As the world observes Remembrance Day and pays tribute to those who died during World War I, many in Wales are questioning the lack of recognition for soldiers who lost their lives beyond the battlefields of France and Belgium.
According to researcher Nia Griffiths, as many as 40% of Welsh soldiers served elsewhere, but there are no memorials or monuments dedicated to them. The 53rd Division fought in the Mediterranean and Middle East, but only the 38th Division has been remembered with a Welsh Dragon sculpture at Mametz Wood in France.
Griffiths argues that official commemorations forget about soldiers who died outside the Western Front. She discovered that 35 soldiers from Llanidloes, Powys, died in action in sites including Gallipoli, Gaza, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Thessaloniki in Greece.
Professor Sian Nicholas believes that many Welsh communities were deeply impacted by the loss of volunteers from throughout the region. She notes that, throughout her research, students and children can only recall battlefields such as mud and trenches when they think of World War I.
Rhys David, a retired journalist from Cardiff, lamented that the lack of recognition for the “Forgotten War” goes beyond the region of Wales, with the entire UK responsible for the collective memory erasure.
As we continue to remember and pay tribute to the sacrifices made during World War I, it is important to recognize the stories of soldiers who fought and died beyond Flanders fields, so that we can honor their sacrifices and ensure that their memories live on
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