Caribbean
The British colonies in the West Indies were under direct threat by German submarines, who were hunting for oil tankers and bauxite carriers making their way from the Caribbean to the USA and the UK.
On the islands, the available manpower was taken up guarding the ports and POW camps, as well as providing the labour for the increased production of primary produce necessitated by the war.
'Rather bizarrely, 800 forestry workers were brought from tropical British Honduras to work in the freezing highlands of Scotland.'
Protests by West Indians at the lack of recruitment for service abroad, however, and the need for labour in Britain and for RAF personnel, resulted in the enlistment of men for RAF ground-duty training in 1941. West Indians were also recruited to fill certain skill shortages to aid the war effort. Rather bizarrely, 800 forestry workers were brought from tropical British Honduras to work in the freezing highlands of Scotland.
On their arrival, some discovered that they had to build their own barracks - and they all discovered that they were to be paid less than they had been promised. The period of their service was reduced, and some were repatriated before their contracts had expired. However, some remained in the UK after they had fulfilled their contracts, and found other war work.
Some 520 men came from the Caribbean colonies to work, mainly in munitions factories in the north-west. About 80 West Indian women, at first only if they were white, were recruited for the ATS.
It was probably only the lack of sufficient men with appropriate qualifications that forced the RAF to accept black colonials as aircrew. Some 300 or so West Indians served as aircrew, and some 90 men received decorations. This included seven Distinguished Service Orders, and 64 DFC's.
Probably the most decorated was Squadron Leader Ulric Cross, who was awarded both the DSO and the DFC. The citation for the latter notes his 'exceptional navigational ability' and the 'very large number of sorties' he had flown 'against heavily defended targets' in Germany.
The Caribbean Regiment wasn't recruited until 1944, when it was posted to Egypt to guard PoWs. There they were in fights with white South African troops, billeted nearby, who objected to the regiment being allowed to carry arms.
Published: 2001-06-01
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