Our Allied heroes are not forgotten
IT WAS surprising that the BBC led the news for much of friday on how the black and Asian soldiers who fought with Britain in two World Wars have no memorial or resting places compared with the tidy cemeteries and war memorials of white Britons. To the extent that it is true, it is shameful and epitomises less equal times. however, it isn’t totally true. I recall The Chattri, a beautiful memorial to Indian forces of World War I, on the South Downs near Brighton, plus several groups of graves on the Western front cemeteries. The memorials in each town and village were not provided by government, but by communities. Other countries might have done the same. It may have been politically difficult to do this during calls or struggles for independence. Of course it is wonderful that the empire forces came together to win battles such as at el Alamein, and it should be admiringly recalled that the Indian army was the largest volunteer force in history. But they weren’t just fighting for the ‘Mother Country’, grateful though we should be for that. They were fighting for justice, and for themselves — we know how such troops were treated where the Japanese and Germans had taken over. But these heroes are not totally forgotten.
siMon caMPBeLL, Glasgow. NO MeNTION has been made of the numerous graves of the Chinese dead of the Chinese Labour Corps, which may be found in Commonwealth cemeteries along the Western front, buried alongside British and Commonwealth soldiers, principally at Lijssenthoek in flanders, the second largest British military cemetery. Two cemeteries were also specifically designated as having Chinese graves and memorials. The Ayette Indian and Chinese Cemetery on the Somme is unique in having not a cross of sacrifice at the entrance but rather a pagoda of eastern design. A similar design, by Sir edward Lutyens, was used at the Noyelles-surMer Chinese Cemetery near the coast, and there are also stone lions (a gift from China) guarding the gateway. This latter contains 800 Chinese graves and a memorial to those whose graves are unknown. A ceremony takes place here every year at the time of Qingming, the festival of the Dead, attended by the Chinese ambassador. Only six graves may be found in Britain, at Shorncliffe Military Cemetery, located above folkestone. how they died is unclear, but the proximity of a former hospital may suggest they died of their injuries after evacuation to this country. The Chinese headstones are of the standard CWGC design and the cemeteries maintained and cared for as for any other of their cemeteries.
name supplied, Maiden newton, Dorset. Of COurSe we regret the loss of life of these troops as much as any others, but it seems we are expressing regret on behalf of foreign sovereign governments that in the ensuing decades after the war either chose not to construct monuments or perhaps had them removed.