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An
early newcomer to Gloucestershire was Claude Correia, from
Guyana. He joined the RAF, arriving in Greenock in Scotland in the
spring of 1945.
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| Claude
joined the RAF and arrived in the UK in1945 |
After
basic training in Melksham, Wiltshire, and a brief posting to Credenhill
in Herefordshire, he was stationed at Gloucester, moving between
both RAF Innsworth and the RAF Records Office in Eastern Avenue.
Like
Stan, Claude married a
local girl, Brenda and still lives in Gloucester. Claude recalls
there being many other people of Caribbean origin at the bases,
but they eventually moved away or returned home when they were demobbed.
He and Stan were therefore probably the first African-Caribbean
men to settle in Gloucester.
Vivian
Blake
Vivian Blake also came to Britain during the war. In fact, he travelled
to Britain on the same ship as Stan Boreland, although they did
not get to know each other until they were in England.
Whilst
in Virginia, USA, at Camp Patrick Henry, Vivian experienced segregation.
The camp was in effect two camps; a white one and a black one. The
Jamaican recruits were treated as 'honorary whites', placed in the
white camp and were forbidden to mix with the black Americans. However,
the white Americans were not pleased with this arrangement.
Vivian
recalls a white American officer reminding his men, "These
ainÂ’t Uncle SamÂ’s Niggers, these are King GeorgeÂ’s
Niggers". He worked in the commissary and had charge of
a group of AWOL white American recruits, one of who claimed
to be DillingerÂ’s brother.
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| Vivian
Blake |
Vivian
recalls a white American officer reminding his men, "These
ainÂ’t Uncle SamÂ’s Niggers, these are King GeorgeÂ’s
Niggers”. He worked in the commissary and had charge of a group
of AWOL white American recruits, one of who claimed to be DillingerÂ’s
brother.
Liverpool
Upon
arrival in Liverpool, the troops were taken to Lime Street Station,
where Vivian recalls they were greeted with cheers from the local
people.
Following
his basic training, he went to Causwall in Scotland, to undertake
three months' training in air-sea rescue. He was then posted to
Ilfracombe in Devon, and later Pembroke Docks in Wales, followed
by a number of postings to other bases until he left the forces
in 1948.
It
had been his intention to return to Jamaica to resume his studies,
but by this time he had become accustomed to Britain and saw the
opportunities available. He moved around the country for a while,
living and working in Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Bradford.
He worked for British Rail for a while and then took up a career
in engineering.
He
moved to Gloucester in 1960 with his wife, who had relatives in
the area, working at the Hawker-Siddeley plant in Hucclecote. He
left Gloucester for a few years to work in Birmingham, but returned
in 1966.
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