Film celebrates Caribbean war veterans

Support has been growing for a new documentary film that explores the relationship between Caribbean and English World War Two servicemen.

OBV alumni, Cllr Judith Best, is campaigning for the film - Divided by Race, United in War and Peace -to be screened in all the schools around Lambeth, in south London. There are similar moves afoot in other London boroughs, Birmingham and Manchester.

Cllr Best said:

"My mission is to put this film in every school in Lambeth because this is a hidden history that young people need to know about."

Students and staff at the Harris Academy Peckham and Highams Park School have been involved, including by taking photographs of the veterans and mounting a photography exhibition. The-Latest.Com, Britain’s first dedicated citizen journalism website, was awarded National Lottery cash to run the project.

It is estimated that The West Indies provided more than 16,000 volunteers to defend Britain from the Nazis in the Second World War yet for many years, black people's impact in the World War had been down played. The children and young people's shadow council spokesperson, one of many dignitaries who attended the premiere of Divided By Race United In War and Peace at the Prince Charles theatre in Leicester Square last week, said:

This should be taught as part of black history so they know how our community helped to fight fascism. Young black people have a reason to be here like everyone else".

Ghanaian TV star Hugh Qarshie, of BBC’s Holby City, who also attended, said another film to document the contribution of Africans to Britain’s first and second world wars should also be made.

According to Stephen Bourne, a history consultant to the film made by the-latest.com, black people from across the British Empire enthusiastically joined the army, navy and Royal Air Force and played their part in fighting Nazi Germany and its allies. In the air, at sea and on land they risked their lives, yet very little attention has been given to the thousands of servicemen and women who supported the war effort.

Neil Flanigan MBE, a Royal Air Force (RAF) war veteran and president of the West Indian Association of Service Personnel, said:

The film was emotional for me because it brought to light the clear experience of what happened 70 years ago. We were the fortunate ones that survived."

Flanigan joined the RAF in Jamaica in 1944 and became ground crew at Bomber Command in England. He urged that the film should be shown around the nation as part of black history. He said:

Young people in this country would not have known that so many West Indians and Africans served in the two wars if not for history hence we need to keep history going by teaching it."

A special screening of the film takes place at the Ritzy Picturehouse, Brixton on March 7, at 7pm. Tel: 0871 9025739.

Staff reporter