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Archiver > CARIBBEAN > 1999-09 > 0936290334


From: "aporter" <>
Subject: Re: [CARIBBEAN] Re: British West Indian Regiment
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1999 09:38:54 -0700


I do not believe the book is accurate. I have a photocopy of five medals my
great-granduncle earned with the BWIR. One is enscribed "South Africa" and
depicts a trogan male with a wreath in one hand and what appears to be a
lance in the other. There are men at the shore and a ship in sea. There is
another one with a trojan male with a trogan in his hand and a branch in the
other. He has a lion beside him and the word "Africa" is below his feet.
There is another with a man on a horse 1914 - 1918. I have also been able
to ascertain from my great-grandfather's pension records from the U.S. army
that my great-granduncle was in Egypt in 1914. If the colonial soldiers were
not a part of the BWIR, what other regiment would they have been assigned
to?


----- Original Message -----
From: Edward Crawford <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 1999 3:16 AM
Subject: Re: [CARIBBEAN] Re: British West Indian Regiment


> The "Times History of the War in South Africa" Vol.2 page 30 says
> specifically that no "colonial corps" were used in South Africa, or indeed
> Indian troops. It mentions however operations in China and Ashanti which
> occurred at the same time as the Boer War and where such troops were used.
> West Indian troops were deployed on the Gold Coast in 1853 and 1873
campaign
> (2nd WI Regiment.). There were also campaigns in 1890-91 but I do not know
> if the WIR was involved. (All this from "Victorian Military Campaigns" ed,
> Bond, 1967). If there is a Regimental History of the Regiment, and I have
> not seen one referred to, this would pinpoint where it could be found.
>
> Edward Crawford
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Bond <>
> To: <>
> Date: 23 August 1999 06:22
> Subject: [CARIBBEAN] Re: British West Indian Regiment
>
>
> Conditions at the time of the Anglo Boer War in Jamaica were bad but
> that of Barbados, Antigua and Montserrat were even worse. Two thirds of
> the soldiers in the British West India regiments were from Jamaica. An
> enlistee would be likely to serve in a unit with home islanders but
> share a barracks yard with people from other islands. Jamaica had many
> small holders whereas it was hard to buy land in the other islands.
> President Barclay of Liberia was a Barbadian West India Regiment
> veteran of the Boer War.
>
>
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>
>
>
>
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