The war in Bosnia-Herzegovina between 1992-95 was tragic and has cast a long, dark shadow over so many lives. Dobrila Kalaba was one of the first British Army interpreters to be recruited by the UK peacekeepers in October 1992 during their deployment (Operation GRAPPLE ). Before the war, she was an English teacher working in a local school. Dobrila was the only interpreter who lost her life serving on operations with the UK's contribution to the multi-national United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) during the Bosnian war. Following a series of threats to her life, in July 1993, Dobrila was targeted and killed on the British Army base in Vitez. Her death came as a retaliation for her role in the aftermath of the Ahmići massacre. Stationed only a few miles down the road from the village Ahmići, British soldiers deployed to the scene of these atrocities within hours. Dobrila interpreted for Lieutenant Colonel Bob Stewart, the Commanding Officer, on that tragic day. She became the voice and the face of condemnation of these war crimes nationally and internationally. This media profile cost Dobrila her life.

Dobrila served alongside British soldiers who were recognised for gallantry. Interpreters were unarmed and exposed to the same risks as the soldiers. Local interpreters often attracted suspicion and threats from the warring factions. None of the interpreters, including Dobrila, who served at the start of UN operation received the UNPROFOR medal or any national award. When Dobrila was killed, the war prevented a funeral taking place. It was a difficult and dangerous time. Her friends and neighbours placed her in a makeshift coffin and buried her at night. Her body was later exhumed and moved to Šipovo at her parents’ request in 1998. Dobrila's family suffered greatly and received no financial assistance following her death unlike the families of British servicemen and women serving on operations at the time. In recent years, protocols and regulations have been put in place to compensate for the injury and death of interpreters. After almost 30 years, her family needs support more than ever.

This fundraiser is about alleviating the suffering of Dobrila's family and honouring her sacrifice for the UK’s UN deployment, for humanity, and for peace in Bosnia. After nearly three decades, Dobrila's service and life was commemorated on the anniversary of the Ahmići massacre (16 April 2022) and memorialised with a commemorative tablet on the village mosque. Over 40 British former peacekeepers and interpreters attended Dobrila's memorial in Bosnia, acknowledging that her death is as relevant today as it was in 1993. Her memorial provided a reminder of the bravery of interpreters during the Bosnian war and provided a platform to recognise their service. By making donations, small or large, we help honour a debt to her family. Put simply, Dobrila’s family deserve and need support. The fund contributes to a family whose daughter touched so many hearts and made the ultimate sacrifice whilst doing her job.

Baroness Coussins noted in the House of Lords on 18 March 2015 that, ‘The role of interpreters and translators in conflict zones is absolutely vital but is poorly understood and rarely acknowledged. They are unsung heroes. They are often the victims of distrust, discrimination and threats from all sides…Yet their linguistic skills and the cultural knowledge that goes with them are often the very things that enable the uniformed troops to do their job’. Dobrila was one such unsung hero.