Colonial possessions in the West Indies have always been of strategic importance to the British Empire. First, they allowed control of the military-political situation and trade in the Caribbean; secondly, they were important producers and exporters of sugar cane, rum and other demanded goods. British colonization of the Caribbean islands began to gain momentum in the 17th century. Since the British appeared here later than the Spaniards, the backbone of their possessions was formed by the islands reclaimed from Spain. Later, the islands acquired as a result of agreements from other European states were also included in the possessions of the British Empire in the West Indies.
British West Indies
The first settlement of the British appeared in 1609 in Bermuda (which was discovered by the Spaniard Juan Bermudez in 1503, but not inhabited) - it was founded by shipwrecked colonists heading to North America. However, Saint Kitts became the first official British colony in the West Indies, where the settlement appeared in 1623. Barbados was colonized in 1627, as a result of which Saint Kitts and Barbados are called "the mother of the British West Indies". These islands were used by Britain as a springboard for the further expansion of its colonial empire in the Caribbean.
Following the establishment of colonies in Saint Kitts and Barbados, Great Britain set about conquering possessions of the weakening Spanish Empire. So, in 1655 Jamaica was annexed. In 1718, the British fleet expelled the pirates from the Bahamas, establishing British rule in the Bahamas. The Spaniards managed to keep Trinidad under their control until 1797, when the island was surrounded by a squadron of 18 British ships and the Spanish authorities had no choice but to surrender it to Great Britain. The island of Tobago was declared a neutral territory in 1704, it was often used as a base by famous Caribbean pirates, but in 1763 it was also annexed to the British colonial possessions in the West Indies.
By 1912, the British West Indies included the island colonies of the Bahamas, Barbados, the Windward Islands, the Leeward Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, and the continental colonies of British Honduras (now Belize) and British Guiana (now Guyana). Thus, at different times the power of Great Britain extended to a number of territories of the Caribbean, among which the independent states are Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize (British Honduras), Guyana (British Guiana), Grenada, Dominica, Saint -Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica. Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos remain the overseas territories of Great Britain.
Until the final establishment of the boundaries of colonial possessions, the West Indies remained a field of collision of interests of European powers, primarily Great Britain and France, as well as the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, at certain periods - Sweden and even Courland, later - the United States of America. Therefore, there was always a risk of seizure of colonial possessions by neighbors. On the other hand, the presence of significant contingents of African slaves, who made up the overwhelming majority of the population on many islands, created quite tangible prospects for constant uprisings.
In this regard, the presence of significant military units on the territory of the overseas colonies in the West Indies seemed necessary. Thus, in 1780, the Jamaican Regiment was created by Sir Charles Rainsworth, aka the 99th Infantry Regiment of the British Army, which served as garrison service in Jamaica for three years before being returned back to England and disbanded. Gradually, the British authorities came to the conclusion that the manning of colonial units at the expense of soldiers recruited in the metropolis is an expensive pleasure. In addition, the Europeans did not tolerate the hardships of service on the tropical islands, and it was very problematic to recruit the proper number of those wishing to serve as ordinary soldiers on the distant islands. Of course, the military and naval units recruited in the metropolis were stationed in the West Indies, but they were clearly not enough. Therefore, Great Britain moved to the practice of creating colonial units from among local residents, which it successfully applied both in India and in its colonies in West and East Africa.
Back in the first half of the 18th century, the British authorities in Jamaica made the first attempt to induce part of the Afro-Caribbean population to serve in their own interests. To do this, they attracted the so-called "Maroons" - the descendants of fugitive slaves who had long fled from plantations to the depths of the island and lived there as forest tribes, periodically rebelling against the planters. A peace treaty was concluded with the Maroons from the city of Trelawney in 1738, according to which they were recognized as free people, received the right to own the land they occupied and the right to self-government, but were obliged to serve in pacifying other rebellious slaves and searching for fugitives in the forests. At the same time, British planters and military leaders counted on the good physical characteristics of the Maroons and their excellent possession of cold weapons. However, in 1760, when the Maroons were involved in pacifying another slave uprising, the Maroons cut off the ears of those killed in clashes with British rebel soldiers and tried to pass them off as evidence of their victories in order to receive the reward promised by the British. Gradually, the British authorities became disillusioned with the combat capabilities and loyalty of the Maroons, after which they decided to switch to a different form of organization of colonial units - on a regular basis, but with Afro-Caribbean rank and file.
Creation and combat path of the West Indies regiment
Eight West Indies regiments were created between April 24 and September 1, 1795. Initially, British colonial authorities began to enlist free black West Indies in the regiments and to buy slaves from local plantations.
The Afro-Caribbean soldiers were superior in their adaptation to the climatic conditions of the West Indies to the soldiers previously recruited in the metropolis. In this regard, the British authorities decided not to abandon the experiment to create West Indian regiments and develop the latter. Like many other colonial units of the British army, they were built on the principle of recruiting the rank and file from among the Afro-Caribbean population and officers from among the British. The incomparable advantage of the West Indian regiments, recruited from Afro-Caribbean soldiers, was their cheapness in comparison with the military units of the metropolis.
In 1807, a decision was made to free all black slaves serving in the West Indian regiments, and in 1808 the slave trade was banned as such. In 1812, a base was created in the British colony of Sierra Leone for the recruitment and training of local residents who were recruited to serve in the West Indian regiments. Colonial troops of the West Indies took part in hostilities on the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, in particular in the attack by British troops on the French colony in New Orleans. In 1816, the number of regiments was reduced to six, due to the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the end of the Anglo-French confrontation in the West Indies.
In the first half of the 19th century, West Indian regiments were actively involved in suppressing uprisings of black slaves and the poorest segments of the population in the British colonies of the Caribbean. So, in 1831, the 1st West Indies Regiment took an active part in suppressing the uprising of the poorest strata of the population in Jamaica. Within a month, the outbreak of a black uprising was brutally suppressed. By order of the governor, at least 200 people were killed, and together with the soldiers of the 1st West Indies Regiment, the famous Jamaican Maroons, who went over to British service, also opposed the rebels.
Throughout the 19th century, the number of West Indian regiments never decreased less than two, and only in 1888, both regiments were combined into a single West Indies regiment of the British Army, consisting of two battalions. The reason for the reduction in the number of personnel was the end of the confrontation of the colonial powers in the Caribbean. The West Indies regiment was distinguished by good discipline in comparison with other colonial units of the British army, although at the beginning of its existence - between 1802 and 1837. - there were three soldiers' mutinies. The commanding staff of the regiment was staffed with British officers, attracted by additional benefits and benefits of the colonial service. Until 1914, the regiment's officers operated on a permanent basis, unlike many other colonial regiments, to which officers were assigned from the British army for fixed periods.
Of particular interest is the history of the uniforms of the West Indies regiment. The first time of their existence, the West Indian regiments, their soldiers wore the standard uniform of the British infantry - shako, red uniform, dark or white trousers. A distinctive feature was the use of slippers, not heavy boots - obviously, a discount was made for the specifics of the West Indian climate. In 1856, the West Indian regiments adopted a striking shape modeled on the French Zouaves. It included a white turban, a red vest with yellow weave, a white waistcoat, and navy blue breeches. This uniform remained as the parade uniform of the regiment until 1914, and the orchestra of the regiment until the disbandment of the regiment in 1927. Today, this uniform is used as a parade uniform in the Barbados Defense Force, one of the historical heirs of the West Indies regiment.
In 1873-1874. The West Indies regiment, recruited mostly from volunteers from the island of Jamaica, served in the Gold Coast colony in West Africa, where it participated in suppressing the resistance of the Ashantian tribes. The outbreak of World War I required Britain to mobilize all available military resources, including colonial units. In particular, in August 1914, the 1st Battalion of the West Indies Regiment arrived in Freetown in Sierra Leone. The regiment's communications unit took part in the British operation in German Cameroon. The first battalion returned to the West Indies in 1916, after two and a half years in West Africa. The 2nd Battalion of the regiment arrived in West Africa in the second half of 1915 and took part in the capture of Yaoundé in German Cameroon.
In April 1916, the 2nd Battalion was transferred to Mombasa in Kenya, with the aim of using it in hostilities in German East Africa. When the British column entered Dar es Salaam on September 4, 1916, it also included 515 soldiers and officers of the 2nd Battalion of the West Indies Regiment. The regiment continued to carry out garrison service in East Africa, and in October 1917 participated in the Battle of Nyangao in German East Africa. In September 1918, after the cessation of hostilities in East Africa, the 2nd Battalion of the West Indies Regiment was transferred to Suez and from there to Palestine, where the two remaining months of the First World War passed. In Palestine, the soldiers and officers of the regiment showed great valor in the battle against the Turkish forces, which was noted by the commander of the British forces, General Allenby, who sent a telegram of thanks to the Governor General of Jamaica.
In 1915, the 2nd West Indies Regiment was formed as part of the British army, staffed by volunteers from the Caribbean colonies who arrived in Great Britain. The regiment included 11 battalions. The first battalion, formed in September 1915, included 4 companies: Company A was manned in British Guiana, Company B in Trinidad, Company C in Trinidad and St. Vincent, and Company D in Grenada and Barbados. While the 1st and 2nd battalions of the regiment served in Egypt and Palestine, the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th battalions served in France and Belgium, the 8th and 9th also began service in France and Belgium, but were then transferred to Italy. The 10th and 11th battalions of the regiment also served there.
In November 1918, all battalions of the regiment were concentrated at the base in Taranto in Italy. The regiment began to prepare for demobilization, but the soldiers of the regiment were actively involved in loading and unloading operations, as well as in the construction and cleaning of toilets for white soldiers from other units. This caused a lot of outrage among the Caribbean soldiers, which intensified after they learned about the salary increase for white soldiers, but keeping their salaries at the same level. On December 6, 1918, the soldiers of the 9th battalion refused to obey orders, 180 sergeants signed a petition complaining about low salaries. On December 9, soldiers of the 10th battalion refused to obey orders. Ultimately, British units arrived at the regiment's location. The ninth battalion, which refused to obey orders, was disbanded, and its soldiers were assigned to other battalions. All battalions were disarmed. Sixty soldiers and sergeants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to five years for the mutiny, one soldier was sentenced to 20 years and one was sentenced to death. Subsequently, many former soldiers of the regiment played an active role in the formation of the national liberation movement in the British colonies in the Caribbean islands.
Thus, we see that the West Indies Regiment took part in the First World War, especially noted for the valor of its soldiers and officers in the fighting in Palestine and Jordan. A total of 15,600 West Indies took part in military operations as part of the British troops. The bulk (about two-thirds) of the enlisted and non-commissioned personnel of the regiment were from Jamaica, the remaining third of the regiment's servicemen were from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, the Bahamas, British Honduras, Grenada, British Guiana, the Leeward Islands, Saint Luce Saint Vincent.
Over its more than a century history, the West Indies regiment was awarded military orders and medals for the following campaigns: Dominica and Martinique in 1809, Guadeloupe in 1810 (both - confrontation with France in the West Indies during the Napoleonic Wars), Ashantian War in West Africa 1873-1874, the West African war in 1887, the West African war in 1892-1893 and 1894, the Sierra Leone war in 1898, the Palestinian campaign of the First World War in 1917-1918., East African campaign of the First World War in 1916-1918. and the Cameroon campaign of the First World War in 1915-1916. The Victoria Cross was awarded to Samuel Hodge, who received it in 1866 for his courage in the colonial war in the Gambia. In 1891, Jamaican corporal William Gordon of the 1st Battalion, promoted to sergeant, received the Victoria Cross for his participation in the further campaign in the Gambia.
In 1920, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the West Indies were merged into a single 1st Battalion, which was disbanded in 1927. This was due to the fact that the West Indies had long turned into a peaceful region, where there was neither a colonial confrontation between the European powers, nor the threat of uprisings of the black population. Moreover, the United States of America has assumed the role of the main guarantor of security in the Caribbean. However, in 1944 a Caribbean regiment was formed, also staffed by immigrants from the islands of the British West Indies. He received brief training in Trinidad and the United States of America, after which he was transferred to Italy. On the western front, the regiment performed auxiliary functions, which consisted, first of all, in escorting prisoners of war from Italy to Egypt. Then the regiment carried out work on demining the Suez Canal and the surrounding area. In 1946, the Caribbean regiment returned to the West Indies and was disbanded, never having time to participate in real hostilities in Western Europe or North Africa.
Sir Gordon Leng
Perhaps the most famous member of the British colonial forces in the West Indies was Sir Alexander Gordon Leng (1793-1826).
This is the first European traveler to reach the famous West African city of Timbuktu in what is now Mali. In 1811, at the age of 18, Leng moved to Barbados, where he first served as a clerk for his uncle Colonel Gabriel Gordon. Then he entered military service and passed it in the 2nd West Indies Regiment as an officer. In 1822, Captain Leng, then transferred to the Royal African Corps, was sent by the Governor of Sierra Leone to establish relations with the Mandingo people in Mali. In the years 1823-1824. he took an active part in the Anglo-Ashantian war, then returned to Great Britain. In 1825 Leng undertook another trip to the Sahara. He managed to reach the Tuareg nomads in the Ghadames region, and then the city of Timbuktu. On the way back, he was killed by a local fanatic who opposed the presence of Europeans in the region.
Regiment of the West Indies Federation
The revival of the West Indies regiment takes place in the 1950s. The reason for the decision to recreate the once disbanded unit was the emergence of the Federation of the West Indies in 1958. It was assumed that this unification of the British colonial possessions in the Caribbean would become a "springboard" on the path to achieving political independence of the West Indian territories from the mother country. The Federation of the West Indies included the British possessions of Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, Montserrat, Saint Christopher - Nevis - Anguilla, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica with the Cayman Islands and the Turks Islands attached to it and Caicos. It was assumed that all these colonies would achieve independence as part of a single state entity, into which the Federation of the West Indies was to be transformed. Accordingly, this state formation also needed its own armed forces - albeit small in size, but capable of maintaining internal order and defending the islands in case of conflicts with neighboring states.
On December 15, 1958, the West Indies Federal Parliament passed the Defense Act, which became the legal basis for the formation of the West Indies Regiment as part of the armed forces of the West Indies Federation. On January 1, 1959, the West Indies Regiment was re-formed. Its backbone was made up of personnel recruited in Jamaica. In Kingston, the regimental barracks and the headquarters of the regiment were located. It was decided to create two battalions as part of the regiment - the 1st, recruited and stationed in Jamaica, and the 2nd, recruited and stationed in Trinidad. The number of the regiment's personnel was determined at 1640 soldiers and officers. Each battalion of the regiment was supposed to have 730 servicemen. The task of the regiment was to confirm the sense of national identity and pride of the peoples of the West Indies. It was assumed that the regiment would become the base for the formation of friendly relations between all the islands that entered the Federation of the West Indies. In September 1961, in addition to Jamaicans, the regiment had 200 people from Trinidad and 14 people from Antigua.
The 1st Battalion of the West Indies Regiment, stationed in Jamaica, was organized in 1960 from four companies, one of which was the headquarters. The battalion numbered 500 soldiers and officers, of which about half were from Jamaica, and 40 people were seconded British officers and sergeants - specialists. Although the officers of the battalion were from Jamaica, the proportion of recruits from other West Indies was growing in the rank and file of the battalion. The 2nd Battalion of the West Indies Regiment was formed in 1960.
However, in 1962, the Federation of the West Indies collapsed, the reason for which was the numerous political and economic differences between its subjects. Accordingly, followed by the disbandment of the united armed forces, including the West Indies regiment. On July 30, 1962, the regiment was disbanded, and the battalions that made up it became the basis for the formation of infantry regiments of the two largest islands. The first battalion became the backbone of the Jamaican Infantry Regiment, and the second battalion became the backbone of the Trinidad and Tobago Infantry Regiment.
Jamaican Regiment
The history of the Jamaican regiment began in 1954, in 1958 it was included as the 1st battalion in the revived West Indies regiment, but after the dissolution of the latter it was transformed again into the Jamaican regiment. It consisted of the 1st Battalion and the 3rd Battalion of the West Indies Regiment. In 1979, three companies and part of the headquarters were allocated from the 1st battalion, on the basis of which the 2nd battalion was formed. In 1983, the Jamaican Regiment took part in the US Army's invasion of Grenada.
The Jamaican Regiment is currently the main ground for the Jamaican Defense Force. This is a non-mechanized infantry regiment, consisting of three battalions - two regular and one territorial. The main tasks of the regiment are the territorial defense of the island and assistance to the police forces in the maintenance of public order and the fight against crime. The first regular battalion of the regiment, stationed in Kingston, is used primarily to support the local police in maintaining public order. The second regular battalion is used on patrols to identify and destroy drugs. One of the important tasks of the regiment is also participation in all United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Caribbean.
The total strength of the Jamaica Defense Forces currently stands at approximately 2,830 troops. The Defense Forces include ground forces (2,500 military personnel), the backbone of which is 2 regular and 1 territorial infantry battalions of the Jamaican regiment, 1 engineer regiment of four companies, 1 service battalion. It is armed with 4 V-150 armored personnel carriers and 12 81-mm mortars. The Air Force has 140 troops and includes 1 military transport aircraft, 3 light aircraft and 8 helicopters. The Coast Guard numbers 190 and includes 3 fast patrol boats and 8 patrol boats.
Trinidad Regiment
The second battalion of the West Indies Regiment in 1962 became the basis for the formation of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment. This unit forms the core of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force. Like the Jamaican Regiment, the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment is designed to maintain the internal security of the state and support law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime. In 1962, the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment was created from the 2nd Battalion of the West Indies Regiment, and in 1965 the 2nd Infantry Battalion was formed as part of the Trinidad Regiment. However, it did not last long and was dissolved in 1972.
In 1983, unlike other West Indies states, Trinidad and Tobago did not support the American operation in Grenada, and therefore the Trinidad regiment did not take part in the landing on Grenada. But during 1983-1984. subdivisions of the regiment were still present in Grenada in order to ensure law and order and eliminate the consequences of hostilities. In 1993-1996. The Trinidad regiment was part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti. In 2004-2005. the regiment's servicemen took part in the liquidation of the consequences of the devastating hurricane in Grenada.
Currently, the regiment, despite its name, can rather be defined as a light infantry brigade. Its strength is 2,800 troops, consisting of two infantry battalions, one engineer battalion and a support battalion. The regiment is part of the ground forces of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Forces. The latter are among the largest in the West Indies and have 4,000 troops. Three thousand troops are in the ground forces, which consist of the four-battalion Trinidad and Tobago Regiment and a support and support battalion. The ground forces are armed with six mortars, 24 recoilless guns and 13 grenade launchers. The Coast Guard has 1,063 men and is armed with 1 patrol ship, 2 large and 17 small patrol boats, 1 support vessel and 5 aircraft. The Trinidad Air Guard (the so-called Air Force of the country) was created as part of the Coast Guard in 1966, but then, in 1977, it was separated into a separate branch of the military. It is armed with 10 aircraft and 4 helicopters.
Barbados regiment
In addition to the West Indies regiment, the Barbados Volunteer Forces were among the military units manned in the British colonies of the Caribbean. They were formed in 1902 to protect the island and maintain order after the withdrawal of the British garrison. Barbados volunteers took part in the First and Second World Wars as part of the West Indies and Caribbean regiments. In 1948, the Barbados Volunteer Force was rebuilt and renamed the Barbados Regiment. In 1959-1962. Barbados, which was part of the Federation of the West Indies, formed the 3rd Battalion of the West Indies Regiment on the basis of the Barbados Regiment. After the collapse of the Federation and the declaration of independence of Barbados, the Barbados Regiment was rebuilt and became the backbone of the Barbados Defense Force. Its tasks include protecting the island from external threats, maintaining internal security and helping the police in the fight against crime. Also, the regiment is actively involved in peacekeeping operations. In its present form, the regiment was formed in 1979 - like all the Defense Forces of Barbados. He took part in the operation of American troops in Grenada in 1983.
The Barbados regiment includes two parts - a regular and a reserve battalion. The regular battalion includes a headquarters company, which provides logistics and operations for the regiment's headquarters; engineering company; a special operations company, which is the main combat unit of the regiment as a rapid reaction force. The reserve battalion includes a headquarters company and two rifle companies. It is the reserve unit of the Barbados Defense Force that is the guardian of the historical traditions of the Barbados regiment. In particular, the military band of the Barbados Defense Forces still uses the "Zouave" uniforms worn by the soldiers of the West Indies regiments in the second half of the 19th century.
The Barbados Defense Force has four components. The backbone of the Defense Forces is the Barbados Regiment. The Barbados Coast Guard includes patrol boats, the crews of which are engaged in patrolling territorial waters, rescue and humanitarian operations. The headquarters of the Defense Forces is responsible for the management and logistics of all other components of the Defense Forces. The Barbados Cadet Corps is a youth paramilitary organization founded back in 1904 and includes infantry and naval cadets. There are also medical units in the cadet corps. Since the 1970s. women began to be admitted to the cadet corps.
Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis
In addition to Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda also has its own Defense Forces. The Royal Defense Forces of Antigua and Barbuda perform tasks of maintaining internal security and public order, combating drug smuggling, controlling fishing, protecting the environment, helping during natural disasters, and performing ceremonial duties. The strength of the Antigua and Barbuda Defense Forces is only 245 troops. The Antigua and Barbuda Regiment includes a service and support service, an engineering detachment, an infantry company, and a coast guard flotilla consisting of several boats. In 1983, 14-strong Antigua and Barbuda units took part in the American operation in Grenada, and in 1990, 12 soldiers participated in maintaining order in Trinidad during the suppression of an unsuccessful coup d'etat by black Muslims there. In 1995, soldiers from Antigua and Barbuda took part in a peacekeeping operation in Haiti.
The St. Kitts and Nevis Defense Force has its roots in the Plantation Defense Troops, established in 1896 to maintain order on the sugarcane plantations. After the end of the disturbances on the plantation, the defense forces were disbanded. However, in 1967, in connection with the riots in Anguilla, it was decided to create its own Defense Forces. Currently, the Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force includes an infantry unit (Saint Kitts and Nevis Regiment) and the Coast Guard. The St. Kitts and Nevis Regiment is essentially an infantry company made up of a command platoon and three rifle platoons. The total strength of the Defense Forces is 300 troops, with another 150 being trained at the St. Kitts and Nevis Cadet Corps. The tasks of the Defense Forces are also limited to maintaining internal security, public order and combating drug smuggling.
At present, the overwhelming majority of the West Indies in matters of foreign and defense policy follow in the wake of the interests of the United States of America and their former colonial metropolises. To a large extent, this applies to the countries of the British Commonwealth. Their small Defense Force, inherited from the colonial forces of the British West Indies, is used as auxiliary and police forces when the need arises. Of course, the combat capabilities of the Defense Forces are extremely low in comparison with the armed forces of most countries of the same Latin America. But they do not require serious military power - for large-scale operations there are British or American armed forces, and the Jamaican or Barbados military can perform auxiliary functions, as was the case, say, in Grenada in 1983.
