THE Brookwood Last Post Association has held its first Muslim commemoration service.

The group’s event for July paid homage to Muslim soldiers who fought in the First World War.

A gathering was held at the Brookwood Military Cemetery’s Muslim plot, before the participants moved on to the RAF Memorial.

Prayers were led by the head imam at the of the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking, Hafiz Hashmi, and Major Mohammed Naveed, of the Armed Forces Muslim Association, gave a talk on the history of the Muslim involvement in the armed forces.

In keeping with every Brookwood Last Post service, a tribute to Sepoy Sikander Khan, who is buried in the Muslim plot, was read by Zafar Iqbal, senior policy officer for community engagement at Woking Borough Council.

The service was concluded with singing of the national anthem.

Brookwood Last Post Association stages a ceremony at the RAF Memorial at 3pm on the first Sunday of the month.

The event, attended by local Royal British Legion representatives and military and young people’s organisations, features the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille. A service person buried at Brookwood is usually selected for a remembrance tribute.

Further tributes to Muslim soldiers were made at the former Muslim burial ground on Horsell Common on Sunday 14 July.

For the full story get the 25 July edition of the News & Mail