Remembering the pioneers

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” –Acting governor of Jamaica, 1922

ON NOVEMBER 8, 1915, the first contingent of the British West Indies Regiment sailed from Victoria Pier in Kingston, Jamaica, destined for England. On board were 500 Caribbean nationals, proud to have been given the opportunity to prove themselves as loyal British citizens. During the years which followed, up to 10 battalions would be raised and a total of over 16,000 men would volunteer for war. Of that number over 10,000 would be Jamaicans. Some 1,000 would be killed in action, as they would be involved in warfare in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, France and Italy.

Their valour would be noted in several dispatches commending bravery in carrying out their mission with outmost professionalism in the face of clear and certain danger. These missions included digging the trenches, moving and stacking ammunition as part of the labour corps, which placed them at the centre of shell fire. They saw active battle in the Middle East and would earn the battle honours ‘Palestine’ and ‘Egypt’. But as years passed, their public memory would largely fade into stoic structures built to commemorate their bravery.

THEIR RETURN

As we reflect on the centenary period ending 2018 and the return of the Caribbean soldiers after the war in 1919, what is to be remembered of the First World War in the Caribbean is perhaps that these pioneers left their nations as patriots and returned skilled and with a new sense of social and political progress. They would lead organisations that challenged the conventions of the time, which would ultimately lead to the creation of independent nation states.

The First World War shaped the 20th century. Nothing like it had ever been seen before. The war is remembered largely because it caused such massive loss of life. More than nine million of those who fought were killed, along with millions of civilians who died from the fighting, disease and starvation. Estimates place the total at over 16 million. This death toll changed society’s attitudes to war. But within the Caribbean, the First World War represents the catalyst of change that helped to shape all our lives and create a new Jamaica, and region.