Soon after the war started, soldiers from Nigeria, the Gold Coast, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, and other African colonies were recruited. When World War One began, West Indians donated large sums of money to aid the war effort, and many men made their way across the Atlantic at their own expense to enlist. For others, playing an active role in the fighting was seen as an opportunity to advance claims for representative government within the islands. Many men from Britain’s Black communities also joined the war effort, and Black recruits could be found in all branches of the armed forces.Īfter centuries of slavery, people in the British Caribbean were relishing their freedom, although many were said to take pride in their loyalty to the ‘Mother Country’. The mainstream media rarely acknowledges the contributions of non-Europeans during the war, and yet there were lots of Black and Asian soldiers. British history books are largely silent about the contributions of Black servicemen in the First World War, and it is often thought that it was a European war, fought exclusively by (white) Europeans. World War Oneīlack soldiers have been a part of British military history since before the formation of a standing Army in the 17 th century, and their involvement increased dramatically in the 19 th century, including through the Napoleonic Wars and the Boer War.
If you have articles or information you think colleagues will find interesting, please do share them with us by commenting on these blogs.Īnd finally, if you have Amazon Prime, I recommend checking out ‘Mutiny’, a 50-minute documentary that includes really moving veteran testimonials and tells the story of the British West Indies Regiment in World War One. Whilst I’ve acknowledged this, I hope I’ve managed to focus on and celebrate the enormous contribution that was made. It saddens me that the information I’ve been reading in putting this blog together reveals continued racism and inequitable treatment during a time of great Black sacrifice. UK black history – the Windrush generation.UK black history – World War I and World War II.UK black history – from Ancient Britain to the Transatlantic Slave Trade.Our schedule is inspired by the suggestions made by colleagues in the recent survey we completed on BHM, and will cover: If you think I’ve missed something important, or got something wrong, please do comment and let’s open up the conversation to all. I recognise that my perspective may have its limitations, so in writing these blogs I’ll be drawing upon reliable sources from the internet, and I’ll include links to articles so that you can read more. In this week’s UK Black History blog, I’ll be taking a look at the contributions of black soldiers in World War I and World War II.
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