Memorial for LGBT veterans to be built at National Memorial Arboretum
The memorial will take the form of a crumpled letter made of bronze, made up of words from evidence of personnel who were impacted by the ‘gay ban’.
A memorial for LGBT veterans will be built at the National Memorial Arboretum, the Ministry of Defence has announced, 25 years to the day since the “gay ban” in the armed forces was lifted.
The memorial, which will go on display at the national site in Staffordshire, will take the form of a crumpled letter made of bronze, which will be made up of words taken from evidence from personnel who were impacted by the ban, which was in place from 1967 until 11 January 2000.
Under the policy, members of the armed forces who were – or were thought to be – gay or transgender were subjected to brutal interrogation and dismissal.
The memorial is being funded by a £350,000 grant from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs within the MoD, having been designed by the Abraxas Academy collective of artists.
The construction and design work is overseen by the LGBT military charity Fighting With Pride, and the winning design was one of 38 put forward.
Minister for Veterans Alistair Carns said: “When I joined the Royal Marines in 1999, this abhorrent ban on homosexuality in the armed forces was still in place. A quarter of a century later, we turn a page on that shameful chapter in our national story.”
He said that the Government is “committed to renewing the contract” with people who serve and have served and is taking forward recommendations from Lord Etherton from his review published in 2023.
Ed Hall, chairman of Fighting With Pride, said: “The trustees are delighted that we have such a strong winner for the LGBT+ armed forces community memorial. It’s been incredibly important to all of us at Fighting With Pride that we held a rigorous creative process to find the right design that will provide a place of peace and reflection for the LGBT+ armed forces family.”
In December, it was announced that veterans who suffered mistreatment under the “gay ban” will receive up to £70,000 each as part of the redress scheme.
Veterans who were dismissed or discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity are to receive £50,000.
Personnel who were “negatively affected” by the ban during their time in the service between 1967 and 2000 will be given up to another £20,000, the ministry said.
The payments will be exempt from income tax and means-tested benefits.
Veterans who lost their rank as a result can apply to have their rank restored and discharge reason amended if they wish, ministers said.
