British Defence Chiefs on Thursday unveiled a memorial to hundreds of thousands of soldiers from African and Caribbean nations who served with British, U.S. and allied forces in the two World Wars.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon and London Mayor Sadiq Khan were among the speakers.
The duo paid tribute to the role of African and Caribbean soldiers in World War I and World War II at the AC Memorial in Windrush Square in Brixton, south-west London.
Khan said he was “honoured” to attend the unveiling, saying “Britain and the world owe them a huge debt.”
The Nubian Jak Community Trust, which conceived the memorial, said it aimed to ensure “a lasting legacy honouring the contribution made by African and Caribbean military servicemen and women.
It said the purpose was to also address the historical omissions that have been made about African and Caribbean military participation.
“The memorial, which consists of a stone obelisk and plinth, is as “an extension of the 36 blue plaques installed around the country, commemorating iconic black figures in the United Kingdom’s history,” the trust said.
The trust, quoted Queen Elizabeth II as saying that “it is important to remember the ultimate sacrifice made by those men and women who were prepared to lay down their live for our freedoms.”
Thursday’s event was timed to coincide with Windrush Day, the anniversary of the docking on June 22, 1948, of the Windrush, the first ship bringing Caribbean workers to help rebuild Britain after World War II.