Lord Ashcroft Gallery Imperial War Museum (Now NAM).

Anyone who has an issue with an exhibition dealing with sexual violence in war should really consider their life choices that brought them to a point where they have these issues. Systematic sexual violence, against women mostly but also men (that famous scene in Lawrence of Arabia comes to mind), is a horrific element of war that is often weaponized and leaves survivors with lifelong trauma. It is a perfectly appropriate theme for a (checks notes) War Museum. There is a special camp for Rohingya refugee girls who have been raped and left pregnant in eastern Bangladesh. These girls cannot go back to their families unless they abandon their children, as their relatives would kill the babies. There is nothing 'woke' 'touchy-feely' or 'not related to war' to sexual violence. Be better.

No comment on the emergencies exhibition, you can sort your own colonial issues out.

All the best

Andreas

 

I agree Andy....I was in the museum last year assisting a researcher who had flown over from America. Apart from the time we spent in the reading room actually researching, I remember her being fascinated by the VC collection and the history behind it.

 

National Army Museum should jump on them, or take them around the country!

 

I dunno. Never felt an urge to go and visit that gallery. I can now read the citations online, and that's really all I would be interested in. To me it appears more like a shrine to hero-worshipping (cf 'cult of the operator'), but I am sure peoples' milage will vary greatly.

That's before we get into the sometimes quite arbitrary nature of the award, which in some cases at least seems to depend on how well the person writing up the citation was doing at writing up that citation. Displaying the awards in the context of the operation is in my view a better approach, as it highlights that these awards were not earned in a vacuum.

One man's opinion.

All the best

Andreas

 

And presentationally, the hierarchy of the IWM will shoulder accountability, whilst the insidious blob ...

Maybe it also removes a perceived problem when speculative compensation questions crop up for campaigns involving award recipients.

 

We visited a year or so ago, I like many on here read a lot of military history books and for me even in my 40's getting that close to medals awarded to such brave Men and Women who I'd read about previously was still exciting.

 

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Thing is Andreas, yes some folks are interested in seeing these medals and a large, more comprehensive display at that - not in the grumblings over criteria, not in a facile glorification of war but in a pride of the nation's role in defeating some rather heinous regimes. To have such a major representation, of those who helped bring about these defeats, should be a continuing positive for any museum. I've seen displays in various smaller museums, many only showing copies since the insurance and security of public display is so costly; so, I regret not being able to visit IWM. The VC stories highlight and bring together various incidents during war, various theatres, various individuals, various examples of self-sacrifice, etc, etc. Unlike us, much of the public won't even know about sources like TNA's WO 373, possibly haven't even read a WW2 history book but they will have heard of the VC. Ashcroft did a great job in collating these medals and yes, in keeping them in UK for the public to visit, should they opt to; in not letting them fall victim to wheeling & dealing, only to be hidden away in safes, as personal investments or indulgences.


As for your post about sexual violence and exploitation, let's also not forget which regimes during WW2 systematically weaponised and endorsed it. It's been covered on this forum, from so-called comfort women, examples like Nanking, or Lebensborn, to the 'unknown rapists' in Berlin. The topic is something I preferred to research and read up on only once, rather like the Holocaust. Not to avoid entirely. Some of us aren't insensitive, rather very sensitive to stories about the depths to which humans can stoop. So, personally, I wouldn't ever visit a public exhibition like that.

But I'm all for 'inclusivity' esp when discussing atrocious actions during wars and conflicts, so long as it isn't merely an opportunity to put on the sackcloth. The wider the picture, the better the balance & understanding of all human behaviour.

To me however, many of those types of exhibitions reek more of tick box exercises and/or a justification for funding, directed at those uncomfortable with even the name of the museum.


If income generation turns out to be the actual reason behind this - and really not space or change of emphasis - I suggest that IWM review their pricing policies for copy images, etc, perhaps taking economies of scale into consideration. Seeing as family research is a gateway for much WW2 learning, as witnessed here daily, wouldn't it be great if people had less costly access to their own history.

 

1) I have made it perfectly clear that it is my opinion on the gallery and that I totally get other people may think differently about it. This is a forum for discussion. I am not elevating myself to be the ultimate arbiter on what should be on show. I am simply providing an alternative view point, and I suspect I may be in a minority of one. You are arguing with a point I never made.
2) Sexual violence in WW2 was also present on the Allied side, not the US and UK, but even so in the Mediterranean theatre: Marocchinate - Wikipedia - regardless of who did what, the IWM is not just a WW2 museum, and sexual violence is something that is part of conflict since ancient times, and it is good to see it recognised as the issue that it is. To use that announcement alongside the complaint over the Emergencies exhibition to make what looks to me like a 'IWM is woke' complaint is baffling. As the exhibition isn't open yet, I will refrain from making judgements about it.
I get people have issues with the IWM, and so do I. But this particular exhibition should be welcomed and lauded in principle, and once it is open criticised if need be for how it addresses the issue, but not thrown in with the usual cries 'IWM has gone woke' unhappiness of a certain group of critics.

All the best

Andreas

 

I was amused to read the latest available minutes of Trustees on the IWM website, which includes the following:

5. Collections Development Policy
5.1. The Chair welcomed This information has been redacted under Section 40 of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 to the meeting.
5.2. Collections Development Policy: This information has been redacted under Section 40 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 introduced the policy circulated prior to the meeting and
explained how the policy adhered to the guidelines set out by Arts Council England (ACE). The
policy was taken as read and This information has been redacted under Section 40 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 invited questions.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/sites/defaul...9 Board minutes_revised_agreed redactions.pdf

 

Oh dear, you clearly haven't read my post as it was intended. I'm not arguing, simply also expressing my own opinion, on a discussion platform - just like you but perhaps a bit less assertively.

 

Andreas ,I was going to leave your post unanswered however as it was me who put the `news` post up I `ve had a change of heart .

"To use that announcement alongside the complaint over the Emergencies exhibition" Perhaps this is something you should take up with the IWM as its straight off their website and covers the period after the VC exhibition closes 23 May 2025 – 2 November 2025 .Relevant for the period ? The 80th Anniversary celebrations will cover all IWM sites and are the only `news` item above this together with the exhibition currently running
25th Anniversary of the Lifting of the Ban on LGBT Personnel Serving in the UK Armed Forces. IWM North and IWM London, 11 and 12 January 2025 so not relevant to a future news event ?
"to make what looks to me like a 'IWM is woke' complaint is baffling. As the exhibition isn't open yet, I will refrain from making judgements about it." You answer this one yourself "what looks to me like a `IWM is woke` complaint " When in fact it was to highlight the events which are currently running and the future event which may replace the VC exhibition given the dates ? The assumption of a `IWM is woke` is yours . Not mine .

You have given your opinion ,defending an exhibition which needs no defence if you believe it is a relevant, worthwhile subject then that`s fine others will agree others will not . It`s your right but please don`t try and get inside someone`s mind as why they post something . Unconscious bias works both ways . If I was posting an IWM is Woke comment believe me I would have headed the post as that . I too have an opinion on such matters .

If I had wanted to stir up `Woke` thoughts don`t you think I would have succeeded with more effect by simply posting "Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict " and "25th Anniversary of the Lifting of the Ban on LGBT Personnel Serving in the UK Armed Forces " now that may have been a baited post as it was it was nothing but news .Read it for yourself here .
https://www.iwm.org.uk/corporate/public-programme

Your opinion is your own as is mine

Kyle

 

Thanks both for the clarifications.

All the best

Andreas

 

Andreas

I think you need to read a bit more widely before giving Britain & the USA a free pass on the subject of sexual violence and other war crimes as well as breaches of the Geneva Conventions.

Much research has been published on the crimes of US troops, where race also became inextricably mixed into who got prosecuted. For example:-
https://www.researchgate.net/public...ican_GIs_in_Europe_during_World_War_II_review

While less seems to have been written about the actions of British forces,there is plenty of evidence referred to on various Wiki pages on war crimes and such. But also see Sean Longdon "To the Victors The Spoils".

Ewen

 

Thanks for the correction. I have not come across it before as a widespread phenomenon with US/UK troops, unlike with the French North African troops in Italy, or the systematised forced prostitution by the Japanese and Germans. Nevertheless, from the perspective of the victim whether it is a single soldier acting on his own or systematised makes no difference I guess, so thanks for pulling me up on this.

Some examples for Canadian troops are here: The dark side of the Canadian liberators

All the best

Andreas

 

The VC and GC collection will no longer be viewable at the IWM from Tuesday 30/9/25

Lord Ashcroft states “In time I will find a suitable alternative venue for the VC and GC collection that I am the proud custodian of but,as of this week,it will disappear from public view for the foreseeable future”

 

Good that he is fairly certain he wants to re-house the collection somewhere else.

 

The Lord Ashcroft take on things.

Closing my medals gallery relegates ‘bravest of the brave’ - Lord Ashcroft

Not a happy chap.

Kind regards, a move with the changing Times? Maybe.

Jim.

 

Wow, Imperial Woke Museum.....quite a strong article Jim, thanks for the link.

 

Yeah, nothing says 'honour our brave men and women' more than (checks notes) being upset that the gallery you funded is now being used for purposes you have no control over and is presumably (hopefully) losing its name.

Cry me a river.

All the best

Andreas