An Oxford historian has said "there is no justification for a criminal act" at the vandalism of the Tirah War Memorial in Bonn Square that happened just weeks before Remembrance Day.

Dr Duncan Taylor, who has dedicated years of research to the 1900 memorial’s significance, reported the vandalism, saying there is “no justification for such a criminal act”.

However, Dr Taylor was not surprised by the word ‘thives’ [sic] appearing in spray paint on the column which was first noticed by locals on Thursday, October 17. 

He added: “It is not surprising that some people have made the connection between the Tirah memorial and Britain’s often discomforting imperial past, particularly at a time when indigenous protesters are interrupting King Charles’ visit to Australia and the leaders of the Commonwealth are debating whether to formally call for reparations for Britain’s part in the slave trade." 

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Dr Taylor said the Bonn Square memorial "sheds light" on a piece of history that many in Oxford will "likely be unaware of", and which adds to the complexities of conversations about the Empire’s role in public memory.

The names on the memorial commemorate those who took part in a disastrous military action in the North West Frontier of India.

The monument’s unveiling to the public in 1900 was coupled with speeches celebrating the Empire and cheering the bravery of those involved in the campaign.

The vandalism of the war memorial (Image: Duncan Taylor) Yet if you scratch the surface the history of the campaign looks a lot less glorious, said Dr Taylor, adding “no doubt many people would be ashamed and even horrified if they knew the full implications of what the monument stood for”.

He says while other war memorials have been maintained and even protected, the Bonn Square monument has since been "neglected, fallen into disrepair, and now vandalised".

But he maintains "there is no justification for a criminal act". 

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Speaking on his dismay that this is the case despite the memorial "marking such tragic loss" for the young men of Oxfordshire and the civilians targeted by British imperial forces, Dr Taylor said: “One can have great sympathy and respect for the people commemorated on the monument, but it is very difficult from today’s perspective to be proud of the events that it marks.

"It is time to restore the memory of these events to the public so as to give grounds for reflection, rather than simply carrying out misguided actions to disfigure and remove important markers of history, struggle, and power.”

Dr Taylor’s new book on the Tirah Memorial aims to "inform people about the importance of this often-overlooked Oxford monument, and restore to memory the neglected stories of those on both sides who lost their lives in the campaigns it commemorates".