Kirklees Faith Network Remembrance display: 'Our Shared History - Our Shared Heritage'

The 'Our Shared History - Our Shared Heritage' display project is now in its seventh year and has been developed by the Kirklees Faith Network initiative.

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The project's purpose is to educate people about the millions of Pakistani and Indian soldiers who signed up to fight for 'King and Country' during the first and second world conflicts as soon as war was declared in August 1914 and then again in September 1939.

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This year's display was funded by Yorkshire Housing, whose official Charlotte Wollard who turned up to the Minister Church last week, along with Dewsbury Moor Amateur Rugby League Club President - Peter Charlesworth, and Chair of Dewsbury Big Local - Tanisha Bramwell, to give the boards to Rev Neil Walpole.

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Speaking to the Reporter Series, Mr Charlesworth said: "There are three positive things that can bring people from different cultures together in our society. They are food, history, and team sports.

“These amazing display boards looking at the Sub-Continent's teeming millions who fought on Britain's side clearly fit the history element and have been a real eye opener for me personally.

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"We are at the Dewsbury Moor Rugby League Club also working flat out to diversify and to bring our youngsters from different backgrounds together through team sports.

“So, it's really nice to see our friends in the Kirklees Faith Network using the theme of history to get across another positive message."

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Showing some powerful archive photographs, each of the four informative display boards looks at different aspects of the British-Indian war effort beginning with the 1914 - 1918 conflict, followed by photos of British-Indian soldiers fighting in various theatres of the Second World War.

Giving her thoughts, Ms Bramwell added: "The British-Indian Army's role was certainly not written about in the history textbooks or studied by the kids of my generation when I was at school.

“So I am all for the idea of having an inclusive history curriculum for our current and future generations of schoolchildren.

“This topic will go a long way to help build understanding amongst our youth."

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A fourth display board explores the impact of the two wars on the Heavy Woollen District's economy and how the same British-Indian soldiers were invited from the early 1960's onwards to come and work in the mills of Dewsbury, Batley, and Heckmondwike at a time when there was a severe labour shortage across the whole Heavy Woollen District area.

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Rev Walpole said: "The Dewsbury Minster fully supports this very important display project.

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“We feel it is essential now more than ever to highlight the often unknown massive contribution made by the people of British-India who fought on England's side not just during The Great War, but also in the Second World War.

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"Our local Pakistani residents in particular from the town of Heckmondwike have a very interesting military heritage which we are now proud to display as a generic exhibition at the Dewsbury Minster."