Commonwealth War Graves Commission were racist
Discussion
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56840131
Black and Asian service personnel were not given the same memorial after death as their white counterparts. I've been involved with the CWGC as a volunteer for a while doing inspections of memorials in local church yards as well as talks to groups about the history of the CWGC.
Times and attitudes were different but this has the potential to be very damaging to an organisation that does a wonderful and inspiring role.
SD.
Black and Asian service personnel were not given the same memorial after death as their white counterparts. I've been involved with the CWGC as a volunteer for a while doing inspections of memorials in local church yards as well as talks to groups about the history of the CWGC.
Times and attitudes were different but this has the potential to be very damaging to an organisation that does a wonderful and inspiring role.
SD.
Well, WW1 was a bad do all round. I did often wonder about the graves of Indian soldiers (there are some memorials for them), but never even knew African commonwealth soldiers had been brought into the field as well.
As OP says, the CWGC do sterling work. A few years back, en route to the Nurburgring, I visited the battlefield near Aras where my paternal grandfather was injured out of service> As we all know, he was lucky not to be left crippled, let alone killed, like many of his comrades. What I hadn't realised, until I got there, was that there was a CWGC cemetery for those who'd not been so fortunate. It was immaculately kept and a very moving memorial.
What then also struck me, driving through the countryside, was the scores of other, small cemeteries and memorials. I'd realised there were huge sites, such as at Vimy, but the sheer numbers of others really pressed home the horror.
It's a dreadful shame for anyone to have fallen there without memorial.
As OP says, the CWGC do sterling work. A few years back, en route to the Nurburgring, I visited the battlefield near Aras where my paternal grandfather was injured out of service> As we all know, he was lucky not to be left crippled, let alone killed, like many of his comrades. What I hadn't realised, until I got there, was that there was a CWGC cemetery for those who'd not been so fortunate. It was immaculately kept and a very moving memorial.
What then also struck me, driving through the countryside, was the scores of other, small cemeteries and memorials. I'd realised there were huge sites, such as at Vimy, but the sheer numbers of others really pressed home the horror.
It's a dreadful shame for anyone to have fallen there without memorial.
The problem is that the legacy of that attitude is visible today due to a lack of appropriate memorials and a reluctance by the CWGC to do anything about it - up to now. I assume they hoped that nobody would notice.
Well, they have now and I reckon they will put a plan of action into place to start restoring neglected grave sites and placing appropriate memorials where needed.
Well, they have now and I reckon they will put a plan of action into place to start restoring neglected grave sites and placing appropriate memorials where needed.
JagLover said:
and in other news there was shock today as the Pope was announced to be a Catholic!
Of course most public officials from the first half of the twentieth century didn't have today's attitudes.
Indeed, just further division. Constant, constant talk of racism every fOf course most public officials from the first half of the twentieth century didn't have today's attitudes.
king day is getting insane. Eric Mc said:
The problem is that the legacy of that attitude is visible today due to a lack of appropriate memorials and a reluctance by the CWGC to do anything about it - up to now. I assume they hoped that nobody would notice.
Well, they have now and I reckon they will put a plan of action into place to start restoring neglected grave sites and placing appropriate memorials where needed.
Is it a deliberate act now or something more mundane like a lack of funding/volunteers?Well, they have now and I reckon they will put a plan of action into place to start restoring neglected grave sites and placing appropriate memorials where needed.
It much be a huge task, the major cemeteries and those overseas get a lot of attention, but there's a huge number of war graves in the small cemeteries here. I visited a local one and was surprised to find it's range and how well it was tended.
Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery contains over 50 graves from the mid-19th century until the outbreak of the First World War. 40 graves were added during the First World War and 33 during the Second World War.
https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memo...
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Article said:
BBC, Guardian, Back in 1923 someone said etc etc
Come on guys...Times have changed. Let's just try an move on eigh? We can't fix every part of history.
However, in this case, I can see a very reasonable argument to say the relatives of these WW1 servicemen deserve at least some memorial to those lost. Even German soldiers got similar, so why not these guys too?
vixen1700 said:
AngryPartsBloke said:
So black and Asian soldiers who fought & died for this country should not get a memorial fitting of their sacrifice?
That's not what I said is it? I'm oot!
vixen1700 said:
Eric Mc said:
So it's an issue that shouldn't be rectified because you are a bit bored by it all?
If as much effort was put into reporting inclusion rather than division I'd be happier, yes. Where did you get bored from? I think this kind of stuff is important, whether some people find it boring, annoying or tedious.
All those who fought and died in defence of Britain and its colonial possessions should be properly honoured with dignity and respect - irrespective of their race, creed or colour.
It's a simple concept to grasp I think.
Byker28i said:
It much be a huge task, the major cemeteries and those overseas get a lot of attention, but there's a huge number of war graves in the small cemeteries here. I visited a local one and was surprised to find it's range and how well it was tended.
It's a huge task. I volunteer at 3 local churchyards - I've got well over 80 graves to report on their condition and do light cleaning.
SD.
Eric Mc said:
vixen1700 said:
Eric Mc said:
So it's an issue that shouldn't be rectified because you are a bit bored by it all?
If as much effort was put into reporting inclusion rather than division I'd be happier, yes. Where did you get bored from? I think this kind of stuff is important, whether some people find it boring, annoying or tedious.
All those who fought and died in defence of Britain and its colonial possessions should be properly honoured with dignity and respect - irrespective of their race, creed or colour.
It's a simple concept to grasp I think.
Will there then be a constant rolling undoing of historic wrongs to try and mitigate the actions of each previous generation who were all acting with the values of society at that time?
The behaviour we may even see as wrong is still itself part of out history. Maybe in another 50 years it will all be viewed very differently again and these actions (good intentioned as they are today) of history will be judged harshly.
AngryPartsBloke said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Come on guys...Times have changed. Let's just try an move on eigh?
We can't fix every part of history.
Doesn't mean we shouldn't address the areas that we can.We can't fix every part of history.
It's the "x, y, z, everything is/was racist" angle that's pissing people off and creating division, not the fact that we could and should take steps to rectify in modern times those matters that weren't fairly addressed due to the prevailing views of past times.
FNG said:
AngryPartsBloke said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Come on guys...Times have changed. Let's just try an move on eigh?
We can't fix every part of history.
Doesn't mean we shouldn't address the areas that we can.We can't fix every part of history.
It's the "x, y, z, everything is/was racist" angle that's pissing people off and creating division, not the fact that we could and should take steps to rectify in modern times those matters that weren't fairly addressed due to the prevailing views of past times.
Our generation’s actions will also be viewed as outside the values of future generations, the world and the societies within it are always evolving and changing.
Sure, learn from the past and talk about what’s changed but I don’t agree with the undoing of history and actions of previous people myself. The actions themselves are all part of history and help explain how things have changed, hopefully for the better.
Obviously these aren’t all absolutes though and there’s always nuance in individual cases etc.
vixen1700 said:
Eric Mc said:
So it's an issue that shouldn't be rectified because you are a bit bored by it all?
If as much effort was put into reporting inclusion rather than division I'd be happier, yes. Where did you get bored from? Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff