The son of a World War II hero has called for his father's name to be removed from a London war memorial after being denied a visa to visit the UK and honor his legacy. Ershad Ali, who perished while serving in the Merchant Navy for the Allied forces, is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London.
Ataur Rahman, 86, and his son Suhel Rana, 30, both from Sylhet, Bangladesh, have long dreamed of visiting the monument to pay their respects to Ershad. However, they claim their visa application was rejected by the UK government in December, leaving them feeling disrespected and discriminated against, Daily Mail UK reports.
Ataur Rahman expressed his deep frustration, saying that he now feels the only option is to have his father’s name removed from the memorial and return his medals. He reflected on the sorrow of growing up without his father, who died when he was just six months old.
The family’s journey to obtain recognition for Ershad’s service began decades later, when Suhel discovered information about his grandfather’s wartime efforts and fought for three years to ensure Ershad was honored in 2019. Despite their efforts, they were still denied the chance to visit his memorial.
Ershad Ali died on June 19, 1944, when the Dutch cargo ship SS Garoet was torpedoed by a German U-boat. He was posthumously awarded five medals, including the Burma Star, Atlantic Star, and 1939-45 Star, in recognition of his valor.
Ataur Rahman criticized the UK Home Office for what he perceived as a deliberate insult to both his father’s memory and his family’s legacy. With limited time left in his life, he expressed how devastated he was by the denial, as his final wish was to visit the memorial before passing. He now insists that his father's name be permanently removed from the memorial and all related Commonwealth records.
Suhel Rana echoed his father’s feelings, saying that the family felt disrespected and discriminated against. They expressed an intention to return the medals and have Ershad’s name removed from all memorials.
Steve Belgrove, a volunteer with Medals Lost & Found, has been working to support the family in their visa application but has faced repeated rejection. He described the situation as disheartening, emphasizing that the family’s desire was simply to pay respects to their late relative.
Belgrove criticized the UK government’s failure to support the Commonwealth, noting that the grandson, a World War II enthusiast, has visited numerous memorials worldwide, except for the one dedicated to his grandfather.
