Commemorating the contribution made by BME soldiers during WW1
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Commemorating the contribution made by BME soldiers during WW1
Introduction. Notes. People from all parts of the British Empire contributed to the needs of the war, whether by serving in the armed forces or providing mate- rial and financial resources. Most of this contribution was of a volun- tary nature. Indeed all those serving in the Indian Army were volun- teers. People of colour and the regiments and branches of the ser- vices in which they played their part could be found in all theatres of the war. Black Briton Second Lieutenant Walter Tull saw action in France and Italy; African soldiers were also on the western front; four Indians and at least one West Indian were pilots in the Royal Flying Corps; sailors from India, China and Nigeria served in the Royal Navy. The demands of the war meant the forces personnel increasingly re- lied upon the economies of the colonies to feed them and provide many of the raw materials necessary to maintain and protect them, such as munitions, timber, cotton, meat, fruit and vegetables. As part of this year’s Black History Month celebrations, and to com- memorate the centenary of the start of the First World War, this se- ries of posters examines the experiences of BME soldiers from all around the world, and their contribution and sacrifice made during and after the war.
Africans in the German Army. Black Britons.
Although little is known of Black Britons in the British
Little is known about how many of Germa-
army. There is some evidence to show that Black
ny’s Pre-war black population served in the
Britons served in WW1 in the Army and Navy.
Armed forces. Some certainly did in WW1.
One of the better known stories of Black Britons serv-
WW1 was not just fought in Europe. There ing during WW1 is that of Walter Tull.
were theatres of war in Africa and Asia.
Walter was a keen footballer and played for a local
team in Clapton. In 1908 Walter's talents were discov-
ered by a scout from Tottenham Hotspur and the club
In Africa, The Germans used Askari troops
decided to sign this promising young footballer. He
called”Schutztruppe”. They fought bravely
played for Tottenham until 1910, when he was trans-
and were never defeated even after Armis- ferred for a large fee to Northampton Town. Walter was the first black outfield
tace. Schutztruppe (Protection force) was the player to play professional football in Britain.
African colonial armed force of Imperial Ger-
When the First World War broke out, Walter abandoned his football career to join
many from the late 19th century to 1918, when Germany lost its colonies.
the 17th (1st Football) Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment.
The colonial force for German East Africa was established by an act of the During his military training Walter was promoted three times. In November 1914,
Reichstag on 22 March 1891; the colonial forces for German West Africa as Lance Sergeant he was sent to Les Ciseaux in France. In May, 1915 Walter was
and German Southwest Africa on 9 June 1895. Schutztruppe formations sent home with post traumatic stress disorder.
were organizationally never a part of the army or navy. In 1896 Schutz-
Returning to France in September 1916 Walter fought in Battle of the Somme, be-
truppe headquarters was established and located at Berlin’s Mauerstrasse, tween October and November, 1916. His courage and abilities encouraged his su-
in proximity to the German Colonial Office. German military law and disci- perior officers to recommend him as an officer. On 26 December, 1916, Walter
pline applied to the Schutztruppe. went back to England on Leave and to train as an officer.
There were military laws forbidding 'any negro or person of colour' being commis-
sioned as an officer, despite this, Walter was promoted to lieutenant in 1917.
Walter was the first ever Black officer in the British Army, and the first black officer
to lead white men into battle.
This Photo shows an African who Walter was recommended for the Military Cross but never received it.
travelled back to Germany after
WW1 to serve in the Freikorps in
1919.
British Caribbean. Indigenous Australians.
People in the British Caribbean had a
great deal of loyalty to the “Mother Coun- Indigenous Australian soldiers fought alongside non-indigenous soldiers in
try”. When WW1 began, West Indians World War I. Initially recruiting officers allowed Indigenous Australians to
donated monetary aid to the war effort enlist only if their skin was considered ‘white enough’ but as the war went
and also volunteered to fight, joining the on, with casualty rates rising and recruitment numbers dropping, the offic-
British West Indies Regiment. ers weren't as selective. It’s not sure how many Indigenous Australians
fought in the war but it is believed to have been around 500-600. They were
involved in the majority of the campaigns.
Following the outbreak of hostilities in 1914 many West Indians left the col-
onies to enlist in the army in the UK and were recruited into British regi- Many enlisted with the hope that fighting for the country would in turn
ments. However, the War Office was concerned with the number of black change the way they and other Indigenous Australians were treated – to no
soldiers in the army and tried to prevent any people from the West Indies longer be discriminated against and to be treated equally. Others enlisted
enlisting. Indeed, the War Office threatened to repatriate any who arrived. for the same reasons as non-indigenous Australians such as to see the world
Eventually, after much discussion between the Colonial Office and the war while receiving good pay (the pay was the same for Indigenous and non-
Office, and the intervention of King George V, approval to raise a West Indi- indigenous soldiers). In the trenches of the great wars indigenous Australi-
an contingent was given on 19 may 1915. On October 26 1915, the British ans found respite from the racism and bigotry of mainstream Australia. The
West Indies regiment was established. service was one of the few places racism wasn't the norm during the first
half of the twentieth century.
A total of 397 officers and 15, 204 men, representing all Caribbean colonies,
served in the BWIR. Of the total, 10,280 (66%) came from Jamaica. By the In the trenches Indigenous Australians were con-
end of the war West Indians had joined BWIR and had experienced military sidered and treated equal but when they re-
service in England, Italy, Egypt, India, France, Belgium, Palestine, Mesopota- turned home, things went back to the way they
mia (Iraq) and East Africa. were before the war. The men were no longer
equal to non-indigenous soldiers who they fought
side by side with. They continued to be discrimi-
nated against, for example, they couldn’t apply
for land under the soldier settlement schemes or
even have a drink with their fellow soldiers at the
local.
NSW serviceman portraits, 1918-1919 - Leslie
John Locke. Locke was awarded the Military Med-
French Africans. Africans.
The First World War gave rise to a crucial
Like Britain, France was a major colonial change in the relationship between Eu-
power. France drew troops from all rope and Africa. Over two million people
over “Francophone Africa”. France also in Africa made huge sacrifices for the Eu-
had Colonies in South East Asia. ropean Allies. 100,000 men died in East
Africa and 65,000 men from French North
Some of the most distinguished African
Africa and French West Africa lost their lives.
Soldiers were the Tirailleurs Senegalais.
"'Black devils' the German soldiers Not since the American War of Independence, when 14,000 slaves and free-
called them, when, fighting like de- men fought as black loyalists alongside the British, had such a huge number
mons, they had forced the Kaiser's shock troops to retreat before them." of people of African descent been involved in fighting for Europeans. Very
few were combatant, most of them were used as porters. They were re-
cruited to carry heavy weapons and supplies. They were badly paid and giv-
Despite the name, the Tirailleurs Senegalais were
en food which was either of poor quality or entirely foreign to them. While
composed of soldiers recruited and conscripted
travelling through new territories for them, they often fell sick and were
from throughout French West Africa and not just
affected by different types of malaria.
from Senegal. However, recruitment and casualty
burdens for Senegalese soldiers often numbered
among the highest of the Tirailleurs Senegalais. Britain did not deploy any African troops on
European battlefield. British African troops,
however, fought in the Middle East and in Afri-
With the start of World War I, many Tirail-
ca itself.
leurs Senegalais soldiers were brought to
the front in France and served in several
important battles, like Vimy Ridge and 55,000 men from Africa fought for the British
Somme. They were also for a time amalga- during World War 1 and hundreds of thou-
mated with black American soldiers in the sands of others carried out the vital roles of
trenches. French West African troops serving in World War I comprised carriers or auxiliaries. Contributing African
about 170,891 men, and approximately 30,000 of them were killed. In Sen- countries included Nigeria, the Gambia, Rhode-
egal alone more than 1/3 of all males of military age were mobilized. sia (now Zimbabwe), South Africa, Sierra Leo-
Asian Troops. African Americans.
The United States Government mobilised the
India sent over 1 million men to aid the War effort. At
entire nation for war, and African Americans
that time India included Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh
were expected to do their part. The military
& Shri Lanka. Soldiers were from many ethnic back-
constituted a draft in order to create an army
grounds such as Pathans, Sihks, Muslims & Hindu’s.
capable of winning the war. The Government
The Indian Army during World War I contributed a demanded “100% Americanism” and used the
large number of divisions and independent brigades June 1917 Espionage Act and the May 1918 Sedition Act to crack down on
to the European, Mediterranean and the Middle East dissent. Large segments of the black population, however, remained hesi-
theatres of war in World War I. Over one million Indian troops served over- tant to support a cause they deemed hypocritical. A small but vocal number
seas, of whom 62,000 died and another 67,000 were wounded. In World of African Americans explicitly opposed black participation in the war. A.
War I the Indian Army fought against the German Empire in German East Philip Randolph and Chandler Owen, editors of the radical socialist newspa-
Africa and on the Western Front. At the First Battle of Ypres, Khudadad per, the Messenger, were closely monitored by federal intelligence agents.
Khan (pictured above) became the first Indian to be awarded a Victoria Many other African Americans viewed the war apathetically and found
Cross. ways to avoid military service. As a black resident from Harlem quipped,
“The Germans in’t done nothing’ to me, and if they have, I forgive ‘em”
Indian divisions were also sent to Egypt, Gallipoli and nearly 700,000 served
Most African Americans nevertheless saw the war as an opportunity to
in Mesopotamia against the Ottoman Empire. While some divisions were
demonstrate their patriotism and their place as equal citizens in the nation.
sent overseas others had to remain in India guarding the North West Fron-
Black political leaders believed that if the race sacrificed for the war effort,
tier and on internal security and training duties. The Indian Corps won
the Government would have no choice but to reward them with greater
13,000 medals for gallantry including 12 Victoria Crosses.
civil rights. “Coloured folks should be patriotic”, the Richmond Planet insist-
India’s part in the war is frequently overlooked as a result of the horrors ed. “Do not let us be chargeable with being disloyal to the flag”. Black men
experienced in trench warfare and by Europe’s tendency to home in on and women for the most part approached war with a sense of civic duty.
battles such as those fought at the Somme and Verdun, which many assume Over one million African Americans respond-
only Europeans fought in. ed to their draft calls, and roughly 370,000
For its endeavours, India expected to be rewarded with a black men were inducted into the army.
major move towards independence or at the least self- Charles Brodnax, a farmer from Virginia re-
government. When it became obvious that this was not called “I felt I belonged to the Government of
going to happen, the mood in India became more militant. out country and should answer to the call and
obey the orders in defence of democracy”.
The photo opposite shows Ghurkas from Nepal.
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