Tharmm Equest – Director Trevor Walters attended the:
Historic plaque unveiling in Belgium commemorating hundreds of fallen West Indian soldiers during World War I
Presented by the
British West India Regiments Heritage Trust (BWIRHT)
5th October 2024
St Georges Memorial Church, Ypres, Belgium
- Landmark new plaque commemorating 1,500 fallen West Indian soldiers during WWI to be unveiled in Ypres, Belgium
- First time ever a memorial of its kind erected in Belgium, where hundreds of fallen West Indian soldiers are buried.
- Memorial service to be held paying tribute to the 15,600 soldiers of the British West Indies Regiment of the British Army
An historical plaque commemorating hundreds of West Indian soldiers who served in World War I was unveiled for the first time in Ypres, Belgium on 5 October 2024.
The plaque, which includes the Cap Badge for the British West Indies Regiment with the words ‘They answered the call’, will serve as a permanent tribute to the nearly 1,500 West Indian men who valiantly fought and died defending Britain and its allies in western Europe.
It will be kept in the historic St George’s Memorial Church in Ypres which was built after WWI to commemorate over 500,000 British and Commonwealth troops whose lives were tragically lost in battle in the Ypres Salient. This includes soldiers from the West Indies, hundreds of whom are buried in thirty cemeteries across Belgium.
The Church is home to numerous other memorial plaques commemorating individual soldiers and other Regiments that served in the Great War. Until now, there has never been one dedicated to soldiers of the British Army from the Caribbean.
A memorial service organised by the British West India Regiments Trust (BWIRHT) – one of the UK’s foremost armed forces not-for-profit organisations dedicated to West Indian military history – was held to commemorate the soldiers of the British West Indies Regiment.
In total, 15,600 men from across the Caribbean answered the call to fight, with the vast majority joining the British West Indies Regiment between 1914 and 1918. This Regiment is most notable for helping to secure victory against the Ottomans in Palestine and Jordan in 1918, and for serving in some of the most hard-fought battles in Europe, including the Somme (1916), Arras (1917) and Passchendaele (1917).
The standards of the Regiment will be presented during the ceremony as a mark of respect, and a Flame of Remembrance lantern will be carried honouring the 1,500 fallen West Indian soldiers, including the likes of Gunner Douglas Roy Manley and Private Herbert Morris, both from Jamaica, who are buried side by side in Belgium.
The unveiling of the memorial plaque and remembrance service is central to BWIRHT’s mission to ensure the 15,600 West Indian soldiers who fought for our freedom are remembered, and for their legacy to be enshrined in public spaces dedicated to British and European military history.
To date, BWIRHT has facilitated three international ‘pilgrimage’ history tours across Europe and held memorial ceremonies for notable West Indian veterans at City Hall and the Cenotaph in London, with the support of the Royal British Legion.
Paul Chambers, Chairman of the British West India Regiments Trust, said: “As we proudly unveil this plaque, we honour the 15,600 West Indian men who valiantly fought in the Great War, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice.
“For far too long, recognition of the significant part these men played in securing victory for Britain and its allies has been delayed, and their legacy denied – this plaque in Ypres serves as a permanent reminder of their courage and commitment to the cause of freedom, thus correcting a historical wrong.
“The British West India Regiments Trust is committed to ensuring that these soldiers, and their contributions to history, are remembered and celebrated for generations to come.”
Anthony Metcalfe, Head of Community Engagement at the Royal British Legion, said: “The Royal British Legion is proud to be supporting the annual British West India Regiment Heritage Trust’s pilgrimage to the battlefields of Europe this year. For too long, the service and sacrifice of so many who have answered the call since 1914 has not been fully recognised or valued. The work of BWIRHT ensures that their contribution and legacy is valued, and that torch of remembrance is passed onto the next generation.”
The Reverend Richard Clement, Chaplain of St George’s Memorial Church in Ypres, said: “The chaplain and churchwardens of St George’s Memorial Church are greatly looking forward to hosting the British West Indies Regimental Heritage Trust when they visit on Saturday 5th October. It will be a significant moment when the BWIRHT Memorial Plaque is dedicated in St George’s on that day, paying tribute to and remembering all those from the West Indies Regiment who served and those who died in the First World War.
“This plaque will join many others in the church which commemorate individuals, regiments and schools from the United Kingdom, Ireland and several other Commonwealth nations, remembering in perpetuity those who sacrificed their lives in the First World War in the cause of liberty and the freedom which we still enjoy.”
David Wells, Director of Research and Heritage at the West India Committee, said: “The West India Committee was heavily involved with the British West Indies Regiment and the wider Caribbean contribution to the First World War and are delighted that this plaque will commemorate those West Indians who served on the Western Front. Although they mainly served as labour units, the men of the BWIR braved many dangers, often performing their tasks under enemy bombardment, as attested by the many medals for valour they were awarded, and it is our honour to honour them now.”
Trevor Walters, Director of Tharmm Equest of the UK’s No1 Black Entertainment Company recited the company’s tribute at the historic event.
“Today, we stand in remembrance of those brave Black soldiers who courageously gave their lives for the cause of freedom—a freedom that came at the greatest cost, the cost of their own. Britain owes an eternal debt of gratitude to these men, particularly those who served in the British West Indies Regiment during World War I.
Though we can never fully repay this debt, we must always honour their sacrifice and remember the price they paid for our liberty. It is a solemn truth that freedom is never free. It demands significant sacrifice and, too often, the ultimate one.
These soldiers answered the call, knowing full well the dangers they faced, yet they stood with unwavering courage to defend the ideals of freedom and justice. Their sacrifice is a testament to the strength of their character and the depths of their commitment to ensuring a better world for generations to come.
Tharmm Equest, feels deeply honoured and privileged to be present at Ypres, Belgium, to pay tribute to these fallen Black soldiers. Today, we remember them not only with our minds but with our hearts, souls, and bodies, carrying their memory with us as a beacon of courage and selflessness. They fought for freedom and died for it, ensuring that future generations could live in a world shaped by the principles of justice and equality.
The memorial plaque at St George’s Church is now a part of the landscape at Ypres. It stands as an everlasting tribute to those who gave their lives on the Western Front between 1915 and 1921 while serving in the British West Indies Regiment. Their names may fade in history books, but this plaque will ensure their memory endures, reminding us of the debt we owe and the freedom they fought to preserve.
May God bless their souls, and may we never forget their heroic contribution to the freedom we cherish today.”
This tribute was penned with the support of Bertram Leon .