Mixing it: Diversity in World War Two Britain. I had the courtesy of reading review of Wendy Webster’s Mixing it: Diversity in World War Two Britain. I was apprehensive to read this review mainly, because these books often omit the opportunity to talk about and give a historical context to the part that African and Caribbean people played during both World Wars.
Sam King on his return to England after the war noticed the change of attitude, Webster also extends that this treated was not just to those of colour but also to the Irish and Polish as often at some ‘Polish air force stations were daubed with Poles Go Home.’
Mixing it: Diversity in World War Two Britain.
Judging from the review, Webster seems to have had this covered. She mentions the efforts of the Czechs, Polish, Irish, Indians, Canadians, Caribbean and African and French alike. To the point where she states that the “black GIs were regarded as more polite than their white counterparts.” According to the review in the Guardian ‘Mixing it explores how the population of Britain between 1939 – 1945 became more diverse by nationality and ethnicity than it had ever been before.’
Published by Oxford is available now at guardianbookshop.com £25
Webster gives account of Windrush and wrote about Sam King’s return to England on the SS Windrush from Jamaica. She tackles to the issue of the hundreds of ‘mixed race children’ who were regarded as ‘unadoptable by agencies’ citing that racial prejudices were rife despite the streets of London becoming international where ‘uniforms from all over the world’ could be seen. Racial prejudices were not the only barriers that were met by soldiers from the colonies. A Trinidadian pilot reflected that he “had no friend, no girl, no one in all England. I am alone and the only time I feel at all happy is when I am in my Spitfire.” After the war, what little courtesy tat was extended to the allies, including Irish, Polish, African and Caribbean soldiers began to diminish. 17