A new memorial honouring African and Caribbean troops who fought for Britain in the First and Second World Wars will be inaugurated in London on June 22.
Formed of two obelisks, sculpted from Scottish whinstone, the monument bears the names of the African and Caribbean regiments of both conflicts.
It will be the first of its kind in the UK, says the Nubian Jak Community Trust, which has led the project.
The Memorial will be unveiled at a ceremony in Windrush Square, Brixton, South London.
“This will be a poignant yet celebratory experience and inspirational for all who attend,” says Jak Beula, founder of the Nubian Jak Community Trust and initiatives to raise awareness of historic black figures in the UK.
“It is crucial that we don’t forget the historic role played by African and Caribbean servicemen and servicewomen who served during both wars. We should be proud of their contribution”.
The African and Caribbean Memorial was temporarily displayed at an Armistice Day ceremony in Brixton, marking the First World War Centenary, in November 2014.
It’s now being installed on a permanent site in Windrush Square – the name remembers hundreds of Caribbean men and women who arrived on the troopship, Empire Windrush, in 1948 to start a new life in Britain after the Second World War.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Britain owes an enormous debt to the African and Caribbean service men and women who fought alongside their British- based peers during the First and Second World Wars. These brave individuals, who came from what was formerly the British Empire, sacrificed an enormous amount to defend the freedoms that we now enjoy.”
See the African & Caribbean Memorial website for more information about the opening ceremony on June 22 (admission is by ticket), and accompanying cultural events.
Source: African and Caribbean Memorial Trust
Posted by: CN Editorial Team