It is with the greatest of sadness that the CPGB-ML and Proletarian announce the death of one of their staunchest comrades in the early hours of 26 March from pancreatic cancer and further complications arising therefrom. Although he was diagnosed as suffering from this lethal disease only two months ago, it was already in a very advanced state.

The political career of Godfrey Cremer started in the late 1960s, since when he worked exceptionally hard in the cause of the emancipation of the proletariat and the oppressed peoples of the world. His name is indelibly connected with the movement for solidarity with the people of Vietnam, the people of Korea, China, Palestine, southern Africa (in particular Zimbabwe), Ireland, Libya, Syria and Iran.

Godfrey Cremer was an internationalist through and through, as he fully realised that the struggle of the proletariat in the imperialist countries for its emancipation from exploitation could never be accomplished without rendering unreserved support to the liberation struggles of the oppressed nations and people against imperialist oppression, war, brigandage and super-exploitation. From this stance he never wavered, treating with disdain and contempt the opportunist faint-hearts in the working-class movement who pursue a line of conciliation towards their own imperialist bourgeoisie.

He stood for the defence of the gains of the working class in socialist countries. His defence of the gains of the glorious Great October Socialist Revolution, the construction of socialism in the USSR under the leadership of Lenin and Stalin, and the mighty achievements of the Soviet Union, in fields ranging from the economic through to the cultural, scientific, diplomatic and military, knew no bounds. In the aftermath of the collapse of socialism in the former socialist countries, he refused to go along with the prevailing torrent of anti-communist propaganda unleashed by world imperialism – a propaganda that swept off their feet many weak elements in the working-class movement.

He was also a leading figure, in his political and professional capacity, in the struggle against racism, realising fully that racism is an instrument used by the bourgeoisie to weaken the working class by undermining its class unity.

It had been the ardent desire of Godfrey Cremer to build a principled and truly revolutionary party of the British proletariat. He grasped with joy the opportunity that presented itself to form such a party when, along with a number of other comrades, he became the founding member and one of the leading lights of the CPGB-ML in 2004. He devoted his all to the defence, consolidation and development of this party.

In his ardent desire to serve the working class, no job was beneath him. He was a dedicated organiser, possessed of great ideological and technical competence, and a keen eye for detail. Without his work, it is doubtful whether Proletarian, the party’s newspaper, or the anti-imperialist bi-monthly Lalkar, would have ever got off the ground.

He was a great, warm-hearted comrade, a loyal friend and a loving husband and father. His dedication, cheerful disposition and wit will be missed, not only by comrades of the CPGB-ML, but even by our opponents. All those who had any occasion to be with him and to know him had their lives enriched by the experience. He shall be sorely missed.

A communist farewell and red salute to Comrade Godfrey Cremer.

[A more detailed obituary will appear in the next issue of Lalkar.]