Memorial dedicated to members of the LGBTQ+ Armed Forces community

A stunning new memorial dedicated to members of the LGBTQ+ Armed Forces community has been unveiled this week.

Located at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, An Opened Letter commemorates the service of many sailors, soldiers and aviators from the LGBTQ+ community - many who were not able to be open about themselves during their time in the forces.

The letter is a visible reminder of the discriminatory laws which restricted personnel to be openly homosexual, which were in place from 1967 to 2000. It led to many thousands being dismissed or forced out.

Shaped like an open letter, as the name would suggest, the sculpture - designed by Abraxas Academy - represents some real personal letters that were used to discredit and incriminate people. Fighting With Pride, the LGBTQ+ Armed Forces charity, led the project for the sculpture.

The charity has been instrumental in its fight to make the impact of the old laws fully known and to be able to now give a platform for those affected to be honoured for their contributions.

“It’s a deeply emotional moment,” Peter Gibson, CEO of Fighting With Pride, said of the sculpture. “It expresses in physical form that what happened to them should never have taken place - and equally, but crucially - must never be allowed to happen again.

"The devastation and destruction caused by people expressing their love cut short successful careers and, in some cases, ended lives. The scars left behind are lifelong; the journey home for many LGBTQ+ veterans is only just beginning."

Mr Gibson said he hoped the sculpture would also encourage more discussion about the impact of the law, and that it may also encourage more people affected to come forward.

“This is a klaxon call that signals shame can be cast aside and everyone who wants it is welcomed back into their military family,” he added. “We know there are more veterans who suffered under the ban who are owed justice and reparations.

“We encourage them to get in touch with Fighting With Pride so we can help. We won’t rest in our mission until everyone is found.”

More than 100 ex-service personnel impacted by the ban attended an unveiling ceremony of the sculpture on Monday (October 27). This included Claire Ashton, who served in the Army’s Royal Artillery.

‘This is a moment I never believed would happen,” Claire said. “It’s a moment full of meaning and, finally, of pride. I’m in my 70’s now and have forever lived with the psychological scars of being kicked out – “medically discharged”, as it was labelled on my records.

“That was in 1972 when I was just 21 years old - my dream career and lifetime plans ruined just like that. I was punished for being myself. It has been a cathartic experience seeing the LGBT+ memorial going through its various stages.”

Carl Austin-Behan joined the RAF in 1991 at 19 years old, six years later he was dismissed for being gay.

“The significance of the LGBT+ memorial blows me away,” he said. “It takes me back to letters I wrote and received at a time of intense secrecy with hidden words and changed identity.

“I hope once again to walk tall and proud, remembering my service; the pilot I rescued after a crash, the promotion snatched away from me because of my sexuality.

"I’m hopeful the UK’s first LGBT+ armed forces memorial will stimulate important conversations with the public – it will open people’s eyes to how dangerous discrimination is.”