11052020 British Legion Supplement

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About the

British Legion When was The British Legion International and British LegionBahamas branch formed?

British Legion-International Headquarters was formed in 1921, two years after World War I at a Representative WWI Conference held in London, England.

At that Conference, it became an official Non-profit International Organization of Ex-Servicemen throughout The British Empire.

Ex-Servicemen and ExServicewomen after World War II in 1945 to “preserve” their War experiences and legacies for future Bahamian generations.

The British LegionBahamas Branch, is an official Non-Profit Organization registered under the Non-

British LegionBahamas Branch (BLBB) – Formerly known as The Bahamas Ex-Servicemen Association, it was formed

by Bahamian WW II

DONATION APPEAL Support your local British LegionBahamas Branch today.

EMAIL ADDRESS: britlegionbahamas@ ymail.com TELEPHONE us at: 242-422-1047 or 242-676-4066.

Profit Organizations Act, 2019 of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, with its Headquarters located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

It was in 1966, when The Royal Canadian Legion(RCL) accepted the administrative responsibility from its Worldwide Headquarters, British Legion International in London, to provide and to distribute financial assistance grants to all World War II Veterans and Widows of 15 Caribbean Member State Branches, including The Bahamas.

The main role and purpose of The British Legion-Bahamas Branch

is to ensure that its “registered” Ex-Servicemen, Ex-Servicewomen, and Widows of deceased WWII Veterans receive, on a monthly basis, small War Grants provided by both its Canadian Headquarters and The Government of The Bahamas.

Our Registered Members are verified annually in order to continue to receive their international and local War Grants.

Eligibility to Apply for Membership & Monthly War Grant: In order to become “eligible” to receive a monthly War Grant, one must be in financial need and would have served in World War II between 1939-1945 or one must provide proof of being the Widow of an ExServiceman who had served in World War II and who could also be further verified by the British Legion International and The Bahamas Branch as serving in that War. Executive Committee: This committee is the local governing body of this Military NonProfit Organization.

It comprises positions of a chairman/treasurer, vice chairman, executive secretary, 1st assistant secretary, 1st assistant treasurer, chaplain, assistant chaplain, and a uniform branch representative.

• The branch for the British Legion is located at Blue Hill Road Office-Nassau, Bahamas

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The war that cost so many lives WHY DID WWII START? Germany was ruled by its leader, Adolf Hitler, and his political party, known as the Nazis, since 1933.

Hitler wanted to take revenge on the entire world due to Germany’s defeat in the Great War (WWI), which ended in 1918. He wanted to expand the Germany Empire. In 1938, the Nazis invaded Austria and on March 15, 1939, they invaded Czechoslovakia.

WHEN DID WWII START? On September 1, 1939, the official start of WWII occurred, when Germany invaded Poland. Germany was asked to remove its troops from Poland by Britain and Hitler refused to do.

On September 3, 1939, at 11:15am, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain announced that Britain and France were at war with Germany.

World War II was fought between two alliances (groups of countries): Group I – The Axis Powers – German, Italy, and Japan Group II - The AlliesFrance, China, The United Kingdom (with its Commonwealth members: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) and the United States.

Third Group - Neutral Countries - Countries who did not participate in the war were Spain,

THE BOOKLET honouring the British Legion-Bahamas Branch Pre-Remembrance Day centennial military parade and wreath laying ceremony in 2015 under the theme “We Will Remember Them”.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff Sweden, Switzerland, and Ireland.

TIME FRAME OF WWII The war lasted for six years.

• Source of the above information: www.

simonhaughton.co.uk, British History Encyclopedia by Simon Haughton.

HOW AND WHEN DID WORLD WAR II END? World War II ended during the year of 1945.

The war ended in two phases as follows:

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CEPHAS Ferguson laying a wreath on behalf of the British Legion, Bahamas Branch, in 2018.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff PHASE ONE: The war ended on the Western side of the world in May, 1945: • Adolf Hitler committed suicide on 30th April, 1945; • Germany unconditionally surrendered on May 8, 1945, to Britain and the United States; • Germany unconditionally surrendered on May 9, 1945, to Russia.

PHASE TWO: The war ended on the Eastern side of the world in September, 1945: • August 6, 1945 – The United States dropped its first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan; • August 9, 1945 – The United States dropped its second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan; and finally; • August 15, 1945 Japan unconditionally surrendered to its Western Allies due to the devastation caused by the dropping of both

atomic bombs.

WHEN DID THE WAR OFFICIALLY END? On September 2, 1945, the war officially came to an end with the signing of a Peace Treaty between Japan and its Western Allies. The name of the Treaty was known as ‘The instructment of surrender”.

• With both the Western and Eastern sides of the World signing their Peace Treaties, World War II officially came to an end.

WHAT WERE THE WORLDWIDE CASUALTIES OF WORLD WAR II? An estimated 80 million people died most of them civilians and approximately 55 million of them were soldiers of both the Eastern and Western sides of the World.

• Source of reference for the above information: Neiberg, Micahel “Potsdam: The End of WWII and “Remaking of Europe.”: Perseus Book, 2015.

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The part played by the West Indies and the Caribbean in World War II How many Caribbean/West Indies volunteers joined WWII? • Approximately 16,000 West Indians/ Caribbean people joined the war.

• 100 women joined the war: 80 women joined the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force); 30 women joined the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service). Eleven of our Bahamian Women joined this group. They were known as “The Brave Eleven”. They were: 1. Vernell Armbrister nee Albury (Deceased) 2. Dorothy Cooper nee Fullerton (Deceased) 3. Zoe Cumberbatch nee Lady Maynard (Deceased) 4. Pearl Grant (Deceased) 5. Vera Johnson (Deceased) 6. Doreen Jones nee Rickards (96) – currently lives in Kingston, Jamaica 7. Dorothy Roberts nee Wisdom (Deceased) 8. Shirley Wright (Deceased) 9. Sybil Lightbourne nee Ford (Deceased) 10. Grace Knowles nee Fountain (Deceased) 11. Ruth Clarke nee Goodridge

THE BRITISH Legion branch in Blue Hill Road, Nassau, Bahamas

(Deceased) • Source of reference for above information: THE BRAVE ELEVEN: Written By: Ruth Clarke-Goodridge: 1988 • 6,000 West Indian/Caribbean Volunteers joined The British Royal Air Force (RAF) and The Royal Canadian Air Force.

• Their roles ranged from fighter pilots, air gunners, ground staff and administrators.

What were the casualties of West Indian/Caribbean Volunteers after World War II? Out of 16,000 West Indian/Caribbean volunteers: • 236 West Indian/Caribbean volunteers were killed in the war or went missing; • 265 West Indian/Caribbean volunteers were wounded; and • 103 West Indian/Caribbean Volunteers were recognised and decorated for their bravery.

• Source of Reference for the above information: Memorial Trust (1914-1918 and 1039-1945) – www.mgtrust.org/car2htm

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