ORGANISATIONS
The Embassy of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea
Dear Comrades of CPGB-ML
I express the profound deepest condolences to the bereaved family and comrades for the loss of our dear precious and irreplaceable comrade, Godfrey.
Comrade Godfrey was a genuine comrade for the Korean People and his revolutionary spirits and his contributions to the communist movement of Britain will live forever in the hearts of the progressive British people and the Korean people.
My wife and children, regarding him as a member of our family, also express the deepest condolence to aunt Iris and the family.
I hope you will overcome the greatest grief and sorrow and please let me know what can I do in this difficult period.
Comradely yours, MUN Myong Sin
The Cuban Embassy
The Political Counsellor at the Cuban embassy, Carlos Camps Garcia, spoke to the CPGB-ML’s international secretary, Ella Rule, expressing great sorrow on the death of Godfrey. He attended Godfrey’s funeral service and afterwards attended the reception at Saklatvala Hall, Southall.
Jacob Jugashvili, great grandson of Joseph Stalin
Dear Iris,
Please accept my sincere condolences.
Jacob Jugashvili
[Message received via the Stalin Society]
All Nepal Federation of Trade Unions
Dear Editor red salute,
We Nepalese workers are repeating this slogan “A communist farewell and red salute to Comrade Godfrey Cremer.”
A very special tribute to eternal internationalist comrade Godfrey Cremer.
Jaya Karki, All Nepal Federation of Trade Unions (ANTUF)
[Message received via Proletarian, journal of the CPGB-ML]
Workers Party of Belgium
To the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain – Marxist-Leninist
Dear Comrades,
Please accept our sincere sorrow for the loss of comrade Godfrey Andries Cremer. We would like to transfer our condolences to all the comrades of the CPGB-ML and to his family.
We share the feelings of Comrades Jean Pestieau and Maria McGavigan in their letter of condolences, dated April 4 [see below].
To honour Comrade Godfrey, we can use the same words as the ones used “In memory of Norman Bethune”: We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him. With this spirit everyone can be very useful to the people. A man’s ability may be great or small, but if he has this spirit, he is already noble minded and pure, a man of moral integrity and above vulgar interests, a man who is of value to the people.
With comradely greetings,
The Department of International Relations, Workers’ Party of Belgium
From Maria McGavigan/John Pestieau, April 4.
Dear Iris,
Dear comrades of the CPGB-ML
We have just heard the sad news about the passing away of Godfrey. Please accept our sincerest condolences and our deepest sympathy.
It has been some years since we last met Godfrey, but we have been able to follow, in part at least, his work for the communist cause in the UK and the world by reading Lalkar and Proletarian. His contribution was not only on the level of ideas but also in the practical realisation of the papers.
We shall remember Godfrey as a communist who combined kindness, anti-imperialist militancy and a passion for Marxism-Leninism.
We shall be thinking of Godfrey, Iris and all the British comrades tomorrow at the time of the funeral.
Our warmest greetings to you all
Maria McGavigan, Jean Pestieau. Workers’ Party of Belgium
Pavel Degtar, Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM)
Dear Iris,
At this sad time, please accept our deepest condolences at the loss of your husband, of a good man Godfrey.
Yours sincerely,
Pavel and Vera
Mario Sousa, Communist Party of Sweden
Very sad news that our beloved Comrade Godfrey is not with us anymore. He was a nice and good person, I send my sympathies to the family and all comrades in the political life.
Mario Sousa,
Uppsala, Sweden.
Taimur Rahman, Communist Workers and Peasants Party, Pakistan (cmkp)
RIP comrade Godfrey.
What a wonderful friend and comrade of the working and oppressed people from all over the world. Will always cherish the love and support he gave us when we came to London.
Marxist Leninist Communist Party Turkey / Northern Kurdistan (MLKP)
Today we have gathered to remember the lifelong revolutionary, comrade Godfrey. It is a great honour to have met comrade Godfrey and to have worked together.
We salute the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) and everyone in paying their respects to comrade Godfrey’s memory, in the forward looking spirit which he infused all his immense activities, his outstanding life and work. As his comrades, we are proud of his invaluable contribution to the cause of communism and the national and social liberation of the working class and peoples, and of the great legacy which he has left in Britain for the whole movement of progressive humanity. He became an inspiration for all of us through his honesty and modesty, and especially to our young comrades with his actions and ideas.
His proletarian internationalist support and guidance since our meeting with him has been invaluable, with his selfless assistance, modesty, and encouragement. Today even in our grief, his memory inspires us to carry on the work with greater strength. Because the dawn for humanity is about to break, the retreat of revolution will turn into the flow of revolution sooner rather than later.
Comrades, our best tribute to comrade Godfrey’s memory will be to carry on fighting for those great causes, for the future of progressive humanity, to which he devoted his entire life.
All glory to the memory of comrade Godfrey Cremer!
Our thoughts are together with his family and comrades!
Long live revolution and socialism!
Long live proletarian internationalism!
Communist Party (USA), Houston branch
Dear Comrades of the CPGB-ML
This is Fabian, from the Houston branch of the Communist Party, USA; I’m sure you remember me. I was in London over the summer and went on a few marches with the CPGB-ML while I was there. I would like to express my deepest sadness at the death of Comrade Godfrey; this is a great loss for the working class (and especially, the British working class).
While I was in London, Comrade Godfrey was extremely kind to me and was one of the reasons that I came to a few meetings. He made me feel extremely welcome and included me into the activities at the June 30 march in London. He was the first person that I met in the CPGB-ML and was one of the reasons I developed instantly a good opinion of the Party. I had the opportunity of having lunch with Godfrey while I was in London and learned a lot from his wisdom during our conversation.
While I was in London, I went to a meeting of the Stalin Society. I was extremely impressed with Godfrey’s defense of Stalin and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. He calmly explained many facts to me about the USSR and the DPRK that I had never known before. In the two weeks that I got to know Godfrey, I was extremely impressed with his commitment to Marxism-Leninism and the struggles of the proletariat.
He was a good comrade and I am sad to hear that he has passed away.
In Solidarity,
Fabian
Marxist Workers School of South Africa
Letter of condolence from South African comrades
On behalf of the Marxist Workers School of South Africa and on behalf of all Marxist-Leninist and revolutionary working-class fighters of our country, we send our deepest condolences to Iris Cremer, wife and lifelong comrade of Comrade Godfrey, to the Chairman of the CPGB-ML Comrade Harpal Brar and the General Secretary Zane Carpenter, to the Central Committee and all friends and comrades of the CPGB-ML.
When I had the honour to address your party meetings in February of this year I met Comrade Godfrey for the first time. From the first moment, we talked as if we had known each other for years. He was concerned about my well-being and my accommodation. We discussed the political situation of the working-class struggle in Britain. He wanted to know about the working and living conditions of the working class in South Africa. We discussed the gains of the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe and the Nato-led counter-revolution in Libya; we discussed the imperialist aggression against Syria and the national-liberation struggle in Iraq. Although already suffering from his illness, he put his party work first. Though I only spent a few days with him, one could always feel the unwavering commitment of a sincere, dedicated and disciplined comrade, a true Leninist and internationalist.
I will never forget the moment when Comrade Godfrey, immediately after my speech at Saklatvala Hall in Southall/London, stood up and recited a poem, Pamberi Ne Chimurenga, which he had written during the struggle of our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe against Ian Smith settler colonialism and British imperialism and in support of the armed struggle of ZANLA. Comrade Godfrey, clearly weakened by his illness, recited this poem with such passion and energy – there was not one person in the hall who had the slightest doubt about the commitment of this internationalist and revolutionary, his love for the downtrodden and exploited and his hatred for colonialism and imperialism.
Needless to say that when the poem ended with the words:
ZANU, steer true the course of Chimurenga,
Hold fast the helm,
Hold firm the line that leads to victory!
By People’s War Zimbabwe shall be free!
and Comrade Godfrey saluted with his fist raised, the entire hall erupted in cheers and jubilation. Indeed a fighter he was and an inspiration to all!
Comrade Godfrey embodies the essence of our common struggle – the unity of the struggle of the modern proletariat and the struggle of the oppressed of the world. His whole life he has upheld the principle that the working class of the imperialist countries must unite and be one with the oppressed and exploited in the so-called ‘third world’; that the workers’ struggle must support and call for the victory of the anti-imperialist forces around the world in a common struggle to defeat imperialism.
The British proletariat has lost one of its finest; the South African proletariat has lost a friend.
May his life be an example to the young generation of your party, may his commitment and dedication in his life-long struggle against colonialism and imperialism be an example and an inspiration to the anti-war movement and other progressive movements in Britain, and may his loyalty to Marxism Leninism be an example to the proletarian struggle in your country for the overthrow of the capitalist system of exploitation and the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat.
We dip our revolutionary banner in honour of your fallen Comrade Godfrey Cremer!
Let the living close the eyes of the dead, let the dead open the eyes of the living
Khwezi Kadalie, Chairman of the Marxist Workers School of South Africa
Indian Workers Association (GB)
Along with a condolence card signed by 30 Birmingham members of the Birmingham branch, the following letter was received from Avtar Jouhl, General Secretary of the IWA(GB):
Dear Comrade Iris, Katt and family,
Comrade Godfrey’s untimely death is very sad. He was not only a Marxist-Leninist dedicated to the cause of achieving socialism but also a very close fiend of my family for over forty years. He was very kind, and a friend in deed, during the seventies, eighties, nineties and current 21st century. My personal experiences of friendship and comradeship with comrade Godfrey are unforgettable. His contribution to Lalkar is immense. Without him, you and young Katt we were unable to afford commercial printing of Lalkar. His contributions to anti-racism particularly as the treasurer of Campaign Against Racist Laws (CARL) demonstrated his grasp of broad front work and even working with Revisionists and Trots. In the late 70s and early 80s working in CARL he demonstrated his understanding of Marxism Leninism in broad front in practice.
Godfrey’s departure is big loss to CPGB-ML, IWA(GB) and to me and my family.
My son Paul and daughter-in-law Parmind Kaur will participate in Comrade Godfrey’s sad funeral.
Due to my unstable cardiac conditions I am unable to be at the funeral personally, but my thoughts are with you and your family and the Party.
Enclosed is a small donation to CPGB-ML in memory of Comrade Godfrey.
Long Live Comrade Godfrey
Avtar Singh Jouhl and family.
Revolutionary Communist Group (RCG)
The Revolutionary Communist Group sends its sincerest condolences to our comrades in the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) on the death of your comrade Godfrey Cremer.
We knew Godfrey for many years and respected and valued him as a principled, committed, non-sectarian fighter for socialism. His loss will be felt by all who knew and worked with him.
Your in solidarity, London RCG
INDIVIDUALS
Mark Window, Australia
My sincere condolences to the CPGB-ML on the sad passing of Comrade Godfrey Cremer.
Flo and Ivor Kenna
Dear Iris and Kathy
We were shocked and saddened to learn of Godfrey’s death. Please accept our deepest comradely sympathy.
Godfrey was a thoroughly good chap. Considerate of others, he was always willing to do whatever needed to be done, whether large or small.
Whenever he spoke, he did so with heartfelt enthusiasm. What he had to say was always significant, adding something to the discussion
Godfrey had a deep knowledge of many aspects of Marxism-Leninism, not least in its relation to biological science. He was always keen to learn more.
It is at times like these that we recall the final words of the finest tribute paid to Comrade Stalin, that of Comrade Wanda Wasilewska: “Love, deep, true and everlasting, love for the dearest man on earth, who is gone, but shall remain with us for ever”.
Flo and Ivor Kenna
Irina Malenko
Dear Iris, dear Katt,
Please accept my deepest sincere condolences on this sad day.
I only met Godfrey once, but he made a deep impression on me as a very dedicated communist and comrade.
I am not very good at expressing my feelings on such tragic occasion; I just want to let you know that I know well how you feel (I lost my daughter last August).
Wishing you strength & courage,
A big hug from
Irina.
Nell Myers
Dear Iris,
Please forgive this belated note of deepest sympathy, having learned that our struggle in all its forms has lost Godfrey, and sympathy especially for your personal loss. He was so impressive and inspiring by his gentleness and kindness as well as his campaigning. Arthur (Scargill) is away just now, but I know he will be so sorry to hear of this great loss.
With love, Nell Myers
Mervyn Drage & Kenneth Barr
Dear Iris, Katherine and the Cremer family,
We were very sad to hear of Godfrey’s death at the relatively young age of 68.
Godfrey was a mild mannered, nice, loving, kind and resourceful comrade and gentleman; he was also a talented biologist, scientist and highly experienced and committed Marxist Leninist and communist.
He will be sorely missed by comrades in the CPGBML, the Stalin Society, international friendship bodies and other revolutionary groups.
He played, with comrade Iris, a prominent roe lint he production and distribution of Lalkar for over 25 years, and of Proletarian for 8 years.
We always marvelled Godfrey and Iris for the enormous, self sacrificing contribution they made, year in and year out, to the communist cause.
Sincere condolences to Iris, Katherine and the Cremer family.
The best way to cherish Godfrey’s memory is for us all to continue his communist work for the liberation of the working class and human kind and to establish socialism and working class state power.
Yours in comradeship,
Mervyn Drage and Kenneth Barr, Stalin Society members in Manchester
Dermot Hudson
Dear comrades
In spite of the differences that have arisen between myself and the CPGBML/Lalkar may I say how shocked I am to hear of the demise of comrade Godfrey Cremer, Please accept my sincere condolences on this occasion.
I will remember comrade Godfrey is the hardest working person in the progressive movement who I ever met. I remember he was a stalwart of many meetings on the DPRK. I also remember him taking the trouble to give me and my little daughter a lift back to Kilburn in 2002 .
May comrade Godfrey rest in peace. My thoughts are with his family.
fraternally, Dermot Hudson
Asari St Hill
My apologies for not replying sooner. I have only just picked up the e-mail. Please pass on our sincere condolences to Godfrey’s family and all the comrades in the party. He was a real soldier of the struggle.
Asari
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