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WW1's First Muslim VC Needs Wider Recognition

Discussion in 'Military History' started by GRW, Oct 31, 2014.

  1. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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    And a bit more to that VC story...
    "Two former heads of the Army have called for greater recognition of the first Muslim soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross, in a move intended as a “riposte” to the “sickening extremism” of Isil militants.


    General Lord Dannatt and General Lord Richards lead a group of peers, MPs, historians and religious leaders who say children should be told about the role played by Muslim troops in the First World War.


    In a letter to The Telegraph they say that the actions of Sepoy Khudadad Khan in a battle at Ypres 100 years ago on Friday“ exemplified the courage” of many who served in the war.


    The knowledge of his role, together with that of the other 400,000 Muslims who fought alongside British troops, is vital to “fully understand the multi-ethnic Britain that we are today”, they add.


    British Future, the think tank behind the letter, believes that the commemoration of Sepoy Khan and the other Muslim soldiers will act as a rebuttal to Isil extremists. It has been said that more than twice as many British Muslims have travelled to Syria to fight alongside jihadists than are serving in the Armed Forces.
    Dilwar Hussain, a Muslim academic and one of the signatories of the letter, said: “The quiet dignity of our commemoration of Khudadad Khan’s bravery and service is perhaps the most powerful riposte we could possibly send to the sickening extremism of Isil.”
    Other signatories include Lord Ashdown, the formal Liberal Democrats leader, Sir Hew Strachan, the military historian, Baroness Warsi, the former Coalition minister and Sughra Ahmed, president of the Islamic Society of Britain.
    “We wish today to highlight one man whose service exemplified the courage of many who served in the First World War,” they write."
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/11199649/First-Muslim-to-be-awarded-Victoria-Cross-needs-recognition-say-former-Army-chiefs.html
     
  2. Ken The Kanuck

    Ken The Kanuck Member

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    I appreciate the article, thank-you for posting it. But I disagree very strongly with it. This is just more P.C. crap trying to paint the muslims in a better light given recent history.

    The V.C. was an award for valour and those who earned did so based upon their heroic actions, not their religion.

    It reduces those who have earned the V.C. to play this kind of politics with it.

    KTK
     
  3. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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  4. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    I agree with Ken.
     
  5. TD-Tommy776

    TD-Tommy776 Man of Constant Sorrow

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    All this will do is reinforce the belief of the ISIS fanatics and sympathizers that the West is weak, and encourage them to be even more aggressive (assuming that's possible).
     

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