Community Cohesion

Flanders Forgotten Heroes

Few people realise that Indian troops held the front line at the first Battle of Ypres in 1914, preventing the German Army from advancing on Calais.  Even fewer people know that 20 Muslim soldiers who died after fighting on the Western Front are buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey.

The Flanders Forgotten Heroes project aims to develop the historical knowledge and research skills of Key Stage 3 students through cultural, moral and spiritual awareness.  A multisensory approach to teaching and learning involves the use of group work and multimedia, making history more inclusive and accessible for students on SEN and EMA registers.

Teaching strategies /resources include the use of soldiers’ letters home and a field trip.  The experience culminates with student presentations to their peers or the wider community visually, through writing, ICT and drama.

Dominic Rai of Man Mela and (anon) of Swanlea School in Tower Hamlets, developed these exceptional materials for use as a Key Stage 3 Humanities project. They also produced a scheme of work and an organisational plan for a school outing to Brookwood.

Empowering Learning is proud to support Flanders Forgotten Heroes in a non profit capacity in this, the 60th anniversary year of the independence of India and Pakistan.

Historical Site 1

Remember to: Look, Ask, Read, Research, Find Out, Discuss, Interpret

1. What is the name of the site and in what year was the site built?
2. Why was the site built?
3. What are your first impressions on seeing the site? Think of the first adjectives that come into your mind and record them in a spider diagram.
4. Has the purpose of the site changed over the years? Does the site still meet the original purpose for which it was built?
5. What is the connection between the site and Flanders Forgotten Heroes?
6. Is there anything unusual or unexpected about the site?
7. Is the site well looked after and respected to-day? What is the evidence for this? What does this tell you about the site? Has this changed over the years?
8. Think about the site’s surroundings and location. What is there about the location of the site that tells you about its purpose?
9. Is there anything else you have noticed or found out which is important? Are there any unanswered questions you’d like to ask?
10. Take photographs to record the main features of the site. For each photograph you take write a brief title that describes the picture. Explain what was significant about the scene to make it important enough for you to record.

Historical Site 2

Remember to: Look, Ask, Read, Research, Find Out, Discuss, Interpret

1. What is the name of the site and in what year was the site built?
2. Why was the site built?
3. What are your first impressions on seeing the site? Think of the first adjectives that come into your mind and record them in a spider diagram.
4. Has the purpose of the site changed over the years? Does the site still meet the original purpose for which it was built?
5. What is the connection between the site and Flanders Forgotten Heroes?
6. Is there anything unusual or unexpected about the site?
7. Is the site well looked after and respected to-day? What is the evidence for this? What does this tell you about the site? Has this changed over the years?
8. Think about the site’s surroundings and location. What is there about the location of the site that tells you about its purpose?
9. Is there anything else you have noticed or found out which is important? Are there any unanswered questions you’d like to ask?
10. Take photographs to record the main features of the site. For each photograph you take write a brief title that describes the picture. Explain what was significant about the scene to make it important enough for you to record.

Historical Site 3

Remember to: Look, Ask, Read, Research, Find Out, Discuss, Interpret

1. What is the name of the site and in what year was the site built?
2. Why was the site built?
3. What are your first impressions on seeing the site? Think of the first adjectives that come into your mind and record them in a spider diagram.
4. Has the purpose of the site changed over the years? Does the site still meet the original purpose for which it was built?
5. What is the connection between the site and Flanders Forgotten Heroes?
6. Is there anything unusual or unexpected about the site?
7. Is the site well looked after and respected to-day? What is the evidence for this? What does this tell you about the site? Has this changed over the years?
8. Think about the site’s surroundings and location. What is there about the location of the site that tells you about its purpose?
9. Is there anything else you have noticed or found out which is important? Are there any unanswered questions you’d like to ask?
10. Take photographs to record the main features of the site. For each photograph you take write a brief title that describes the picture. Explain what was significant about the scene to make it important enough for you to record.

Walk around Brookwood Cemetery and look at some other gravestones.

1. What information is recorded on the gravestones? Write down the information on ONE gravestone from the Indian section of the cemetery and ONE other gravestone. Make sure you write the details accurately as you will be entering them into a database when we return to school.
2. Look at at least 10 different gravestones. What conclusions can you make about the ages of the soldiers when they died and/or their ranks?
3. How many gravestones can you find from World War One and from World War Two? Which War do they majority of graves belong to? Are their any gravestones recording deaths outside the dates of the two world wars? Why do you think this is?
4. Choose one of the gravestones you have seen that has grabbed your attention for one reason or another. Think about the soldier who has been buried here; his age, his rank, his religion, his nationality and any other inscriptions on the grave that tell you about him. If you could ask him a question what would it be?
5. Describe your feelings as you walk around the cemetery. Think about the surroundings, its size, the buildings and monuments, the gardens.