Black British Soldiers

Discussion in 'General' started by gunbunnyB/3/75FA, Jan 3, 2012.

  1. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    Hi Kate
    Just come across a very brief mention of Ashun .
    From 5 RHA war diaries 24 May 1945 .
    Location .Sokels (I think) Germany ,
    This is after the German Surrender.

    Dvr (Driver ) Ashun to hospital.
    .

    He is the only Ashun I have come across in 5 RHA so it looks like he was demoted from Sergeant to Driver at some time.
     
  2. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    I wondered about that.

    Talking to a group of ex paras working in the personal security business, I met a 3 Para Falklands veteran whose nickname was N******. "We could call him that, but if anyone one else did, it would start a fight"
     
  3. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    On the 60th anniversary of D Day one artillery veteran - an officer in 86th RA was quoted by the Independent as saying that bone of their first casualties after landing was a Jamaican called King.

    The is also Japanese Briton called Suzuki buried in Bannerville CWC. KIA in the County of London Yeomanry.
    Roy Suzuki and the British Nisei | The Observation Post
     
    Buteman likes this.
  4. rememberthem

    rememberthem ex member

    Havent time to read whole thread and havent time to hunt out book or name of chap but I recall reading of a POW who was black and I think 6' 6" or 6' 7" and who dryly observed that he wouldnt be trying to escape and walk through small rural German villages in the area unnoticed but was happy to work with and help other pows who wanted to try to escape
     
  5. rememberthem

    rememberthem ex member

    Still havent had a chance to read whole thread or even first page but if I dont reply now I may not remember to do so later and I havent time to check if already mentioned...

    Not a soldier but E R BRAITHWAITE author of TO SIR WITH LOVE was a black officer and fighter pilot and if you google him you will get a lot of info/links about black fliers and I think there was a black Jamaican pilot in the Battle of Britain I think he died later in the war and if we want to wander down the shallow showbiz city alleyway Benedict Cumberbatch has antecedents that had black slaves in the Caribbean ? maybe Jamaica? Can't recall now and fathered a number of children from women slaves and I know there is at least one black Cumberbatch pilot and possibly some air crew - if not Cumberbatch in name, certainly related to, in photos easily found on internet
     
  6. rememberthem

    rememberthem ex member

    Also have some info on Australian aboriginals in war but will have to do it later so I can refer to details etc and not make vague remarks
     
    ceolredmonger likes this.
  7. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    redtop likes this.
  8. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    Not quite WWII, but Henry the 8th had Black Trumpeters in his household, none of whom were slaves because slavery has been illegal in Britain since the time of William the Conqueror. A fact re-established by the legal caser of Somerset vs Stuart 1770 (the real reason for the American War of Independence btw).
     
  9. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Not exactly relevant to the thread but it does have parallels - I've just picked up this POW postcard from 7361559 Pte Soichi Taraoka of the RAMC, he was English born but to Japanese parents, he was awarded the BEM (citation below below) for his service - it would be interesting to hear what his "rudely rebuffed" remarks were, he was repatriated in 1943/4.

    So does anyone have any photos of Oriental British (apologies if that's the wrong phrase) soldiers?

    IMG_20201109_0001.jpg bem citation.jpg
     
    Dave55, 4jonboy, timuk and 4 others like this.
  10. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    IMG_20201118_0001.jpg
    This one is relevant, the Service and Paybook of 5502145 Reginald Adolphus Lariat who served with 7th Hampshire's, 43rd Div in N W Europe (I think on 3" mortars) - he has a family tree on Ancestry showing his father from Barbados and his Maternal Grandfather from Antigua the tree contains the images below of him I'd say at the start and end of the War, I have been in touch with his daughter through Ancestry

    878d6696-742f-4224-8a4d-d3562ce9b45e.jpg ee605117-f656-4aa0-a653-c7bbec33a277.jpg
     
    Chris C, jonheyworth, dbf and 2 others like this.
  11. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Top photo has been printed back to front.
    Good to see those photos though.
     
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  12. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Good spot, I had to think back to which side the dressing pocket was on the trousers when I wore them to confirm (I know the cap badge was more of a giveaway but my brain doesn't always take the easy route)
     

    Attached Files:

    Owen likes this.
  13. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    I meant to say Reginald met a Dutch lady who he went on to marry during his time in the Army
     
    Chris C likes this.
  14. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Regarding Paul Pariso's #2 on Pte. Roberts; his mother visited his grave in September 1947 stayed with Veemeren's in Nijmegen and his grave was tended by Mrs. Herregraven.
    upload_2020-11-19_7-35-41.png upload_2020-11-19_7-41-3.png
     
    AB64 likes this.
  15. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    That’s a great one Jock ! Your AB64s never cease to amaze . Full length ( early BD ) photo is reverersed )
     
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  16. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Cheers Jon, I think I'm luck that AB64's seem such an overlooked area - lots of British collectors seem happy just to get a random example for their collection and leave it at that
     
  17. researchingreg

    researchingreg Well-Known Member

    Here is an RAF man I found and in 102 Squadron there were at Least two Caribean Navigators, one was Sgt A B Crichlow 605565 from Trinidad attested 7/4/43 flew with 102 Squadron from 16/6/44, the other was Flt/Lt John Blair who gained a DFC and flew 30 missions with 102 Squadron and then became a pathfinder he served with th RAF until 1963 and was friend of Arthur Wint and another friend of his (they all came over together to join the RAF) was tail gunner Lincoln Lynch who started as a Sgt 4/5/43 with 102 and was awarded the DFM awarded 5/9/44 and shot down a German Fighter on one of his first missions, he was promoted to P/O service number 148235 on 17/6/44. I have photos of all three I can post up.

    119654219_10157853218628090_7561572344859041808_o.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2023
  18. researchingreg

    researchingreg Well-Known Member

    Flt/Lt John Blair DFC 30 missions as Navigator 102 Squadron
     

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    Last edited: Nov 19, 2020
  19. researchingreg

    researchingreg Well-Known Member

    Lincoln Lynch DFM Tail Gunner 102 Squadron
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Markyboy

    Markyboy Member

    No pic, but there’s an article on Sgt Percy Gabriel Montgomery in the ‘Slipstream’ book I’m just finishing off. He was an air gunner in Bomber Command going by the nickname ‘Persil’ apparently.
     

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