By: JurmoloyaRava
BRITISH ARMED FORCES DETERMINED TO REFLECT NATION’S DIVERSITY
THIS weekend we’ll stand at the Cenotaph and at memorials across the land to recall the service and sacrifice of years gone by.
Remembrance Sunday is our chance to commemorate the contribution of every community and, in particular, more than one million Muslim, Hindu and Sikh soldiers who fought for freedom in the Great War a century ago.
Those brave soldiers did not just fight in Flanders Fields but in every theatre from Aden to Asia, from Palestine to Persia, from the Gulf of Oman to Gallipoli. All fought with distinction. Many won honours and six earned eternal recognition by being awarded the Victoria Cross (VC).
Contained within this immense contribution are some outstanding individual stories, such as the legend of Gobind Singh VC.
In the middle of the Battle of Cambrai, his regiment was surrounded by the enemy. Someone had to tell HQ where the regiment were positioned and it was Singh who volunteered, beginning an astonishing six-mile journey over open ground. He came under constant fire from the enemy. His horse was shot from under him, meaning he had to finish his journey on foot. Yet what was truly remarkable wasn’t merely that he reached his goal, but that he made the same journey not once, but three times. No wonder the picture of the “Second Ride of Lance Dafadar Gobind Singh VC” still takes pride of place today in the National Army Museum.
Such stories of heroism often crop up in a country whose armed forces have always derived their strength from their diversity. There were 22 nationalities on HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. In the Second World War, over two million Indian troops served, heroically managing to halt the advance of the Japanese Army in south-east Asia. So, knowing what we do of the magnificent contribution of our minorities in the past, how can we afford to miss out on what they have to offer in the future?
Today, Britons of Asian heritage continue to make a significant contribution to our armed forces, protecting Britain’s interests on the world stage, from helping to defeat Daesh to bringing humanitarian aid to the Caribbean and South Sudan. But the UK armed forces needs to reflect the nation it serves, and that’s why we have set ourselves the ambition of recruiting 10 per cent of our numbers from an ethnic minority background by 2020.
Today no matter your background, faith or colour, our Armed Forces is a home from home. Dietary requirements are accommodated, prayer rooms are provided and strong networks are on hand to offer support. You’ll find too that we’re not just looking for soldiers but cyber warriors and communicators, doctors and dentists, accountants and aerospace engineers. Above all, you’ll find that our armed forces are always your armed forces. We care about the same things – family, duty and hard work. We share the same love of freedom and justice. And we’re joined in our desire to make a genuine difference all round the world. Like you, we believe, that by aiming high we can reach the top.
So on Remembrance Sunday, let’s honour the memories of the brave and the bold who made our country great. But let’s also resolve to work ever more closely together. For long experience has taught us that when we unite, our communities and our nation can truly make history.
[TheChamp-Sharing]
