All of a sudden there was the rush of an immense shadow coming towards
him at terrific speed. It was the ground reaching up to gather him. The
date was 26 June, 1943 and Cy Grant was the rarest of things - a black
West Indian RAF crew member, blown out of his exploding Lancaster
bomber.
The heroic exploits of the Caribbean men and women who volunteered their
services to the Allied effort during the Second World War have, until
now, passed by with little fanfare or attention. Indeed, whilst many
people are aware of the contribution that the various Bomber Command
units paid in securing ultimate victory, little is said or understood of
the achievements and sacrifices of the heroic Caribbean volunteers who
contributed to some of their greatest victories.
Mark Johnson presents us here with an engrossing and humane account of
the exploits of such individuals. Including a great number of insights
and fascinating details taken from conversations with his great-uncle,
John Blair, the book illuminates the day-to-day reality of life as a
Caribbean volunteer during the Second World War and the kind of
culture-clash experiences that characterised their wartime careers. John
Blair is a particularly important member within the context of this
history and within the wider context of Bomber Command history. He
served a full and distinguished tour with Bomber Command in the skies
over Germany and was present during some of the most pivotal moments,
earning a Distinguished Flying Cross in the process. The author has
based the book on in-depth interviews he conducted with his great-uncle
and other survivors, as well as other press interviews and personal
accounts by a host of other Caribbean volunteers to create a dramatic
and well written account of the proceedings. An important book, offering
a platform upon which to appreciate the true extent of the Caribbean
contribution to the Allied war effort, the work offers a new slant on
the popular Bomber Command theme; one that looks set to intrigue a
number of readers yet to be acquainted with this facet of the units
history.
