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RAF celebrates hidden Jewish and Indian heroes
The event was hosted by the Royal Air force Museum in Hendon in partnership with the British Indian Jewish Association.
Jewish and Indian heroes of the Royal Air Force have been celebrated together for the first time at an event attend by leaders of both communities. The event was hosted by the Royal Air force Museum in Hendon in partnership with the British Indian Jewish Association.
More than 150 guests heard from speakers including historian and consultant on movie “Dunkirk” Joshua Levine and journalist Shrabani Basu.
During the Second World War, 20,000 Jewish men and women – some six percent of Britain’s Jewish population – joined the RAF to fight against tyranny, racism and anti-Semitism.
24 British Indians trained as pilots for the RAF whilst an additional 200 Indians resident in Britain volunteered to join the RAF and Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.
The event – backed by Advinia Healthcare, Mizrahi and the Asian Jewish Business Network – formed part of the RAF Museum’s Jewish Hidden Heroes project, which gathers and shares the untold stories of Jewish soldiers in the RAF during WW2. This project is supported by Roman Abramovich and the CFC Foundation
Maggie Appleton, RAF Museum CEO said: “More than ever we need to challenge prejudice in all its ugly forms, and more than ever we need to educate young minds as to the experiences of previous generations – those who suffered as well as those who fought back.
I am incredibly proud of our partnership with the Chelsea Foundation and the Jewish Hidden Heroes project and hope that it goes some way to challenging the rise of anti-Semitism and wider racism in society. These are inspiring stories of courage and human spirit.”
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