We will remember them!

The ceremony begins

 by New Worker correspondent

New Communist Party leader Andy Brooks joined comrades, war veterans, diplomats and anti-fascists to remember the victims of the Holocaust at a ceremony in the grounds of the Imperial War Museum in south London last week.
    The annual Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration, organised by the Soviet War Memorial Trust and Southwark Council, could not be held last year because of the Covid lockdown but the recent easing of the restrictions meant that although the traditional commemoration in the halls of the Museum was still suspended the outdoor ceremony could once again go ahead.
    The solemn event organised by the Soviet War Memorial Trust and Southwark Council was held on Thursday 27th January, the day back in 1945 when the Red Army liberated Auschwitz, the largest death camp in the Third Reich.
    The Nazis killed six million Jews during the Second World War. There were hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens amongst them. About three million Soviet prisoners of war perished in extermination camps.
    The Act of Remembrance began with a procession led by veterans’ associations to the Holocaust Memorial Tree and the Soviet War Memorial, followed by the laying of wreaths and floral tributes by the company that included veteran organisations, representatives of the embassies of the Russian Federation and Belarus, as well as local Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, the NCP and members of the Russian community in London. It ended, as always, with a minute’s silence and the Last Post.

Remember their sacrifice

Theo Russell laying flowers at the monument

by New Worker correspondent

Comrades and friends joined diplomats and local dignitaries in honouring the fallen at Sunday’s Remembrance Day at the Soviet War Memorial in the park that surrounds the Imperial War Museum – the first public ceremony at the monument since the beginning of the Covid   lockdowns last year.
    They were there to remember the 27 million Soviet citizens during the Second World War who, along with the millions of others who perished in the world wars of the last century, were honoured at the annual remembrance ceremony in the London borough of Southwark last weekend.
    NCP London organiser Theo Russell took part in the ceremony, along with Russian Minister-Counsellor Ivan Volodin and other diplomats from the former Soviet republics, representatives of other political parties including Michael Chant from the RCPB (ML), police and services associations, representatives from the Russian community in London and other community groups.
    The Act of Remembrance ended, as usual, with the Last Post, followed by the traditional exhortation, the two-minute silence and the Reveille.

Victory Day in London

By New Worker correspondent

Victory Day is a public holiday in Russia and most of the former Soviet republics, and in the past members of the Russian ex-pat community have traditionally joined the ceremony that’s held every year at the Soviet War Memorial in the shadow of the Imperial War Museum in south London.

This year the Soviet War Memorial Trust had been planning a large-scale event to mark the 75th anniversary of the Allied Victory over Nazi Germany but that was called off because of the coronavirus crisis. It was replaced with a solemn diplomatic ceremony that was held last Saturday to honour all those who fell in the struggle to defeat Nazi Germany in the Second World War. 

Ambassadors representing seven countries of the former USSR – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzia, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – gathered for the event organised by the Soviet War Memorial Trust (SWMT). Following the laying of wreaths, the Russian Ambassador delivered a short address, a silence was observed and the Exhortation was recited. Ralph Gibson laid a wreath on behalf of the SWMT and all supporters of the Memorial who could not be present due to the current restrictions. The event was organised in consultation with the Mayor of Southwark's office, the Metropolitan Police, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The Russian Ambassador, Andrei Kelin, noted the decisive contribution to victory made by the Soviet Union: but at a tremendous cost – 27 million Soviet people perished, and thousands of cities, towns and villages were destroyed. He also paid tribute to all those who served in the Arctic Convoys that supplied essential supplies to the Soviet Union and all Russia’s allies in the anti-Hitler coalition. “We pay tribute to everyone who died in fighting for the freedom of humanity. We will always remember and be forever grateful to the veterans of World War Two who brought us peace while selflessly fighting the enemy,” he said.

Anne, the Princess Royal, who had intended to be present, sent a message to the participants: “It is vital that we recognise the incredible sacrifice made by the peoples of the former Soviet Union. Few people fought more bravely, or suffered more grievously for the price of victory.”

The SWMT Chair Philip Matthews drew attention, in his address to the ambassadors, to the Soviet prisoners-of-war who died in the Channel Islands who were used by the Nazi occupiers as slave labour. He noted that the Islands mark 9^th May as their liberation day.

Saturday's ceremony marked the 21st anniversary of the unveiling in 1999 of the Soviet War Memorial, located in Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park that surrounds the Imperial War Museum in Southwark. Funded by public subscription in Britain and the Russian Federation, the Memorial has become a focal point for people from all over the former USSR and the UK.

For the Fallen

by New Worker correspondent

Andy Brooks and Peter Hendy

The sacrifice of some 27 million Soviet citizens during the Second World War, along with the millions of others who perished in the world wars of the last century, was honoured at the annual remembrance ceremony in the London borough of Southwark last weekend. There, comrades and friends joined diplomats and local dignitaries in honouring the fallen at Sunday’s Remembrance Day ceremony at the Soviet War Memorial in the park that surrounds the Imperial War Museum.

The ceremony was conducted by Philip Matthews, the veteran chair of the Soviet War Memorial Trust, and opened by Sandra Rhule, the Mayor of Southwark. Wreaths were laid by the ruling Southwark Labour group on the council and their Liberal Democrat opposition, as well as diplomats from the Russian and Belarus embassies. NCP leader Andy Brooks, along with Peter Hendy and Robert Laurie from the Central Committee, took part in the ceremony along with police and services associations, representatives from the Russian community in London, other community groups and the Red Army re-enactors.

The Act of Remembrance ended, as usual, with the Last Post, followed by the traditional exhortation, the two minutes silence and the reveille.

Never Again!

 by New Worker
 correspondent

Andy Brooks paying tribute to the dead

New Communist Party (NCP) leader Andy Brooks joined comrades, war veterans, diplomats and anti-fascists last week at the annual Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) commemoration, organised by the Soviet War Memorial Trust and Southwark Council.

The Nazis killed six million Jews during the Second World War. There were hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens amongst them. About three million Soviet prisoners of war perished in extermination camps.

On 27th January, 1945, the Red Army liberated Auschwitz, the largest death camp in the Third Reich. The day is now commemorated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day to remember those who suffered Nazi persecution. Every year, on that day, the millions of victims of the Nazi Holocaust are remembered in the gardens outside the Imperial War Museum in south London.

The Act of Remembrance began with a procession led by veterans’ associations to the Holocaust Memorial Tree and the Soviet War Memorial, followed by the laying of wreaths and floral tributes by the company that included four London mayors and a judge, military veteran organisations, representatives of the embassies of the Russian Federation, Belarus and Georgia, as well as local Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, the NCP and the Communist Party of Britain. It closed, as always, with a minute’s silence and the Last Post.