Goodbye, Piccadilly as “Lights Out” hour marks First World War centenary
It was the night that Britain marked the centenary of its entry into the First World War with a “Lights Out” tribute, echoing the evocative remarks of Britain’s foreign secretary all those decades ago. Sir Edward Grey warned: “The lamps are going out all over Europe”… and so they did again last night, perhaps nowhere more starkly than London’s monument to neon, Piccadilly Circus. The area around the landmark, normally bathed in artificial light, was plunged into darkness save for bright images of poppies and servicemen with the legend “Westminster Remembers”.
Government buildings switched off lighting, Tower Bridge was plunged into darkness and homes and businesses throughout the capital were urged to switch off to remember the hour Britain joined the war against Germany in 1914. The “Lights Out” hour, between 10-11pm, closed a nation-wide day of ceremonies involving the Royal family, politicians and a candlelit vigil at Westmister Abbey. About 17 million soldiers and civilians were killed between 1914-18.