We Will Remember Them…

In the movie 300, 300 Spartans along with 700 Thespians led by King Leonidas took on the “god-king” Xerxes and his 100 000 strong army. The battle lasted for about 3 days, after which all 300 Spartans were killed. They fought well, they fought for the freedom of their people and paid the ultimate price. In return they made a very simple request. Dilios was sent from the battlefield to convey this request to the congress: “Remember us. As simple an order as a king can give. Remember why we died. For he didn't wish tribute or song. No monuments, no poems of war and valour. His wish was simple: “Remember us,” he said to me. That was his hope. Should any free soul come across that place, in all the countless centuries yet to be, may all our voices whisper to you from the ageless stones: Go tell the Spartans, passer-by, that here, by Spartan law, we lie."

Many more people have made similar sacrifices for the preservation of free society down the centuries. It is only right and appropriate that we recognise and remember those who have at various times throughout history given up their lives that we may have a free and fair society. So let us remember Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey. All members of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force that fought alongside the allied forces during the Second World War. Upon their return from the war, they were refused the many benefits promised by the colonial government. On 28th February 1948, a number of ex-servicemen were marching from Accra to Christianborg Castle to present a petition to the British Colonial Governor on their unpaid war benefits when they were intercepted at the Osu crossroads by a contingent of armed policemen. The policemen led by Superintendent Colin Imray, a British police officer ordered that they dispersed and when they refused to obey, he gave an order to the police to open fire and the three ex-servicemen were killed.


Not only have these brave men fought to stop Hitler and the Nazi from murdering all non-Aryans. Their death provoked anti colonial protest all around the country which was a real shot in the arm for the independence struggle. These three have made the ultimate sacrifice, they could not have given any more than that. So as simple as a request can be, Let us remember them! 64 years down the ages, let us continue to remember them and honour their memory for the sacrifice they made to every free man and women everywhere in the world.