Dear Editor,
I write to salute our brave soldiers who fought in WWI and WWII. Their contributions helped to liberate several countries from enemy occupation and brought peace to the world from which we are benefiting. Remembrance Day, in memory of those from the Commonwealth who fought and died in WWI and then in WWII on the allied side against the fascists, was observed on November 8 when tributes were made to the fallen heroes by the President, head of the GDF, and others. Remembrance Day is held worldwide at 11 am on November 11 every year. It is most appropriate to commemorate the courage and bravery of Guyana’s service personnel who died at war. But what is missing is a well written account of Guyanese participation in the global wars and I call on the historians to fill the void.
Many Guyanese and other West Indians, were members of British regiments in both wars and they fought courageously and with honour. Incidentally, aside from British West Indians, troops from the Dutch and French West Indies also fought in the wars.
While a college student at City College of NY during the 1970s and 1980s, I met professors who claimed that they fought alongside Guyanese soldiers in the war. They told stories of courage of Guyanese and other West Indians. Our soldiers also fought in Egypt and other parts of Africa and were dispatched all over Europe.
Prof Edward Scobie, formerly of Dominica, of the Black Studies Department at CCNY, said he fought alongside brave Guyanese who helped to liberate lands under control of Germans. Last year during a trip to St Martin, where many Guyanese are settled (mostly on the Dutch side), I rented a room from a small hotel (on the French side) owned by an aged man of mixed descent (a member of the French regiment) who told me he met several Guyanese soldiers in France fighting on the British side. He described Guyanese and other West Indians as courageous saying they fought valiantly. Prof Scobie had said the same recalling several names well known in Guyanese circles and who also went on to become academics like him in American universities. Incidentally, Scobie had only praise for Guyanese saying little Guyana produced many outstanding scholars although he expressed great disappointment at the authoritarian behaviour of the late Forbes Burnham especially after the murder of the brilliant historian Dr Walter Rodney.
The nation must never forget the contributions of those Guyanese who joined up and who sacrificed their lives. As Scobie remarked, our Guyanese soldiers responded to cries for help from those who were oppressed by forces of evil. Their sacrifice helped to change the world for future generations. Unfortunately, however, our soldiers were victims of racism. Scobie and others described how they were discriminated against on account of their colour by the white soldiers and by a prejudiced European population. The victims the West Indians liberated were grateful and showed appreciation for their freedom. The veteran from St Martin said he did not encounter as much prejudice as his counterparts from the other West Indians islands because the French treated them differently.
In addition to fighting, Guyanese donated funds towards the war effort as well and many Guyanese worked as sailors on steamships hauling materials to the soldiers from the West Indies. I’m proud of the contributions of our solders and for the peace they brought to Europe and globally. An attempt should be made to find those who fought in the wars to hear their stories of courage on the battlefield. We need to know more about our little-known war heroes. It would be good to know how many went to war and how many returned; how many died and how many were buried in Europe and elsewhere. They should be properly remembered.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram