Today marks Armistice Day, and as per tradition a two minute silence will be held at 11am.

The silence commemorates the signing of the armistice between the Allies and Germany at 11am on November 11, 1918.

The pause is also to remember those who fell during both world wars and conflicts since 1945.

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Tom Tugendhat, former British Army officer and current MP, said "For me, it means many things, but mostly it means remembering the friends I served with, and particularly those who didn't come back.

"Although for many people it's about grandparents and black and white photographs, for me it's not.

"It's about mates who I went and had beers with, mates who I hung out with, mates who I chatted to and with whom I went on operations overseas and some of whom, very sadly, didn't make it.

"I had the great privilege of serving for many years in the Territorial Army, or as it's now known the Army Reserve, and during that time I served on operations including the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and then in operations in Helmand between 2005 and 2009.

"My last post was as military assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff."

"[When people pause for two minutes] they're paying tribute to the courage and the determination of those people who served our country and who paid the ultimate price.

"It's not about the war in particular, it's not about whether you thought Iraq, for example, was a good idea or a bad idea, it's about the dedication and commitment of the young men and women who gave everything to defend our country and to defend the interest and values that we hold dear.

"For me, it's particularly moving, because of course I was once one of those young men.

"It's one of those moments the nation comes together, so I think it's particularly important today when there's so many things that could divide us, but at least for two minutes once a year we are silent together in memory of the things that unite us, because of the course the young men and women that we're remembering are from every part of British society - from every social class, from every colour and background.

"There isn't a type of soldier, everybody in the armed forces represents everybody in the nation, it's the same group that we call from and it's very much a single organisation.

"So it's a very important moment for me both for national unity and of honouring those who served and gave everything."

For decades, the poppy has been a symbol of remembrance, with many people choosing to wear one on the run up to Remembrance Day each year.

The MP for Tonbridge and Malling said: "For me too the poppy was a remembrance of my great grandfather who was killed in 1915 in Ypres in the First World War."

"Until I started serving myself, and then of course it changed because it became about the men and women I served with, and the many many many others who I didn't know but who also suffered.

"And of course it's not just about the dead. We always think of the dead, but it's mostly for me nowadays about the injured, and the families who need to cope with the affect of war many many years after the war has finished."

"And that's where the poppy comes in again, much more live today for me then it was years ago."

Eight Armistice Day facts:

• It was signed around 37 miles from Paris in Ferdinand Foch's railway carriage as the location was discreet.
• The armistice was agreed 6 hours beforehand at 5am, and it was agreed that fighting would stop at 11am.
• It was on November 11 1919 that the first official Armistice day was held.
• Armistice Day is also known as Remembrance Day (not to be confused with Remembrance Sunday. In the US it as known as Veteran's Day and is a public holiday.
• Germany had to surrender 25,00 machine guns, 2,500 heavy guns, 2,500 field guns and 1,700 aeroplanes and all the submarines they had as part of the armistice.
• The leaf on the paper poppy was introduced in 1970.
• Poppies were the first flower to grow on the churned up battlefields of Northern France and Flanders.
• Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands remained neutral throughout World War One and therefore do not commemorate Armistice Day.