West Indies Calling (1944)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2009
- West Indies Calling (1944). Subscribe: bit.ly/subscribetotheBFI.
In this film, made during the Second World War by the Ministry of Information, a group of West Indians, led by Una Marson and Learie Constantine, assemble at Broadcasting House in London. They describe to listeners of a popular BBC radio series, 'Calling the West Indies', how people from the Caribbean are supporting the war effort. Constantine speaks about factory workers, and introduces some war-workers, including Ulric Cross, a bomber navigator from Trinidad. Cross tells of his work in the RAF and Carlton Fairweather introduces a film about lumbermen from British Honduras. The film ends with a dance in the BBC studio. (Stephen Bourne)
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Much thanks... my grandfather was one of the 900 lumber workers from British Honduras (now Belize). I am working on a documentary to tell their story...
+Simeon Lorenzo hi Simeon, I am currently doing a research for the Carribean Communities in Europe (www.caribbeancommunities.eu) about the contributions of West Indian soldiers in WW1. I would like to ask you some questions about your grandfather. Please reply this message or email gilljarman@cen8.com
My uncle Archie Lewis is singing at the end! My dad's half-brother, I never met him and wondered if he really existed, but this film proves it. He came
from Jamaica in 1942 and sang at The London Palladium in a Royal Command Performance for the Princesses. My grandad had already arrived in 1939, working as a foreman making bomb sites safe during the Blitz and for the Crown Agents.
Respect.
+Anig I first heard your Uncle's voice on the radio more than 30 years ago. It was on Radio 2 and Alan Dell featured him on his Dance Band programme. I liked your Uncle's voice from the moment I heard it. It was so rich and beautiful. I have a number of his CD's in my collection which I listen to on a regular basis. A great singer.
I could imagine going back in time an hearing white Caribbean officer speaking in patois, (he he).
Thank you Anig, you give a brief and fascinating history.
Beautiful voice! And very handsome!
It's such a pity that one has to fight through so much ignoramus filth to find something positively refreshing on TH-cam. An excellent contribution. Many thanks!
West Indian and proud!
One of the BEST videos that shows the beauty & diversity of our West Indian people.
I am a proud West Indian from Trinidad and Tobago :)
Excellent video history of the massive contribution and sacrifice West Indians made to UK and Europe. Such dignified people and proud to be and proud of my heritage. Thank you BFI. Lockdown has given me the opportunity to find some really good stuff on TH-cam.
Great to see footage of a young Learie Constantine who became Lord Learie Constantine and a young Ulric Cross, who I met, who became an appeal court judge in Trinidad and Tobago. Both did yeoman service in England helping that country in their time of need.
Ulric Cross had so much more to him, he worked in the freedom of African countries as well.
My late mother Ruby Clarke was a teenager living in Kingston when this newsreel premiered - she may have even watched this episode. Her hair at the time was styled like that of the lady announcing the broadcast. Btw, though she was proud to attend Independence celebrations in '62 - carrying me with her three months before I was born! - the only Jamaican anthem she ever knew was "God Save The King".
The street I lived on in Jamaica was nearly all RAF. Not much known too is that a large percentage of U boats were sunk in the Caribbean sea by the First Westindian Regiments.
Im from the West Indies and proud of it
Thank you for you're civil reply, I see what you were detting at now People from Africa the West indies, and the Indian sub continent, have largely been forgotten, even by the British themselves. Films like these should be shown on TV more. I would also like to say that despite some of the comments you may find on youtube, we also hold the Americans who fought in both wars in high regard too, don't listen too the you tube haters. Respect!
Well said
Too all My West Indies Family Respect for the history any your services.
Amazing, there is so much in this that could be argued about. I know some of this generation who came over, they would love to watch it and laugh! Wonderful that it's been preserved, credit to the BFI.
Thank you for sharing this video BFI.
Thank you for sharing this. Hearing the voice of Archie Lewis is one thing. To hear the great Learie Constantine speak is another. Now for some footage of him playing cricket!
Great conservation BFI! My son got inspired for his 'HERO' school presentation by the man himself 'Ulric Cross'. What surprise to see him talk here. We also took a snapshot and uploaded a cool picture of him to his wiki page! Then someone helped and fixed the 'user rights' of this picture, I must say that was a little unclear on your website. Great to see all these Trinidad&Tobago and West Indies HEROES! What an awesome film!
Thanks for posting
I very much enjoyed this film of West Indies, since I myself am from there and my family too. It brings back so many good memories and makes me think of how harder it was back then with not so many conveniences, so it inspires one to keep moving on. It also made me a tad sentimental. Thanks very much!
I'm proud to see members of my country Guyana helping Great Britain in WW2
A good people, West Indian people..
See Learie and Ulric - Great Trinidadians
Wow, so much involvement from the Caribbean community 🙏 that helped save Britain
Thanks for this
My beautiful people... Onward and upward Windrush!!!
great film I hope this gets shown in schools
Thank You!
Black history is simply history.
Please note that this channel will not tolerate racist language, and any offensive comments will be removed.
Two years on bro but show some respect. These guys fought for our civilization - that is English Western democracy. I'm not saying I want sharia law in the UK but I'm also not saying that some polish drug dealer should get to stay because he has a nice complexion (hopefully you can agree). These guys - their descendants and anyone who fought for this country deserve to live here.
I agree carribeans or any place part of Britain (If u know what I mean) should be allowed in the motherland of the uk
Stunning
Yes, thank you!
Love this.........
Stephen Bourne's Mother Country (Black Community on the Home Front in WW2) (2010) includes Una Marson and Learie Constantine on the cover and the story of the making of this film. Bourne's The Motherland Calls (2012) includes the stories of black servicemen & women in WW2 including Ulric Cross. Both titles published by The History Press.
Unbelievable!!! Im beyond proud. We are every where and we arw everything. And they know it.
Brave and loyal to the motherland their children and grandchildren are welcome here.
I love it. Very informative, especially being a documentary from before I was born. My uncle also went to join the RAF.
+Ken Roderick Hi Ken, I am currently doing a research for the Carribean Communities in Europe (www.caribbeancommunities.eu) about the contributions of West Indian soldiers in WW1. I would like to ask you some questions about your uncle or relative. Please reply this message or email gilljarman@cen8.com
+nike t Unfortunately, I tried to get some info from my cousin on him such as dates, but no luck.
However, I have a friend who was doing a similar research - I'll send your request, so you guys can collaborate on research. His name is Bevin Parkins.
+nike t For your research, his name was Edward Shackleford, joined the RAF during WWII, dates unknown.
+Ken Roderick Thank you very much for your reply. And thank you for passing on the information to your friend. please tell him to communicate with us via gilljarman@cen8.com.
❤️ Ulric Cross 🖤 we went to see the massive image of him in London.
Nice.
Respect ❤
I love Una Marson!
An excellent film
@santoshiful Well said, glad I'm not the only one to realise that.
@santoshiful Thank you, it's nice to know that some one else is enilghtend, it should be taught in schools.
What is the name of the song and singer with "West Indians will do their share" near the beginning of the film?
Slum Dog Millionaire was directed by Danny Boyle, was one of the top movies of last year - a joint Anglo-Indian venture and a very good film. Not really rubbish.
Babylon is a fantastic British movie about Jamaican/British culture - try watching it you might learn something, there's a few of your sort in there too, you might feel at home.
I know it sounds churlish, but in those days Britain was enlightened. Watch The Tuskegee Airmen to see the American side.
It's interesting.
My grandfather was in the Merchant Navy actually. He brought me up to respect people of all nations, as he had learned through his experience. Germany was 'taken on' because Hitler was trying to conquer the world with his psychopathic notions of racial superiority. The 'commonwealth' - along with the USSR and the USA were united and together they beat him. United we stand, devided we fall. That's the lesson of history John! Churchill's motto? "We will never surrender!" - to racists and bigots!
Any more classic footage of West Indians on youtube?
Hi Nikknikk. I'm so sorry to hear about your negative experience. In my view racism is pure ignorance. It is shameful and unacceptable in this day and age that people still hold such views. If only they could take the time to get to know some poeple of African descent they would change their minds. In the meantime, all we can do is try to educate and forgive them their ignorance - they know not what they do. Peace, love and respect to you.
@KevinJKtheman
Gosh, i had to scroll back to find what I'd said. I certainly know, even as an American ;-), that people from all over the Commonwealth fought for freedom. I believe that I was trying to say that I don't believe people from the colonies were normally given as much respect by the British government as the soldiers in this film were. Do you see what I mean? I didn't say that Trinidadians, Indians, Jamaicans, etc., didn't fight in the war. I'm thankful they did!
That's amazing. I wish I was living in that time. It just looks like a better time to be living in.
I'd not want to draw any conclusions of who you are, but might i suggest you look a little deeper into history before you proclaiming 1944 Britain to be the retrospective utopia of black ex-colonial living.
Ok, wish we could send you and fulfill your dreams. Whole
British Guiana!
My grand dad was an aid
@34airflow What do dyou mean "if only", West Indians did serve the mother country, just like this video says, my Father and Uncles served in the war, my Father was in the royal air force, my uncles were in the Army,Royal and merchant Navies respecively and they spoke of West Indians, Africans, Indians, that they met in the services. As an American, just what would you know about who served in the British armed forces during WWII ?
Makes me proud.
It is not up to schools to teach (black) history what do these teachers know anyway? It is up to us as parents
@okaaaiiiden Or the other way round ?????
Those were the REAL voices. in Those day you had to have the plummy voices on the radio.
Nice to see a comment from someone with true experience of the subject matter Kathy. But please don't expect any kind of civil conversations from these sick fascists. Respect to you and your family. Thank you.
What has that to do with this video ?
@MrDubmaster I don't criticize you for responding... but after one or two I personally would have moved on and not give them the platform they obviously seek.
I think the problem you people have is that you only see the world in black and white - just like Britmovies archaic old films. Just like black and white TV. If you opened your eyes a bit wider you would see that the world is actually in colour - all the colours of the rainbow, and very beautiful it is too. If you want to stay wrapped up in your little black and white world it is only yourselves whoare missing out on the good things in life. I really can't waste any more time on this debate!!!
see my country BAHAMAS
If only West "Indians" of African descent had been as well represented in reality as they were in this video.
So Londonborngirl, I'm black am I? well that shows how shallow you are. I am a born and bred white Londoner. My great-great grandfather came from Scotland to work on the construction of Tower Bridge, My Grandmother was Welsh and my family have always been Londoners. My family survived the blitz in East London in the war against the Nazi's who held views just like yours and John "Britmovies". I am British, and the values I've always held dear are British values of decency and respect for others!
Who came here from their teacher
The Motherland Calls (Britain's Black Servicemen & Women 1939-45) by Stephen Bourne (The History Press, 2012)
1943 NOT 1944!
This was BFI's title. Release date Nov 10th 1944,
Great vid... pity the experience was ruined by the mindless pratter taking place about it. I refer to both the inance comments of Britmovies and londonborngirl... and the encouragement given their insipidity by the responses of MrDubmaster. I understand the impulse to respond... but the running dialogue only further feeds the cranialrectitis of hate-spewing lowlifes.
Danny Boyle is anti British though. If you think otherwise, just watch his 28 Days Later movie. An Irishman and a black woman essentially killing as many stereotypical and vulgarly portrayed 'British' as they can. Even the Brits on their side get mangled.
@Paulwander Of course Hitler would have stopped after he had defeated the whites. Anyway, it was not a war about colour but values. You obviously have neither.
Thank you for intervening BFI, but I must disagree with your decision. We live in a culture of free speech, and to censor these people just hides their true beliefs. I think it is important that people should be allowed to see these disgusting comments so that they realise exactly what the BNP and it's supporters really stand for. These racist and ignorant people need to be exposed, especially with the BNP's attempts to portray themselves as a respectable party - which they blatantly are not!
@okaaaiiiden Didnt happen much for a long long time. Theres a lot of `propaganda` in this movie!
To me, to regret this is not "racist", but simply a preference for one type of society rather than another. I personally think it has been detrimental to Britain to move from a country with a common, shared culture, ethnicity and language to one splintered and fractured into innumerable races, ethnicities and cultures, with often incompatible values and beliefs. The intolerance of those who scream "racist" at anyone who dissents from conventional acceptance of multiculturalism is frightening.
great film I hope this gets shown in schools