South Kesteven honours black servicemen’s vital contributions during the Second World War

Councillors have marked Black History Month by recognising the crucial role of black servicemen in local Second World War efforts.

In 1944, American airfields in and around Grantham, such as Barkston Heath, Fulbeck, and Saltby, were key operational hubs for the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) Troop Carrier Command, where black soldiers provided essential support in transporting airborne troops and equipment to Europe.

Black aircrew also served with the RAF and Bomber Command, central to Lincolnshire’s ‘Bomber County’ legacy.

African and Caribbean servicemen volunteered to fight alongside British and Allied forces, and their stories are preserved through the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincoln.

South Kesteven District Council is currently working on a heritage trail, supported by a £150,000 grant from the National Lottery, which aims to highlight the district’s contribution to Operation Overlord (D-Day) and Operation Market Garden (Arnhem), both of which were pivotal to the Allied forces' success.

Coun Rhea Rayside (Lib Dem), cabinet member for communities and people, said the district’s military heritage would be incomplete without recognising the invaluable contribution of black servicemen during the war.

“Black History Month is an opportunity to acknowledge and express our pride in the huge role that allies of every nationality and ethnicity played in winning the war,” she said.

“Our developing airborne forces trail will help to perpetuate that commemoration.”

The 18-month initiative includes a website, app, signs, and a Grantham Museum exhibition.

Coun Richard Dixon-Warren (Con), Armed Forces champion, also highlighted the significance of their efforts, stating: “We must never forget the contribution made by black men and women from the Commonwealth and our allies who came to our aid in a shared cause.”

The project aims to bring to life the stories of the British, American, and Polish paratroopers who assembled and trained in the area before their daring airborne assaults.

These soldiers, who departed from local airfields, played key roles in the Normandy and Arnhem operations, making South Kesteven a wartime hub.

A dig at Fulbeck Manor recently uncovered artefacts that could reveal more about its Second World War role.

Bomber Command, whose history is enshrined in the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) at Lincoln, recorded a total of 550 aircrew and 6,000 ground crew of African origin.

Examples include West African fliers John Henry Smythe, Adesanya Hyde, and Akin Shenbanjo, and Jamaican navigator John Jellicoe Blair.