First ever memorial to African and Caribbean Service Personnel unveiled in Brixton

The memorial, which honoured the contribution of Service personnel of African and Caribbean origin in both World Wars, was unveiled at Windrush Square, Brixton.

On 22 June 2017 the first ever memorial to African and Caribbean servicemen and women was unveiled in a ceremony that the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan attended.

Speaking ahead of the event, Fallon said: “The UK is indebted to all those servicemen and women from Africa and the Caribbean who volunteered to serve with Britain during the First and Second World Wars. It is thanks to their bravery and sacrifice that we are able to enjoy our freedoms today. We should also congratulate those who have worked tirelessly to place this memorial in the heart of Brixton.”

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The brave men and women commemorated today came from all walks of life but were bound together by their immense courage and determination. Serving thousands of miles from home, they fought and fell with British soldiers to defend the freedoms we enjoy today, despite the majority never having visited this country. We owe them all a tremendous debt of gratitude for their sacrifice and for the substantial contributions so many veterans have made to enrich British life.”

Through the Department of Communities and Local Government, the government supported the monument by providing £80,000 worth of funding.

55,000 men from Africa were recruited for military service and hundreds of thousands carried out vital roles, fundamental to sustaining the war effort as carriers or auxiliaries as part of the Labour Corps.

Bak Beula, CEO of the Nubian Jak Trust, said: “More than 2 million African and Caribbean Military Servicemen and Servicewomen’s participated in WWI and WWII but have not been recognized for their contribution. The unveiling of this memorial is to correct this historical omission and to ensure young people of African and Caribbean descent are aware of the valuable input their forefathers had in the two world wars.”

Paul Reid, Director of the Black Cultural Archives, said: “The histories of World Wars often overlook the significant contributions made by African and Caribbean soldiers. However, today we can proudly mark the recognition of their bravery and sacrifice to the struggles of independence.

“As the national heritage centre dedicated to the preservation of Black history, we will continue to tell the stories of their service and to ensure their contributions and the legacy of this historical narrative becomes part of a more inclusive British history, and remains accessible to all through our archive collection.”