Re: Work of Marshall of the Royal Air force Sir Hugh Montague Trenchard in race relations during WWII in the United Kingdom...

While researching 'malaria control' at the Public Records and Archives in Ghana, West Africa participation of people of African-Caribbean heritage during WWII came to my attention in documents from the Colonial Office in the United Kingdom.

Involvement of people from this region of the Diaspora is important to consider because of the history of similar efforts and government response to African-Americans in the United States seeking participation in all branches of the military during WWII.

Black leaders and organizations in the UK sent letters and petitions to the Colonial Office complaining about being denied full access to all branches of the British military. The documents also indicated that eventually a meeting(s) was organized with the Colonial Office and prominent Black people from the Caribbean living in Britain seeking changes of the military statu quo toward people from the Caribbean. West Indian nurses worked with African American nurses to eliminate the quota system on black nurses coming into the military and segregation.

The late Connie Mark of Jamaica and the United Kingdom introduced me to the West Indian Ex-Service Men and Women's Association in the United Kingdom. Mrs. Mark was in the British military during WWII. Through her and the Association I was able to obtain insight and information on the level of involvement and challenges encountered by people from the Caribbean in the British Military during WWII.

At the time I met some of the men from the Carribbean (West Indians as they were called by elders) trained to fly by the British and Canadian Air Forces. A particular document indicated the need to encourage more people from the Commonwealth to enter WWII conflicts with Britain caused Marshall of the Royal Air Force Sir Hugh Montague Trenchard to respond to the complaints of people from the Caribbean concerning limited participation and disparities of treatment during WWII.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

I.M. Spence-Lewis MD