Remembrance Day Messages: Honour & Reflect (UK/CA)

In workplaces across the UK and Canada, Remembrance Day is not “just another date.” It’s a shared pause. A moment to honour those who served and those who never came home, and to acknowledge teammates whose families carry that history personally.

Finding the right words for colleagues can feel delicate—and it should. This guide gives you a clear, respectful way to speak about Remembrance Day in professional settings, with copy-ready messages you can use in group cards, internal emails, chat channels, and digital tributes.

What Remembrance Day Means at Work 

Remembrance Day (11 November) marks the end of the First World War and honours the men and women of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty, especially across Commonwealth nations including the UK and Canada.

In many workplaces, teams observe the two-minute silence at 11:00 am, display poppies, share internal notes, or support veteran charities. Organizations are encouraged to handle these rituals with accuracy and dignity, following guidance from groups like the Royal British Legion and Veterans Affairs Canada. 

Your message should match that spirit: calm, grateful, inclusive—and never promotional.

Etiquette: How to Speak About Remembrance Day with Colleagues

Key principles

• Say “We remember / We honour / In remembrance of” rather than “Happy Remembrance Day.”
• Keep it brief and sincere. One or two thoughtful lines are often enough.
• Acknowledge service and sacrifice, not just the “occasion.”
• Include, don’t assume. You don’t know every colleague’s story; keep language open and compassionate.
• Be mindful for UK & CA audiences. Use “Remembrance Day” or “Poppy Day” (informally), not US-specific “Memorial Day.”
• For companies: no discounts, no sales hooks, no brand-first messaging on this day.

Gentle “do & avoid” guide

Do:

• Recognise veterans and serving members in your organisation.
• Offer solidarity to colleagues whose families have served.
• Mention the two-minute silence respectfully if your team is observing it.
• Encourage reflection, support, and learning.

Avoid:

• Jokes, puns, or memes tied to war, loss, or poppies.
• Overly dramatic or graphic descriptions.
• Turning Remembrance Day content into a marketing campaign.

If you’re building a considerate culture year-round, you can support this piece with resources like your Workplace & Office Greetings hub or Thank You messages for coworkers, so empathy isn’t limited to one date.

A Simple Framework for Respectful Workplace Messages

Use this to shape any Remembrance Day note to colleagues in the UK or Canada:

Acknowledge the day → Name the purpose. → Express gratitude/remembrance → Offer a shared moment or wish

Example pattern:

“Today, on Remembrance Day, we pause to honor those who served and those we lost. We are grateful for their courage and sacrifice, and we hold space for all who remember them.”

You’ll see this structure echoed in the messages below.

Copy-Ready Remembrance Day Messages for Colleagues (UK/CA)

Use these in team chats, emails, group cards, or digital boards. Edit names and details to fit your context. Aim for quiet sincerity.

1. Short, Work-Safe Messages for Any Team

• “Today we pause to honour those who served and those we lost. Lest we forget.”
• “Marking Remembrance Day with gratitude for all who sacrificed, and respect for those who still serve.”
• “At 11am, we pause in remembrance of the courage and lives given in service.”
• “Holding a quiet moment today for all who served, and for those who carry their stories.”
• “Thinking of everyone observing Remembrance Day, in gratitude and respect.”
• “On Remembrance Day, we remember the fallen and honour the living who served.”
• “Lest we forget the lives, families, and futures given in our name.”
• “Wearing the poppy with gratitude and reflection today.”

2. Messages for Colleagues Who Have Served

Keep these personal but professional. Use only if you’re sure about their service (or speaking broadly to all veterans in your organisation).

• “To our colleagues who have served: we are deeply grateful for your courage and your contribution. We honour you today and always.”
• “Thank you for your service and sacrifice. We’re honoured to work alongside you.”
• “Your service, and the service of those you stood beside, is remembered with respect today.”
• “On Remembrance Day, we acknowledge your commitment, your courage, and the stories that are not easy to tell. Thank you.”
• “We’re thinking of all our teammates who have served; your experiences matter, and we honour them.”
• “Your dedication in uniform and your leadership at work are both deeply valued.”
• “We recognise the weight of this day for you and stand beside you in remembrance.”

3. Messages for Colleagues Whose Families Served or Were Lost

• “Thinking of you and your family today as we remember those who served and sacrificed.”
• “In remembrance of your loved one’s service. Their courage is not forgotten.”
• “Honouring your family’s contribution and holding space for your memories this Remembrance Day.”
• “We’re grateful for your loved one’s service and mindful of your loss today.”
• “Your family’s story is part of why this day matters. We remember with you.”
• “Sending quiet support as we honour those your family has loved and lost.”
• “May today’s remembrance bring recognition to the sacrifices your family has carried.”

4. Company-Wide or HR Messages (UK/CA)

Use these for intranet posts, all-staff emails, or a message on a LovingEcards group card shared across offices.

• “Today, on Remembrance Day, we pause to honour all who served and all who fell in conflicts past and present. We invite you to join a two-minute silence at 11am as we reflect together.”
• “As a team, we recognise the sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces and their families across the UK, Canada, and the Commonwealth. Lest we forget.”
• “We encourage everyone to take a quiet moment today to remember those who served, those who did not return, and those who still carry the impact of war.”
• “Our gratitude goes to veterans, serving personnel, and their families within our community. Thank you for your courage and commitment.”
• “Remembrance Day is a time for reflection, not celebration. We honour the fallen and extend respect to all who mark this day in their own way.”
• “If this day is difficult for you, please know support is available—reach out to HR or a trusted colleague.”

You can gently pair a message like this with a link to a simple, non-commercial group card design on LovingEcards to collect team tributes in one respectful space.

5. Group Ecard & Team Tribute Lines

For a shared digital card or tribute wall (ideal for distributed teams in the UK & CA):

• “Together we remember those who served and gave their lives. Lest we forget.”
• “In honour of the brave men and women who stood for our freedom.”
• “With gratitude to all who served, and in memory of all who never came home.”
• “Remembering the courage, sacrifice, and stories behind every poppy.”
• “We pause, we reflect, we remember.”
• “May we never take their sacrifice for granted.”
• “Honouring veterans and their families across our team and beyond.”
• “Thank you to those who served in times of war, conflict, and peacekeeping.”
• “Our collective silence today speaks our gratitude.”
• “Remembering is our responsibility. Lest we forget.”
• “For every name on every memorial, we remember.”
• “In unity and respect, we mark this Remembrance Day together.”

Using Quotes, Poppies & “Lest We Forget” Carefully

• Poppies: In both the UK and Canada, the poppy is a symbol of remembrance; wearing it (physically or in digital art) should feel simple and respectful, not decorative branding.
• “Lest we forget”: Use sparingly, in context, not as a slogan or hashtag gimmick.
• Quotes: If including a historic line or verse, add attribution and keep it short. Avoid copying long lists of quotes from other sites

Closing: Keep the Focus Where It Belongs

A strong Remembrance Day message for colleagues in the UK and Canada doesn’t compete for attention. It creates space:

• to remember,
• to recognise veterans and families on your team,
• to reflect as a workplace with dignity.

If you use a LovingEcards group card, keep the design understated and let the words—and the silence—speak for themselves.