There are 8 cemeteries in Barbados containing World War 1 War Graves. Only one of these cemeteries has more than a single War Grave. That is Westbury Cemetery in Bridgetown. There are 8 War Graves there, 9 if you include the grave of James Douglass Alleyne a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps who died just after the end of World War 2.
It is natural that Westbury, as the biggest cemetery in Barbados’ largest city, Bridgetown, should be the final resting place of most of the Bajan War dead.
Although I have used the term ‘Bajan War dead,’ 2 of the graves are in fact those of German prisoners of war or more accurately ‘internees’, Walter Koenig and Kurt Paul Matthay. Both were civilians and likely to have been working in the sugar industry in Barbados when War was declared. They are unlikely to have posed a real risk to the Allied Forces but there was suspicion that people from enemy countries such as Germany might be disloyal to the Allied cause. They were classed as ‘enemy aliens’. We don’t know where they were detained or what level of security surrounded them but it is quite possible they were allowed to move relatively freely. Walter died on 16 March 1916 and Kurt Paul on 30 January 1918. Unfortunately, their graves were allowed to become overgrown and are now untraceable (1).
There was a total of 194 prisoners of War held in Barbados, Bermuda and Trinidad during World War 1.
That leaves us with 6 World War 1 War Graves to find, 5 of which, all belonging to British West Indies Regiment (BWIR) troops, are grouped in much the same area. The exception is the grave of John Vincent of the Royal Marine Artillery. John’s grave, like those of the German internees is now overgrown and couldn’t be traced but we will cover John’s story in a later article.
Walking to Westbury was easy enough. A pleasant walk along the beach from Carlisle Bay, cutting through the main streets of Bridgetown and up Tudor Street, then Baxter Road, turning onto Westbury Road then a right at President Kennedy Drive eventually entering the cemetery via Thomas Gap. The Kensington Oval cricket ground dominating the skyline.
I was perfectly happy strolling around the cemetery in the bright sunshine looking for the War Graves. As often happens in Barbados an employee saw me wandering and asked if he could help. I couldn’t bring myself to say ‘no’ and explained what I was looking for. The man couldn’t really help but knew someone who could and he led me to the small office, more of a hut really, in the grounds of the cemetery. He introduced me to 2 busy looking ladies and left me to it. I explained I was looking for 9 graves. This was met with raising of eyebrows and deep sighs. I tried to ease their anxiety by stressing they were War Graves and therefore highly visible and I also had the relevant plot numbers. This only led to sucking in of cheeks and shakes of the head. Anyway, the task which I was now feeling was ‘mission impossible’ was reduced in size when the ladies explained the absence of graves for Messrs Koenig, Matthay and Vincent. They also told me where to find the 5 BWIR graves and asked me to wait until someone could take me to the grave of James Douglass Alleyne.
A taciturn man came along and indicated for me to follow. He didn’t say a word but led me to the rather grand grave of James Douglass Alleyne quite some way from the graves of the 5 BWIR soldiers. He pointed at the grave and walked away. James died on 26 December 1946 and he was white which means he doesn’t really qualify for inclusion in a series of stories about Black Bajan soldiers from World War 1. However, his is a fascinating story worthy of telling on some future occasion.
Before we leave James, I want to mention a really nice touch. On his grave was a memento, clearly put there recently, by ‘RAMC Manchester.’ Even over 70 years after his death the Royal Army Medical Corps remembered one of its own.
(James Douglass Alleyne remembered by his old Regiment the Royal Army Medical Corps)
As I’ve already said, Westbury Cemetery is in Bridgetown which is in the parish of St Michael. The main church in St Michael is St Michael’s Cathedral in the centre of the city. St Michael’s Cathedral certainly isn’t the sort of place you’d find common soldiers buried, hence the graves at Westbury. Grantley Adams and his son Tom, both former prime ministers of the island, are buried in the Cathedral’s church yard.
But things used to be even more elitist. In days long ago, black people were not even allowed to worship in St Michael’s. Keen to join in the services they would stand outside in a narrow alley and strain their ears to hear the sermons. When the congregation said ‘amen’ the exiled black worshippers would do likewise and the alley became known as Amen Alley. It is still there today.
The city of Bridgetown makes up the large majority of St Michael. It is of course the capital and centre of government. Of Barbados’ estimated population of 285,843 around 110,000 live in Bridgetown. Westbury is on the edge of the city but within easy walking or ‘bussing’ distance of the centre. The most famous resident from the area is the singer Rihanna who, until she was 16, lived only yards from the cemetery in Westbury New Road.
There are no major historical figures buried at Westbury but perhaps the most poignant memorial is a headstone remembering 10 unnamed and unidentified African men who were found, lifeless, floating on a small boat off the east coast of Barbados in April 2006. An 11th man, Diao Souncar Dieme was identified and flown back to Senegal for a Muslim burial. The 10 were buried at Westbury on 31 January 2007.
The men were part of a group of 55 would be immigrants from Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Gambia who left Cape Verde on Christmas Day 2005 heading for a new life in the Canary Islands. Each had paid around $2,950 to escape their home lands. It is not known how many, if any, of the 55 survived. The likelihood is that all drowned in the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Returning to the task at hand, I first of all found the War Grave of Fitz Grandison.
Fitz enlisted on 30 May 1917 when he was 24 years and 5 months old. He lived at The Rock in St Peter. Even today The Rock is a small community about 1.5 miles east of Speightstown, in 1917 it must have been terribly isolated and remote.
Fitz was a mason and declared on his Attestation that he had someone who was dependent on him but we do not learn who that was. He was single so it could not have been his wife, perhaps his mother was a widow who depended on him?
Fitz was allocated to the 11th Battalion of the BWIR with the rank of Private and was given the service number 15373.
He sailed to Liverpool from Jamaica on 2 October 1917 as part of the 3rd contingent of volunteers, arriving in England on 29 October 1917. He was immediately posted to France on 2 November 1917. It was only when he arrived in France, 125 days after enlisting, that he was brought onto British pay. Prior to that he had been in receipt of a lower pay rate but perhaps more importantly, had he lived longer, none of the earlier service would have counted towards his pension.
Fitz provided support to the troops on the front line. He must have impressed because, on 24 April 1918, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. We don’t know precisely what Fitz or indeed the 11th Battalion of the BWIR did during his War service but only 4 days after his arrival in France, Canadian troops captured the village of Passchendaele. This small village had been the subject of several battles between July and November which had claimed at least 500,000 casualties. It is perfectly possible that Fitz’s first experience of the War may have been in or near Passchendaele.
Two weeks later the British Forces launched the first ever mass tank attack. Six infantry divisions plus 381 tanks attacked the German trenches near Cambrai in France. The attack was a success with a gain of 5 miles being made on the first day. Church bells were rung in England for the first time since 1914 in celebration. Unfortunately, the British did not press home their advantage and with reinforcements the German troops regained most of the lost ground.
Battles such as the 2 mentioned above required huge amounts of support. Fitz and other members of the 11th Battalion wouldn’t be on the forefront of the action and would most likely not carry weapons but they were required to provide vital and constant support to those on the front line. The work was exhausting and undertaken in difficult conditions where disease was common due to the insanitary conditions, plagues of rats and flies and cramped living arrangements.
Fitz became ill on 24 June 1918 and he was admitted to hospital. His Commanding Officer immediately reverted Fitz to the rank of Private, which seems incredibly harsh and insensitive. His medical records describe his incapacity as adenitis of neck. However, the wording disguises the fact that he had a tuberculosis infection of the skin of the neck – in short, he had TB.
It would seem he was hospitalised for the rest of his time in France being transferred to Marseille General Hospital where he was declared as unfit for War service. He was transported the 550 miles or so to Cherbourg for his final journey home to Barbados.
He left Cherbourg on 15 April 1919 landing in Barbados on 29 April 1919.
Of course, the War had ended while Fitz was ill. In fact, the day before he arrived in Barbados the League of Nations was formed. It was designed to ensure there could be no more wars. This was too late for Fitz and in any event, was doomed to failure.
The only thing we know for certain after that is that Fitz died exactly 2 weeks later on 13 May 1919 less than 2 years after enlisting. The cause of death was TB and exhaustion. The long journey home cannot have helped, but it is hoped that Fitz gained some comfort from being back in Barbados for his final few days of life. We don’t know if he got home to The Rock but it is possible that he was too ill to make that final journey from Bridgetown and remained in hospital there until his death. This might explain why he is buried in Westbury Cemetery rather than St Peter’s church yard.
(Fitz Grandison’s grave in Westbury Cemetery)
Fitz was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory medal but of course was dead by the time they were sent to him. They remained unclaimed and would have subsequently been destroyed.
And the story still isn’t finished as, long after his death, bureaucracy dictated that his ‘effects’ as recorded in the ‘Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects’ should be disposed of. The sheet containing Fitz’s details makes unhappy reading. Of the 5 soldiers listed, 3 were recorded as ‘insane’. On the following page all 5 were noted as ‘discharged – insane’.
The Amy HQ in Jamaica had calculated that a payment of £26 14 shillings and 2 pence was due in respect of Fitz. This included an £11 War Gratuity. It had taken until November 1920 to reach this conclusion. It was 25 August 1922 before the matter was referred to the Colonial Treasurer in Barbados to make payment. On 19 January 1923, £17 16 shillings and 1 pence was paid out with the balance following on 30 April 1923, almost 4 years after Fitz’s death. There is no record of who received these payments so it may be that Fitz had no next of kin or the records are incomplete. Given that back on 30 May 1917 when Fitz first enlisted and declared that someone was dependent on him it is hoped the money went to that person if he or she was still living.
Fitz was the first solider to be buried in a World War 1 War Grave in Westbury Cemetery. He is shown as Lance Corporal and why shouldn’t he be eternally recognised as such? He was a Lance Corporal once just as he was once a young man in The Rock. He will now be remembered forever as a Lance Corporal just as he will always remain 26 years of age.
He would be joined in Westbury by his 4 BWIR colleagues over the next 11 months. We’ll be covering their stories shortly.
Fitz Grandison – The End – the harsh reality of War (note the date of death is wrongly recorded)
(1) Since Bill Hern wrote this article we have been contacted by Brian from Barbados concerning the location of the graves of the German internees. He tells us that Walter Koenig, who died on 16th March 1916, is buried in Section L, while Kurt Paul Matthay, who died on 30th January 1918, is buried in Grave 60, Section D. Both are very close to the office at Westbury Cemetery which is also the office of the Superintendent of Cemeteries. Although the men were civilians, Brian believes it is probably the Barbados Legion that keep the graves tidy as a mark of respect.