surrender to the associated governments of 160 German submarines, all other submarines to. Be paid off and disarmed, and placed under the supervision of the allies.
2. Internment under allied supervision in neutral ports of six battle cruisers, ten battle ships, six light cruisers, fifty destroyers, all other surface warships to be paid off and disarmed and placed under the supervision of the allies.
3. Freedom of access to the Baltic for the allies.
4. Blockade to be maintained.
In addition there are a number of minor clauses.
JS

The. military.
1. Immediate. Evacuation of Belgium and France, also Alsace-Lorraine and Luxembourg within 14 days. Occupation by the allied forces to keep peace with the enemy evacuation.
2... surrender by the German armies of 5000 guns. 30,000 machine guns . 3000 minenwerter, and 2000 aeroplanes.
3. Evacuation of the German armies of the terroritary on the left bank of the Rhine, such territory to be administered by the local authority’s under the control of the allied armies.
4. Occupation by The allies of the three principal crossings of the Rhine- Mayenoe, Coblenz, and Cologne, together with the bridges. A neutral zone of about 30 kilometres to be left on the east bank of the Rhine.
5. Immediate. Repatriation without reciprocity of all allied POW.s. In addition there are clauses in regard to the handing over of all locomotive wagons , means of transportation and so forth.
JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Not sure of the exact details but read, many years ago, that the 1100 hours minutes silence was started in 1919 by a couple of newspaper correspondents.
Story was that they stood on the steps of the papers office to observe the minutes silence.

Following year the King called it for all.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Apparently, the Remembrance Day silence originates in Cape Town, South Africa where there was a daily three-minute silence, known as the Three Minute Pause, initiated by the daily firing of the noon day gun on Signal Hill. This was instituted by the then Cape Town Mayor, Sir Harry Hands, on 14 May 1918'

A Reuters correspondent in Cape Town cabled a description of the event to London and from there word spread to Canada and Australia.

K.

[j.sabourn]

Was anyone in the Dominican Republic , the other half of the island being Haiti, in the 50/60s. They used to have a 3 minute silence every morning for papa John the president. And he was still alive. Some of those haters of democracy were abundant in glorification of themselves. Used to be every morning before work started. Best to go along with the customs of the port and country. Cheers JWS

[vic mcclymont]

There was an interesting programme on Channel 4 about the Armistice.
The German diplomat travelled 4 days under the whit flag to get to the appointed destination.
Admiral Weymss asked for 160 subs., Eventually the diplomat stated we do not have 160, the document was ammended to all subs.
The Germans wanted a cease fire whilst discussions took place, the French General n charge of talks refused, the killing thousands needlessly.
The number of guns surrendered was ammended and reduced as the Germans were facing insurrection at home.
The allies refused to lift the blockade of German ports, causing starvation.
The Armistice sowed the seeds of the second world war.
Vic

[Captain Kong]

I heard that the British Army continued fighting in Russia for another two years on the side of the "White" Russians against the Red Russians. all the way across to Siberia.

[Keith Tindell]

5, saw that program myself Vic, it was very interesting, the guy negotiating was completely stitched up by the German General, who did not understand the position he was in, kt

[Keith Tindell]

The most thought inspiring monument to the first world war, kt

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-46155057

[Charles McKernan]

surely there must be some veterans from conflict that should have been at the festival of remembrance?

[j.sabourn]

#12.. don’t think there are many veterans from the First World War left Charles , if that is what you are referring to, however the few who do turn up for various ceremony’s of nearer years , I would imagine is no where near those that don’t turn up. The reasons for this may appear a bit oblique to some but one of them is because they feel if they were in the same conflict and came out unscathed will feel it their duty not to divulge how they died, and honour them the only way they know how by remaining silent. To understand. A small part of how they feel you would have to be part of the big picture and be involved physically with it. Most of my relations including my father who all survived different battlefields in different areas of the world, shunned all medals and campaign ribbons as just brought back unwanted memories perhaps. Maybe they also thought it was Immoral for them to go around dressed up like peacocks while their comrades lay 6 feet under in different bits and pieces , if you died in one piece you were one of the luckier ones. Every person will be different with different thoughts, that’s what makes us a race of animals apart from the common herd. Cheers JWS