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Explained in plain English

Who started the silence?

The two-minute silence was first proposed by Edward George Honey, an Australian journalist living in London, in 1919. He suggested a period of silence to honour the fallen, and King George V officially adopted it. This tradition has continued since, observed nationally at 11am on 11 November.

Stories that explain this

Two-minute silence at 11am observes 108 years since First World War ended

Related explainers

What is the Cenotaph made of? What happens during it? Why is Remembrance Sunday different? Why do we wear poppies? Why does the King lead the silence? Why a minute's silence? Why the minute's silence?

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