Waltham Forest students are appealing to black and Asian people in the community to come forward with their family stories of relatives who served in the Second World War.  

More than 2.5 million soldiers from pre-partition India – what is now India, Pakistan and Bangladesh – served alongside servicemen and women from Africa, the Caribbean and other commonwealth nations.    

The Year Nine students at Eden Girls’ School will interview Waltham Forest residents and hope to collect images of old photographs and medals that have been passed down by older relatives.  

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: Students involved in the projectStudents involved in the project

The project, called ‘Remember Together’, aims to address the lack of public awareness of black and Asian contribution to the Second World War and hopes to underline how this shared history can help bring people together. 

Dr Avaes Mohammad, teacher at Eden Girls School, said: “This is an exciting project that will bring history to life for our students through the stories of real people from families in their community. 

“Every year the school marks Remembrance and we discuss with the students why it is important.   

“Now they will connect that moment to the sacrifices made by ancestors from their own communities, and from people with similar ethnic and faith backgrounds. 

“I hope local people will come forward with family histories to help make this project a big success.” 

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: -Flyer encouraging community support-Flyer encouraging community support

Zaynab, a student at Eden Girls School, added: “It can feel like the contribution of black and Asian soldiers in WW2 is overlooked in our history books. 

“As a student from a Muslim background, I’d like other people to realise that our great-grandfathers served alongside theirs.  

“It makes Remembrance more meaningful knowing that this is history we all share.” 

“I really hope families will come forward and share the stories of what their relatives did in the war.” 

Local black and Asian residents who would like to share their family stories of WW2 contribution are asked to contact the school at info@egwf.staracademies.org or on 07593 336138.