British Guiana and British Honduras.

During WW2 were these territories garrisoned by troops from the West India Regiment? or did they have their own battalions etc. Ranjit.

The British Guiana Militia was raised as a wartime infantry unit in this colony. In 1948 it was renamed the British Guiana Volunteer Force. There was also a British Honduras Defence Force during WWII. The West India Regiment had been disbanded in 1927 as a cost saving measure.

Here's an interesting article about the British Guiana Volunteer Force and it's predecessor forces. Includes 2 pictures.
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2008/guyana-review/10/01/the-british-guiana-volunteer-force/

Thanks buistR and ChrisF202 for replying,now to find some WW2 photos. Ranji.

What a brilliant article, thank you very much!!

Yes, nice link.
The units just seem to be mentioned as an after thought in most pages, most interest seems to be with the West India Regiments.
Military Uniforms of the Britain & The Empire by RM Barnes is also of no help, a book with one the worst indexing that I have ever come across.

Hi WF. Yes I have three of Major R. Money Barnes' books - those dealing with the British Army overall, the Scottish regiments, and Britain and the Empire. I think there was a fourth covering the mostly territorial London regiments. Written and illustrated between 1951 and 1960 they are first class when he keeps to his subject of expertise - uniforms. His colour plates are particularly good - meticulously researched and nearly always accurate, they provided an excellent introduction to the subject in pre-Osprey days when it was unfashionable and little else in the book line was available. Unfortunately he also attempts to cover the history of the British Army in some detail and here a lot of outdated prejudices show - Britain is always on the right side, British soldiers always behave decently, atrocities are committed by someone else, defeats are caused by untrustworthy allies, the Empire is a jolly good thing etc. Some of it may even be true but he does go on a lot. Anyway the pictures are good.

Cheers

Hi,
I certainly agree with you about the books and his blinkered view of history.
So God wasn't an Englishman after all!
Regards
WF

Just looking at that interesting link about the British Guiana Militia, and would assume that during WW2 kd shirt, shorts, puttees and 1908 webbing were worn ,plus helmets on active service. Pat.