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Dudley J. Thompson O.J. Q.C.
—1111-111-1111-1111-1111-1111 1111 1111 1111-1111-111
SARAFINA • Vantage Point 44 Portview Rd #8 • P.O. Box 2989 Kingston 8 Jamaica West Indies
• Telephone (809) 969-9671 • Fax (809) 969-1042 • e-mail dudjtatoj.com
Notes on Caribbean contribution to the U.K. in WWII
There has always been a "racialist policy" operating against the eagerness of
coloured colonials who wanted to enlist in various branches of the army, navy
and the R.A.F. There is an abundance of official correspondence existing to
demonstrate that the War Office rigidly took steps to prevent enlistment to those
"who were not of pure European descent" The Governors overseas had great
difficulty in this respect as they faced a n eager population anxious to prove their
loyalty to the motherland and being unable to do so. It also contradicted the
reasons underlying our conflict itself. This resistance by the War Office gradually
gave way after continuous pressure and legislation was passed lifting the race
restriction about 1943.
Historically ,W.I.participation in the U.K. armed forces dates back to the
American War of Independence . Black soldiers were enlisted in labour and
service battalions and later prove4d themselves under fire to become fully
admitted. 2 Regiments of the British West India Regiment BWI grew to 15,600
men in the early 1915. They served in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia,France
Italy and elsewhere and were awarded 5 DSOs, 9M.Cs. 8DCMs,37MMs, and
were mentioned in dispatches some 49 times (CO.363/1673 & C.0.323/672) The
BWI Regiment was disbanded in 1927 leaving only as a symbolic reminder the
colourful W.I.Regimental band which still exists.
Correspondence in the Colonial Office reveal that in 1943 the R.A.F.
after much pressure from the colonial Governors especially in Jamaica and
Trinidad & Tobago decided to recruit from overseas ground crew and tradesmen
(drivers, mechanics, electricians, welders etc) By April 1944 great need was
revealed in the U.K. position and of the 58,000 required the W.I, sent out first
3,985 between June and November and by the following March a further
contingent of 1551 This does not include scores of young men who silently
slipped away on their own and joined up in Britain and Canada, There was no
separate comprehensive list kept but it is estimated that some 28,000 enlisted in
the RAF and several women in the auxiliary forces, Jamaicans and other
W.Indians were engaged as air crew, as well as most of the other branches of
the service. There is no evidence found of any admitted into Her Majesty's Navy.
In addition to those actively participating in the armed forces the
Caribbean made valuable contribution to the war effort in other forms,
Thousands of workers went as munition workers to the factories turning out
planes and other war material. The Forestry Department in Britain especially in
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Scotland recruited hundreds of forestry workers from the Caribbean especially
Belize and Jamaica. There is no doubt that "racial Prejudice" operated heavily
against greater participation by the colonials from the W.Indies . Throughout the
war there was a much greater number of volunteers eager to play their part
alongside the Motherland than there was eagerness on the other side to allow
them to do so,.
Another of the ways in which this desire to help was shown was the
"Spitfire Fund" started in Jamaica where the public responded generously to the
call to "buy" planes for the R,A,F, This highly successful scheme was copied in
other colonies.
After the war in which they acquitted themselves with honour and
distinction some 2000 ex-raf from the W,I, remained in the UK to further their
studies . Two Officers of the RAF Flt,Lt. Dudley Thompson assisted by Flying
Officer Vin Bunting were sent out to Jamaica at that country's request to draw up
a scheme for the resettlement of returning exservicemen. Other parties who
assisted in the r4ecruitment of Jamaicans for the U.K. included the Jamaica
Banana Producers, and particularly Mr. R.F.Williams a Jamaican planter who
lost his son in the RAF and the West India Committee, London.
It is to be noted that all the Jamaican members of the RAF were
volunteers.
