The Caribbean’s Great War

The Caribbean’s Great War was a Heritage Lottery funded project to highlight the involvement of the Caribbean and her people in the First World War. The West India Committee was the heart of the Caribbean’s war effort in Britain and in 1915 established the West Indian Contingent Committee in response to the British Government’s decision to raise a West Indian army. The records held by the Committee provide a rare insight into the Caribbean’s role in the First World War, and much of what is now available has not been seen for a century. As a part of the project, a temporary exhibition was staged at the Museum of London Docklands  in the London, Sugar and Slavery gallery at the Museum of London Docklands and ran from 6 November 2015 – November 2016, having been extended by six months due to popular demand.

Official records on the service of the British West Indies Regiment were destroyed during the Blitz, and the Committee’s records help our understanding of this hidden history. 16,000 volunteered in the regiment and they served in the Middle Eastern, African and European theatres of the war. Over 1,500 perished, mainly though disease. The British West Indies Regiment earned the following battle honours for their service:

You can also find a free eBook, education pack and poster for young people in the Downloads section alongside databases for fallen West Indian servicemen courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The West India Committee’s unique resources allow the organisations and individuals involved in the project to foster a greater understanding of the Caribbean’s experience of the Great War, thereby strengthening our understanding of the millions of servicemen from the Commonwealth who bravely fought and died for Britain and the shared heritage which connects us all.