Somalilandsun – Sahan Society Centre invites you to commemoration event of Somaliland heroes and veterans who fought for Britain during the World Wars.
Date: Sunday 08th November 2015 –
Time: 13:00
Venue: The Memorial Gates at the Constitutional Hill London
It is that time of the year again- where we commemorate our heroes and veterans who fought for Britain.
These men have not been given the attention they deserved in any of the official documents and historical literature, many of whom had lost their lives for a country they had not seen and for a King and Queen they had never heard of.
The role of British Somaliland in both the wars and, indeed, the Falklands war, is largely unknown and so we have taken it upon ourselves to research and create the documentary in the memory of their struggles, contributions and achievements.
For the last two years, Sahan Centre had organised a small Remembrance day gathering to commemorate, honour and pay our respects to the members of the armed forces, those from the Somaliland region in particular, who passed away to serve the cause of the British Empire. This was the first ever gathering of its kind and was attended by several members of the Somali community in London along with dignitaries from the Somaliland Government. The gathering was a successful one and the centre intends on organising a similar gathering again this year.
People of British Somaliland descent living in the UK will gather at the Constitutional Hill Memorial Gates on Remembrance Sunday this year which falls on the 8th of November 2015. The venue is significant because in November 2002, The Queen officially inaugurated the
Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill in London, UK and invited Eric Wilson VC, his son Hamish Wilson (Director of Degmo) and Saleban Kujoog, the son of Sergeant Omar Kujoog.
The gathering is a significant landmark and a turning point in the history of British Somaliland heritage in the UK for several reasons. Their stories have never been mentioned in any of the official documents and transcripts in Britain despite British Somalilanders being one of the first African communities to have lived in Britain.
It also offers the British public a greater and better understanding of the contributions made by these men during the war with the hope of appreciating their bravery and valuable contributions. It will benefit in particular people of Somaliland descent who currently live in the UK, who feel disenfranchised and marginalised from the wider community and
who are confused with their identity and sense of allegiance.
The Remembrance Service will be attended by Somaliland diplomats and various members of the Somaliland communities in Britain. If you would like to obtain any further information about the gathering, feel free to contact me to discuss this in greater depth.
I look forward to seeing you soon on Sunday the 8th of November 2015 at the Memorial Gates on Constitutional Hill.
Iman Sheel
Sahan Society Centre
Read also the commemoration event of 2013
View past London Commemoration of the fallen British Somaliland soldiers (Photos)
