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People from the North West don't know
how many military personnel have died in conflict
THE research has been
conducted to mark the launch of the Forces Network's Remembrance
Map,
which has been created in partnership with Professor Ian Beckett. The map
identifies and commemorates all the conflicts (both combat and peacekeeping
missions) which the British Armed Forces have been involved in since WWI, to
enable a greater understanding of the commitments made by our service personnel.
Professor Ian Beckett is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and his
current research focuses on British auxiliary forces, the 1st World War, and
the late Victorian army. His publications focusing on the Great War includes:- the
co-edited A Nation in Arms - A Social Study of the British Army in the 1st
World War (1985); The Great War, 1914-18, the 2nd Edition of which was
published in 2007; and, most recently, The Making of the 1st World War (2012).
As the nation gets set to remember the efforts of our armed forces, new research
released by the Forces Network highlights the lack of knowledge of many Brits,
when asked about the conflicts we have been involved in since the 1st World
War. How can we remember if we don't know?
The statistics show that 85% of Brits don't know that more than 7,000 of our
armed forces have died in conflict (both combat and peacekeeping missions) since
WWII. Additionally, from the start of WWI to the end of WWII 1 million British
personnel lost their lives but when asked 23% people thought that fewer than
5000 service personnel made the ultimate sacrifice.
The statistics also show that more than ½ of Brits think that we have been
involved in 30 or fewer conflicts (both combat and peacekeeping missions), since
WWII; when we have actually been involved in more than 60. 35% of people were
aware of the British involvement in the fight against so called:- 'Islamic State.'
37% of respondents were unaware of any of the conflicts the British Armed Forces
are currently involved in, including Operation TOSCA (UN Peacekeeping Force in
Cyprus) (77%) and our participation in United Nations peacekeeping mission in
Somalia (70%). The figures also indicated that 63% of those asked, think that
the number of conflicts we are currently involved in is high.
The research also reveals that, as a nation, we have an interest in learning
more about our military. Although 56% of 18 to 24 year olds are not aware that
Britain's Armed Forces were involved in the WWII, 52% of that age range said
they would like schools to teach more about the role of our forces.
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