Ghana yesterday observed the 80th Remembrance Day with a solemn national ceremony at the Christiansborg War Cemetery in Accra, honouring the valiant soldiers who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars.
The event, conducted with military precision, drew dignitaries, diplomats, veterans, and members of the public in a united act of remembrance for the men and women whose courage helped secure global peace.
President John Dramani Mahama led proceedings by laying the first wreath on behalf of the Government and people of Ghana. He was followed by Mr Christian Rogg, representing the British High Commission and the Commonwealth and Allied nations, in recognition of the shared sacrifices made by their forces alongside Ghanaians during both wars.
Further tributes were paid by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Chairman of the Veterans Administration Ghana (VAG), and the Osu Alata Mantse, symbolising traditional and communal participation in honouring the fallen.
The ceremony featured the customary two-minute silence, the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille, and the recitation of the Ode of Remembrance — rituals that underscore the nation’s enduring gratitude to its heroes.
The Christiansborg War Cemetery, which serves as the final resting place for hundreds of Ghanaian and Commonwealth soldiers, once again stood as a poignant symbol of sacrifice and the enduring cost of freedom.
Observed annually on November 11, Remembrance Day — also known as Armistice Day — commemorates the end of the First World War, when hostilities ceased at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918, marking “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.” The Armistice Agreement between the Allied Forces and Germany brought four years of conflict to a close.
The first Armistice Day was held in 1919, with a two-minute silence observed across the British Commonwealth in memory of the fallen. Following the Second World War, the commemoration was extended to honour those who died in subsequent conflicts and later became known as Remembrance Day.
The Red Poppy, inspired by John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields,” has since become the universal symbol of remembrance.
In Ghana, the day holds deep historical significance. Thousands of Ghanaian soldiers, then serving under the British West African Frontier Force, fought bravely in campaigns across East Africa, Burma, and other theatres of war — many of whom never returned home.
Each year, the nation gathers at the Christiansborg War Cemetery to remember these heroes, whose names are inscribed in stone — a lasting reminder of their sacrifice in the pursuit of peace and the nation’s commitment to preserve their legacy.
BY RAYMOND APPIAH-AMPONSAH
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