We Will Remember Them.

Author: Andrew Protheroe

In Honour of Servicemen/women and Contractors

Below is The Basra Memorial, Iraq. The memorial commemorates 40,682 Commonwealth forces (99% Indians) members who died during the Mesopotamian Campaign, from the Autumn of 1914 to the end of August 1921, and whose graves are not known.

The plaque reads: “To the glory of God, and to the honoured memory of these Officers and men of the Armies of the British Empire who fell in the Iraq campaign in the years 1914 - 1921 and who’s graves are not known.”

It is written that some 308 men of the 8th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers who died and the 153 who remain without a known grave are named here.

The last time I was fortunate to be at this memorial was in 2004, and it is truly humbling to visit again today. Between 2004 and 2019 many others have lost their lives here in Iraq. As is always the case for me, serviceman/woman or contractor:

We Will Remember Them.