Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday have been important days in the British calendar for over a century now, tracing their origins back to the end of the First World War.

Despite this, many are unclear about the differences between Remembrance Sunday, Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.

If you're unsure what Armistice Day is and are curious to learn if it's different from Remembrance Day, here is everything you need to know.

What is Armistice Day and when does it take place?

Armistice Day commemorates the signing of the armistice between the Allies of World War I (Britain and France etc) and Germany which brought an end to the four-year conflict.

Initially, the day was about marking the end of the Great War and was used as a way to commemorate the military dead from WWI. However, in later years, this focus shifted to all veterans. 

The armistice famously came into effect on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11am. In honour of this, Armistice Day or Remembrance Day commemorations take place on November 11.

Recommended Reading: 

Why do we participate in Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday?

Why we wear poppies for Remembrance Day and when to start wearing them

Is Armistice Day the same as Remembrance Day?

Armistice Day is often seen as an earlier version of Remembrance Day with both events taking place on the same day and sharing similar goals.

In its early days, the commemorative day was widely called Armistice Day and remembered those who had fallen during WWI. Remembrance Day, on the other hand, aims to commemorate veterans and war dead from all previous conflicts.

The change was made in 1931 when Conservative member of Parliament Charles Dickie campaigned on the issue. After Parliament approved the change, the official observation was fixed for November 11.