Coming From Jamaica To Serve In The RAF | WW2: I Was There
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- čas přidán 10. 09. 2024
- Neil was living with his mother in Kingston Jamaica and working for a newspaper when he saw an advert asking for volunteers to join the war effort. In November 1940, the RAF began recruiting aircrew in the colonies. Around 6000 Afro-Caribbean men volunteered. Neil was the 39th to cross the Atlantic to join. As he says he was a young man looking for adventure and keen to serve King and country. He remembers his first impressions of Britain: the food, the climate and the people.
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I Was There: an original series from BBC Studios. The series portrays first-hand testimonies from pivotal moments in WW2, as well as detailed accounts of the everyday life of the soldiers, civilians and children of the time. Memories worth sharing.
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Theese are the men we owe everything to. No matter what part of the world they are from. True hero's
Appreciated. Finally, after all these many years we are beginning to see and hear stories of the contributions of Jamaicans and many others from around the world. My father served, and came from Jamaica.
These men and women should have been recognised for their unselfish acts of bravery many decades ago. I have nothing but respect ✊
Was he the one Jamaican in the Battle of Britain, or later in the war?
EDIT: I mean pilot in fighter, in BoB!!!
There was one Barbadian in the Battle of Britain, in the RAF, I presume, pilot, but lots elsewhere and later. I THINK one Austrian flew with the Allies, in Battle of Britain.
Benedict Cumberbatch antecedents had slaves out that way, and a black slave descendant of his family, was a pilot in WW2 - with Cumberbatch as last name - maybe even some Cumberbatch DNA :-(.
Iree!
Many thanks....
Every year we have a memorial..
Good for you, sir. You and your fellow citizens of the British Empire deserve commemoration and respect - not just from the UK, but from all of the Allies. Thank you.
I salute this gentleman for his loyalty, courage and sense of commitment. It was a time when the British Empire came together and fought fascism. The contribution made by those from the former colonies was magnificent. For those who died, we thank them for their sacrifice in the greatest endeavour in history for freedom. God Bless them all.
I can't imagine his shock when he first arrived: snow, the war, the trauma of war. HIs bravery for committing is amazing.
I appreciate their contribution and dedication. My father was Bomber Command RAF WW2.
At one stage they had a Black tailgunner, who they called Snowy - no insult was intended. All of the crew had nicknames - my dad was called Pops because he was 26 years old, and the tall pilot was called Titch etc. I never heard my dad make a racist remark, but then nearly all the West Indian aircrew were grammar school boys which is what the RAF required of their air crews.
The nicknames opposite to what you notice about crewmates was common. Certainly with Ozzies. Anyone redhaired was Bluey, unless they were very short or very tall, or had an even more noticed feature.
I guess if someone was already Bluey, they had to pick a different trait. And in the Navy, every Clarke was Nobby. To this day, actually.
Do you recall the tail gunner's name, or country he came from?
What years was he with.your dad?
If I could choose any backhistory for my father, bomber crew, WW2, would be high up there
Respect and honor for this man, and so many others who gave us a peace that has lasted for decades, at the cost of so much!
Thank you for your service sir. A real gentleman.🇬🇧
I still see a young man willing to give it all. Thank you.
What an awesome guy Neil is. Respect to you my friend.
What a gentleman. He so typifies that generation.
A lovely warm man.
Respect.
My uncle, Euton George Christian, was one of the young men who came over during the war. He was also ground crew. His uniform is now an exhibit at the Imperial War Museum North.
My father Noel Samuel Harris was part of that crew he was a member of the RAF IN WW2
But he was not a Pilot in the RAF, he was either a dishwasher or did some kind of labor job,ask him
@@willowwale2000 You Are so wrong. No he was not a pilot. My Father worked in finance in
the office. That was his MOS just as his granddaughter; is right now in the US military.
My dad was a very intelligent and well spoken man.
What an admirable man.
What an amazing man.
I jamaica well done
Salute to you sir your sacrifice is greatly appreciated i shudder to think of what the world would look like if the allies didnt win ww2
Thank you for your service sir!
God bless these men who gave up their liVES for WW2. BLESS THEM INDEED DEAR GOD
God bless you sir
Thank you for what you did. I salute you
Thank you Neil for what you did.
Salute you sir for all your contributions 🫡
A noble history.
Thank you so much, Sir!!!
🙏🏻 🇯🇲
Thank you.
Excellent photo of the squad.
Thank You For Your Service God Bless You Abundantly Praying In Jesus Name Amen
I really need to know this amazing man's last name. I am writing a report for my school about military service of the west indies. If anyone can help me please reply.
it's in the video.... Neil Flanigan.
"If you don't mind,(my mom and dad,left Jamaica,in the 1950's, went to London England,married in one of the British small but modest Cathedral,in 1961:I have archive photographs of their'wedding).In World War 2',there were also Jamaican and American black female 'Red Cross',RAF Nurses' stationed in Britain. . . " 10--28--2022'
There was one Jamaican and one Barbadian serving during the Battle of Britain, in pilot positions.
I certainly appreciate people coming from other countries to fight however when people say it wasn't there war do they think Adolph Hitler would of let them off if he had won the war certainly not it was everyone's war for survival
I find it strange that the colonised, saw themselves as British and fought for Britain. Yet when many from those from the West Indies who came to settle in the UK were treated like second class citizens.
Thank you for our freedom from the Nazis
He’s got the hearing aids in his ears
My father was RAF Bomber Command WW2 and he, too, wore hearing aids. He'd been a WOP/AG - wireless operator and later suffered from high pitch deafness.
@@Insperato62really mate
The Windrush Scandal is a shame on us all.
So we can fight other ppls war, but not our own?
This is disgusting why as a Jamaican would you join army forces with Britain
Hitler?
If the nazis won the war if you would not be here to make your comment ....the clue is in the title ww2.....my grandfather was a jamaican who fought for the Mother Country .....he never spoke of it.
Until he was dying .... 😢
Because Britain, whilst doing great wrongs, also stood for great ideals.
Remember the Africans enslaved tribes they defeated LONG before Britain turned up - and Britain began the anti slavery movement, despite many wealthy individuals wanting it to be continued.
The keeping of slaves in Africa by the most powerful tribes, and continuing to sell to America, is all down to those African tribes. If they had not been keeping slaves - and selling to America, America would have had no slave trade.
AND, if it comes down to it, later in US history, poor Irish and Italians were seen as European slave level immigrants. They did a lot of the jobs that slaves traditionally did, like backbreaking road work. Many were denied rooms in boarding houses, spoken of like no better than living landfill.
Why aren't you really angry with America?
Because you are only interested in YOUR past? Because a HELL OF A LOT of Brits fought their own people to demand your freedom, though it had nothing to do with them.
They also had major punch ups, with racist Americans, trying to force English pubs to bar their black American fellow military from drinking in pubs the Americans wanted to be white only.
To label fighting with the Brits, in 1940, against Hitler, as DISGUSTING, is really showing a lack of rational thought. Do you not realise that at some point, if able to, Hitler would have come after you?
@@marlenereid160 Your grandfather never fought in no war
Thank you for your service sir 🏅