Call for memorial to honour Muslim soldiers
A campaigner has called for a monument to be built commemorating the contribution of Muslim soldiers who died serving in the with the British forces during Second World War.
Abdul Qadus, whose father Fazal Hussain served with the British Indian Army, is calling for Dudley Council to install a memorial to the 1.5 million Muslims who served with the British forces during the conflict.
Mr Qadus, who was a Liberal Democrat candidate in this year's local elections, said he would ideally like to see such a monument at Lye Cross, or alternatively in Dudley's Coronation Gardens close to the town's existing war memorial.
He said his father, who was born in Rawalpindi in what is now Pakistan, joined the British Indian Army as a teenager, sometime around 1939.
Mr Hussain was taken prisoner by the Japanese in Burma, and returned an emaciated shadow of his former self. He moved to the UK at the age of 40 in 1962, and settled in Lye working in the steel industry.
Mr Qadus said neighbouring Wolverhampton Council had recently agreed to contribute £35,000 to the cost of a war memorial honouring fallen Sikh soldiers, but said nothing was being done for Muslims.
"If Wolverhampton can find £35,000 for Sikh soldiers, why can't Dudley do the same for Muslims?" said Mr Qadus.
He said Dudley Council also spent £10,000 on the sculpture commemorating Lye-born Hollywood star Sir Cedric Hardwicke at Lye Cross in 2005.
Mr Qadus said he had also hoped to invite a party from Lye Mosque to represent the town's Muslim community at Dudley's annual veteran's day, but said he was not given the details about the time of the ceremony until it was too late for him to do so.
Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said: “We welcome any suggestions how we can honour everyone who served in the armed forces and look forward to some constructive conversations around funding, location and other aspects of the work that would be needed."
Councillor Harley said with regard to the veterans' day the authority worked hard to ensure it was represented by all communities, and welcomed the approach for the Muslim community to attend.
"We also offered for the mayor to formally present their veterans badges to them during the event.”
