Writing John’s sections felt a little bit like jumping off a cliff – except maybe with an imaginary person strapped to my back, and I really wanted to save us both. The alarm bells become deafening when you realise she was aged two when the first World War broke out. They were not unlike the mixed lot volunteering in Britain: labourers, cultivators, carpenters, bakers as well as police constables and teachers (pages 40-42). The French humorous magazine, La Baionnette, acknowledged the immense contribution of African troops, albeit by employing comic stereotypes of the time, in a special issue devoted to 'Nos Africains' - a copy of which we have in the library.

The well known story of Walter Tull (I had the pleasure of visiting his memorial at Arras recently) is told and the unknown stories of other black men soldiers who fought during the Great War. Just as history is written by the winners, so history is written by the majority and the elites, in the case of black history it has been too long ignored - made invisible, not through silence, but by failure of society to care to take an interest. If we are good enough to be brought to fight the wars of the country, we are good enough to receive the benefits of the country. David Clemetson, the black officer who could have passed for white but refused to lie about his race; Sgt George A.If you are interested in discovering the many stories of black servicemen and black women during the First World War then begin with Black Poppies - any further reference you may need, whether the next book or an article from the newspaper records will be found here.

Stephen is proud that he nominated and then campaigned for George to receive a Southwark Heritage Blue Plaque which was unveiled in September 2016 outside his former home in Warner Road, Camberwell.Men of the British West Indies Regiment; Men of the British West Indies Regiment (BWIR) in camp on the Albert-Amiens Road, September 1916. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself. Other South Londoners in the book include the composer Amanda Ira Aldridge and music hall star Cassie Walmer.