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British Army honours Commonwealth war heroes at London event
At a ceremony at the National Army Museum in London on Wednesday (29), descendants of Private Stanley Pantin from Tobago and Banwood Felix from Grenada received their ancestors' service medals from veterans minister Calvin Bailey.
Pantin served with the 5th Battalion of the British West Indies Regiment during the First World War. His family travelled from Tobago for the ceremony, including his grandson, Hollywood actor Winston Duke.
Duke said the medals recognised his family's place in history. "It shows the contributions and how much we've added to the tapestry of not just world history but British history," he said. "Now we have proof... that really shows our family's heritage and contribution to world history."
The event marked the end of Op Reflect Global Chapter, a programme that brought together more than 100 civic leaders, academics, serving military personnel and young people to visit key First World War sites in France and Belgium.
The group paid tribute to the service and sacrifice of south Asian, West Indian, African and Chinese soldiers and labourers at memorials including the Indian Corps Memorial at Neuve-Chapelle, Canada Farm Cemetery and Lijssenthoek Cemetery, where members of the Chinese Labour Corps are buried.
Op Reflect will continue into 2027 with further projects highlighting the role of Commonwealth communitiesEastern Eye
Brigadier Karl Harris, who led the initiative, said the programme was "about more than remembrance, it was about recognition and connection".
"By bringing communities to the places where shared sacrifice was made, we sent a powerful message: that the story of Britain's defence has always been diverse, and that this legacy belongs to all of us," he said.
The tour also aimed to encourage young people considering careers in the Armed Forces.
Officer Cadet Sophia Hadjinikolaou said understanding the shared history of Britain's diverse communities would help "dissolve barriers" and strengthen communication within the military.
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Aaron Regan, 20, from Welwyn Garden City, whose grandmother served in the Royal Navy and paternal grandfather in the Fleet Air Arm, said the visit gave him "a vital chance to reflect on the sacrifices made by our armed forces", particularly those from the Commonwealth. Rashi Taunk said the journeys of Commonwealth soldiers "should not be forgotten" because "their sacrifices largely shape our present reality".
According to a statement, Op Reflect will continue into 2027 with further projects highlighting the role of Commonwealth communities, including the publication of Under One Flag, a book on the contribution of Indigenous and ethnic peoples of the Commonwealth and British Empire during the Second World War.
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