Buckingham talk remembers 'forgotten' black soldiers of two world wars

The vital role played by Caribbean members of the armed forces of this country in the First and Second World Wars is the subject of a talk in Buckingham by a leading oral historian.

Maureen Dickson, author of Pilots and Soldiers of the Caribbean, will be speaking at the Radcliffe Centre on Tuesday, May 23, at the invitation of University of Buckingham vice-chancellor James Tooley.

Maureen was born in British Guiana (now Guyana), South America, and arrived in England at the age of four. Although she trained as a nurse, a life-changing conversation with her late father led to her becoming an oral historian with a focus on the role of Caribbean men and women in the First and Second World Wars.

What started as a small project turned into the quest of a lifetime, as she discovered a rich tapestry of stories about the lives and expectations of the men and women who left their homes to come to Britain’s aid.

Her work has led her around the world, interviewing former service personnel, collaborating with TV companies, writing articles and giving talks. Her first book will soon be joined by a book about the women who joined the armed forces, before their stories are lost forever.

Maureen believes her researches have revealed an important and overlooked aspect of war history.

“Black servicemen and women came under the banner of ‘British’, hence they were lost when it came to being recognised,” she said. “They became invisible, as in reality, 'British' meant 'white'.

Registration for the 6pm talk is free via this link and all are welcome.