Historical Geographies: Caribbeans in World War One – Part 2

"The War Office made it an official policy that black colonial troops could not fight against Europeans. Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War suggested that the black soldiers would be too visible on the battlefield. An overriding concern was the physical fitness of the West Indians compared to the British troops. It was feared that the West Indians would surpass the white soldiers’ performance thus giving them too much personal conviction and thereby leading to more claims for self-government through out the British West Indies." 

Historical Geographies: Caribbeans in World War One – Part 2: Extract from  Caribbean Britain: The Cultural and Biographical Directory by Marjorie H Morgan © 2013 Caribbeans in World War On...