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Why would this bequest be in his will?

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  • Why would this bequest be in his will?

    Sorry, probably another of my seemingly impossible questions. All the recent news items about the plight of the Gurkhas has reminded me of this.

    I am trying to understand the life of a relative (still alive). I have discovered that this person was registered as a conscientious objector in WW2. Throughout his life he has been, regrettably, a staunch racist.

    And yet when he made his will about 10 years ago (whilst of sound mind), he made one charitable bequest - and that was to the Gurkhas.

    It just doesn't make sense to me!
    Joan died in July 2020.

  • #2
    He sounds one mixed up man!
    Pam

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    • #3
      He sure is, Pam!
      What is also strange is that from his appearance, he looks as though he has some exotic roots - in fact he has some distinctly Afro-Caribbean features
      Joan died in July 2020.

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      • #4
        He may have felt that the Ghurkas were were misused by the British Government.

        He may have been a CO because he was anti-establishment, rather than anti-war and identified the Ghurkas as victims of the establishment, to the extent that it overcame his racial prejudice.

        However, I would think there was a more personal reason than this, but what it could be I do not know. Did he EVER see active service anywhere?

        OC

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        • #5
          He may have changed his mind, or felt guilty about others fighting when he didn't. Racism isn't a clear-cut issue either, people can be bigotted about a race or group of people and tolerant or admiring of another group. The Gurkhas are primarily identified as a crack fighting unit rather than a racial grouping, after all.
          ~ with love from Little Nell~
          Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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          • #6
            He never mentioned it, OC - he spent WW2 in hiding on Jersey - but his marriage cert (1948)describes him as " stationed at Lubeck Schleswig Holstein" - and I found a wedding photo and he appears to be in army uniform
            Joan died in July 2020.

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            • #7
              If he's still alive he still has time to change his will!

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              • #8
                Hi Merry - He is still alive -the charitable bequest wasn't the only thing in his will - sorry if I wasn't clear about that - and because of the circumstances, I don't think he could now change his will without my knowledge!
                Joan died in July 2020.

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                • #9
                  All I meant was, a will isn't really worth the paper it's written on until the person is dead, as they can always change it or tear it up! lol

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                  • #10
                    Thanks, Merry - I was thinking too hard!!!
                    Joan died in July 2020.

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                    • #11
                      Perhaps there is some distant family "obligation", as you say the person possibly has exotic roots.

                      OC

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                      • #12
                        I guess there may well be OC.

                        Why oh why can't our relatives just be honest with us?
                        Joan died in July 2020.

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                        • #13
                          'Racism' certainly isn't clear cut or 'black and white', after all Hitler awarded the Japanese 'honorary Aryan' status!

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                          • #14
                            Thanks Richard -yes that must be right - yet I know this person very well, and have done for many years - and he seems to hold the most ridiculous and extreme views eg he believes it to be a "fact" that black people have smaller brains than white people!!!
                            Joan died in July 2020.

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                            • #15
                              My father was an utter bigoted racist all his life. He had some appalling views, which were funny only in their absolute disregard for the facts.

                              He hated all foreigners full stop. In fact he hated any member of the human race who wasn't EXACTLY like him.

                              He also fought in WW2, so I was astonished one day when he said that he rather admired the German race as being hard working "proper" people. I pointed out that he had, nevertheless been prepared to kill them if necessary.

                              He looked a bit surprised and said "Oh, but that was war, wasn't it? That's different".

                              I am not excusing my father's terrible racism and prejudices, but he was a product of his generation, an Edwardian who completely believed that the White British (Man!) was superior in every way to any other person on earth and was really rather puzzled that anyone could think differently.

                              OC

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                              • #16
                                Interesting OC - thanks
                                - it helps to put things in perspective.

                                This person I am talking about arranged a "treat" for my 10th (?) birthday - took me to Birmingham to listen to Enoch Powell doing one of his "rivers of blood" speeches !!


                                Sorry, am wandering off topic a bit - just reminiscing!
                                Joan died in July 2020.

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                                • #17
                                  My Dad spouted a lot of bigoted rubbish and was very "the Irish are" "blacks are" etc with sweeping statements.

                                  But he actually got on brilliantly with individuals from all the races and places (Yorkshire, Lancashire etc) that he seemed to despise en masse. He was a great admirer of the Gurkhas who fought with him in North Africa in WW2.

                                  Funnily enough, he told a story about when he was a bus conductor and the first black bus driver turned up to work. Someone (not him) made a scathing comment about how this chap should "go back where you come from you black ********" to which the black driver responded "Why don't you go back to Norway then, you Viking scum!"
                                  ~ with love from Little Nell~
                                  Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                                  • #18
                                    My father born 1902 was also quite racist, but it was not called that then.
                                    Amongst his dislikes was one for Jews. I have never found out why. If l ever asked him he would never give me an answer. He has been dead a number of years, but l do not know what he would say if he came back as his grandson, (my nephew) has married a lovely black girl , and has a gorgeous little girl who is carrying on dads surname. Lifes funny isnt it?
                                    Pam

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                                    • #19
                                      Anti-semitism was quite common until Hitler's "final solution" made everyone feel guilty about it. Lots of pre-1930s novels are full of anti-Jewish sentiments (George Eliot's "Daniel Deronda" being an exception).

                                      I don't think there is any logical reasoning behind racism. I think its a tribal "they are different - ie inferior - from us" attitude.
                                      ~ with love from Little Nell~
                                      Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                                      • #20
                                        Yes, my father used to trot out the "fact" that black people's brains were smaller than whites.

                                        I never did establish whether he felt that black people's brains were larger than white women's.

                                        He refused to watch ITV because it was "owned by Jews". I was not allowed to bring a school friend home because her name was Madeleine and she must therefore be a Roman Catholic.

                                        As I said, almost funny in its stupidity and lack of reasoning, but quite frightening when you think that he was an intelligent man.

                                        OC

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