Caribbean heroes who answered Empire's call

Seaford Cemetery contains more than 300 Commonwealth War Graves, many carved with a maple leaf showing the final resting places of Canadian troops who were based and trained here in the Great War. Nineteen graves, however, show the crest of the British West Indies Regiment (BWIR)

Early in the war men from the Caribbean travelled to England to enlist in the army; some were so keen that they stowed away on ships bound for England. In May 1915, nine men from Barbados appeared in court in East London after they were found on board a steam packet which had arrived at nearby docks. The men were taken to an army recruiting office but they were turned away because of their colour.

The War Office was obviously not prepared for the support and enthusiasm offered by men from the West Indies. Private Griffiths of Trinidad (who trained at Seaford) said that everything he knew had been taught to him by the English and when he heard of Lord Kitchener's appeal for men he could not help but come.

Small units of black soldiers were formed and in October 1915 they were bought together at the North Camp in Seaford where the British West Indies Regiment was formed. The crest of the new regiment was a sailing ship and this is the crest that appears on the Seaford graves. It is interesting that the regiment took a similar crest to that of the town in which it was raised.

During the war nearly 16,000 men served in the regiment, two-thirds of these coming from Jamaica. Black men were still not trusted, however, and the officers and non-commissioned officers of the regiment were white.

There are many reports of racism and discrimination toward black soldiers during the Great War, however the regiment's stay in Seaford appears to have been accepted by the local people. In December 1915 the Eastbourne Chronicle reported, 'At the outset, local people were inclined, not unnaturally, to be sceptical at the arrival of these strange soldiers of the King, and therefore the tribute of praise is all the more sincere when after a couple of month's experience the residents generally speak in high terms of the behaviour of these men. Their presence is a striking tribute to the strength of the British Empire.'

In December 1915, 53 West Indian soldiers joined local people to be confirmed by the Bishop of Lewes and the Eastbourne Chronicle reported, 'It was inspiring to see the reverent attitude of the soldiers, who being 4,000 miles from home, discharged their duty to the empire and found a welcome in the mother church.'

The Seaford branch of the Ancient Order of Foresters soon discovered that some of the West Indian soldiers were members of their organisation and they were invited to attend local meetings. A photograph shows these men looking relaxed in each other's company. At the first meeting Private Clement from the Pride of Hope Court of the Foresters in Trinidad said: 'We have left our homes and comforts because the call to arms is as much as it is to an Englishman. We are all British and are proud to be members of the Empire and we will shed our last drop of blood to uphold its integrity.' His comments were met by applause.

The fact that the men were made welcome is also borne out in a letter sent by one of the soldiers, Private 875 Eric Hughes, to two sisters, Dorothy and Doris. He had obviously met the two girls before as he sends kind regards to their mother and then goes on to ask the two girls out to the pictures on Thursday night. Unfortunately, it is not recorded if Eric got his date but it is interesting to see that he had the confidence to ask.

Initially, the men of the British West Indies Regiment were not permitted to join their colleagues at the front line and were given labouring tasks and other auxiliary roles to perform. This must have been a crushing humiliation for these men who were just as able and willing as the rest of Kitchener's Army. Today, it seems ironic that the British Army, who were imprisoning conscientious objectors and executing deserters, failed to utilise this huge band of willing volunteers.

The regiment later saw active service in the Middle East fighting the Turks. More than 1,200 West Indian soldiers were killed or died during the war; 17 of these succumbed to pneumonia and mumps while in Seaford. Thanks to the efforts of Pat Berry and the West Indian Ex-Serviceman's Association, these men are not forgotten and every year they are remembered with the other soldiers buried in our town. In May this year a plaque was unveiled in London listing the names of the West Indian Soldiers buried at Seaford. The ceremony was attended by Private Johnson Beharry, a black soldier and the last recipient of the Victoria Cross.

KEVIN GORDON