The Royal British Legion will launch a movement on 3 August to say ‘Thank You’ to all who served, sacrificed, and changed our world during the First World War. The charity is calling on mass involvement from the public and encouraging 100 days of activity to mark the final year of the Centenary. All communities are being encouraged to join the movement by expressing their thanks this year, with a number of high profile organisations already supporting the movement.
The movement will honour not only the 1.3 million British and Commonwealth Armed Forces who lost their lives, but also those who played their part on the home front, and those who returned to build a better life for the benefit of generations to come.
‘Thank You’ letters, will be open to the public in London before touring to other cities in the UK. Partners supporting the initiative include English National Ballet, Diwali in the Square, Highclere Castle, GCHQ, Cadbury, the RFU and many others. The movement will also be represented at several major Pride parades this summer.
To launch the movement, the Legion has created a giant installation 8ft high and 52ft wide, of illustrated ‘Thank You’ letters, which will be open to the public in London before touring to other cities in the UK. The letters showcase a unique design by acclaimed artist, Sarah Arnett, which brings the war’s legacies to life. From the “Munitionettes” who served in weapons factories to Sikh infantrymen who served on the Western Front, from schoolgirls farming the fields to renowned war artists such as Paul Nash, a collage of images honours the diverse contribution of the First World War generation.
The installation will be on the iconic London South Bank (on 3rd/4th August) before heading to Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland later in the month. The back and sides of each 3D letter is a blank canvas where the public will be invited to write their own personal messages of thanks directly onto the installation.
The Legion is asking the nation to plan their Thank You activity to take place from the 8th of August to the 11th of November, to coincide with the anniversary of the so-called ‘Hundred Days Offensive’ that led to the end of fighting. The weekend of 27th-28th October will see a focus on activities which mark the end of British Summer Time, itself a legacy of the First World War.
Around 1.3million men – equivalent to the present-day population of Merseyside – would fight for Britain throughout the war. Around 800,000 Hindus, 400,000 Muslims and 100,000 Sikhs served in France, Belgium, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Gallipoli, Palestine and Africa. More than 74,000 died and a similar number were wounded.
The government sent loans worth £2bn today. So many Maharajas volunteered for front line service that their numbers had to be restricted. Indians at British universities clamoured to be officers and pilots, despite being barred for not being “of pure European descent”.
On the Western Front, more than 140,000 Indians – 90,000 troops and 50,000 non-combatants – served between October 1914 and December 1915. Some were boys as young as 10. They helped stop the German advances at Ypres and in several bloody battles, prevented crushing reverses while Britain trained volunteers for its New Armies. More than 8,550 were killed and 50,000 wounded.
For years, people were largely unaware of this history. When the world marked the 50th anniversary of the war in 1964, India’s contribution barely received a mention. Only with the 2014 centenary has interest been reawakened. The Indian government is researching the stories of the 1.3million and planning a new national memorial.
What supporters have to say
Lord Jitesh Gadhia, a supporter of the campaign told Asian Voice, “The World War One centenary, which is being marked in 2018, is the perfect time to recognise the significant contribution and sacrifice of so many from across the Commonwealth, and especially from India, in changing the course of world history.
“Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers served in World War One and a staggering 2.5 million soldiers were mobilised from the subcontinent during World War Two - the largest volunteer army ever. Over 160,000 lost their lives in the two conflicts and 39 individuals received the Victoria Cross medal for their bravery.
“It has been an honour to work closely with the Royal British Legion, which runs the annual poppy appeal, on a special programme of activity for the 2018 Centenary Year marking the end of World War One. British Indians, should be proud of the role which their forbears played in shaping the destiny of the world.
“It is important that descendant communities in the UK are aware of this history and contribution, which has all too often been forgotten. So the “Thank You” movement, which I am proud to be part of, encourages everyone in the UK - including British Indians - to find their golden thread back to that First World War generation.
“I look forward to the Indian community joining the rest of the nation in saying “Thank You” to the First World War generation in 2018 and expressing our eternal gratitude for all they did for us.”
Sir Michael Morpurgo, a Thank You Ambassador, will this year release Poppy Field, a new book looking at the effect of the war on a civilian family. Sir Michael said: “The First World War is, in a strange sort of way, the most iconic of all wars. From the depths of its horror, it brought out an extraordinary collective effort and contributed to some of the most meaningful cultural shifts in human history.
“To the farmers who gave up their horses to the war effort; to the women who kept our home fires burning; to the Sassoons and the Macraes whose work has shaped our understanding of conflict; we should indeed say ‘Thank You’.”
Charles Byrne, Director General of The Royal British Legion, said: “We all have a connection to the First World War, for me it is Private Ross Ryan, my grandfather, and we all have a reason to say ‘Thank You’ to this special generation.
“Whether your personal Thank You is an event dedicated to those who made a difference in your community, a visit to a place of significance, or a simple Tweet, there’s no limit to the ways people can take part. We are making a plea to every single person across the UK, with 100 days until 11th November, to get involved and take a moment in this very significant year to say ‘Thank You’.”
Sarah Arnett said: “It’s been an honour to work on such a meaningful project during the Centenary year. Having recently researched my own family history during the war, I’m amazed by how much of the world around me is still so connected to that time.
“It was deeply moving to think about what each member of that generation went through as I worked with their photos during the design. It’s absolutely fitting that we should say ‘Thank You’ and remember their legacies.”
For further information please visit rbl.org.uk/thankyou.
