Students Are Uncovering The Stories Of Black And Asian WW2 Soldiers

A group of students from a Muslim academy in London are on a mission to tell the stories of Black and brown men and women who served in the war.

Their aim is to highlight the contribution made by the individuals and underline how shared history can help bring people together.

Zaynab, a student from Eden Girls’ School in Waltham Forest said: "It can feel like the contribution of black and Asian soldiers in WW2 is overlooked in our history books.

“As a student from a Muslim background, I’d like other people to realise that our great-grandfathers served alongside theirs. It makes Remembrance more meaningful knowing that this is history we all share.”

The Year Nine students, aged 13-14, are interviewing members of the local community and hope to collect images of old photographs and medals that have been passed down by older relatives.

Interviews and images will be displayed on the school website and in a short film to be shared on social media.

The project, dubbed Remember Together, is supported by think tank British Future, the Together Coalition and The Royal British Legion,

Speaking about the initiative, Dr Avaes Mohammad, a teacher at Eden Girls School, said:

“This is an exciting project that will bring history to life for our students through the stories of real people from families in their community.

“Every year the school marks Remembrance and we discuss with the students why it is important. Now they will connect that moment to the sacrifices made by ancestors from their own communities, and from people with similar ethnic and faith backgrounds."

Students at Falinge Park High School in Rochdale completed this project earlier this year and the fantastic stories they uncovered are presented on the school’s website.

Teacher Vacas Ahmed, who led the Rochdale project, said: "We hoped to demonstrate the diversity of the British armed forces during the Second World War, which was a representation of the present British multicultural society.

"Although these contributions are placed as a footnote to mainstream narratives of the World Wars, we aimed to reconceptualise the make-up of the British armed forces, which included millions of servicemen from Asian and African heritage.”

Who Have They Discovered So Far?

• Fazal Karim - Mr Karim fought for Britain in Kenya against the German invasion. The service man had two medals remaining from a dozen - including the 1939/45 star. He died in 1984.

• Shah Mohammed - fought in Vietnam, Myanmar,Malayasia, Thailand and aBurma. He retired in 1945 but came back into service. His family have 11 medals which include the Elizabeth the second media, India service war medal, Burma Stars and Pakistan Commemorative award 1956. His father was also in the army and was drafted into Burma during 1908.

• Zahid Hussain - he served during the 'Kings Africsn Rifles', Libya, Kenya and The Greatest War For Civiliations. Mr Hussain also served in WWI and WWII. His family currently have two of his awards - British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He died in 1970.

• Nawab Khan had a career that spanned 3 decades including two world wars and between them an active service on the treacherous North West Frontier. He was also hailed as one of the most decorated men in the Indian Army. Mr Khan won dozens of awards including the British War Medal , 1914-1915 Star, MBE and The Order of british India, War Medal 1939-45 and the Coronation Medal.