West Indian Soldier: Interactive Timeline

Explore the history of Caribbean people in the British Army, and of the British Army in the Caribbean, through an interactive timeline. 

Based on the 'West Indian Soldier' exhibition, this timeline is packed with sources including objects, photos and videos.

About the timeline

Discover the links between the Army and slavery. Find out about the participation of militia forces and enslaved men in conflicts including the Seven Years War and the American War of Independence. Next, delve into the foundation of the West India Regiments, their role in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and later imperial campaigns in West Africa. 

Explore the contributions of West Indians in the First World War. Learn about the West India Regiment in East and West Africa, and the British West Indies Regiment on the Western Front and in the Middle East. Plus, find out about West Indian soldiers in other Army regiments. Uncover the stories of the West Indian women of the ATS in the Second World War, and the foundation of the Caribbean Regiment.

Post-war, witness the enduring connection between the Army and the Caribbean, following the establishment of British-Caribbean communities and political change in the Caribbean. Additionally, explore the topic of remembrance, amid growing public recognition of the contributions of West Indians to the Army through history.