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Late-Colonial Period: Canada Nassau Sun Life

In the late colonial period in 1911, there was a failed movement to make the Bahamas part of Canada, due in part to British opposition over uniting a predominantly black colony with a white country. During World War 1, over 1,800 Bahamians served in the armed forces of Britain, Canada, and the US. In 1940, the Duke of Windsor was installed as governor of the Bahamas but did not enjoy the position, referring to the islands as a "third-class British colony". In June 1942, there was a "full-scale riot" over low wages in Nassau that the Duke blamed on "mischief makers – communists" and Jewish immigrants. A Canadian garrison was stationed in Nass

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127 views2 pages

Late-Colonial Period: Canada Nassau Sun Life

In the late colonial period in 1911, there was a failed movement to make the Bahamas part of Canada, due in part to British opposition over uniting a predominantly black colony with a white country. During World War 1, over 1,800 Bahamians served in the armed forces of Britain, Canada, and the US. In 1940, the Duke of Windsor was installed as governor of the Bahamas but did not enjoy the position, referring to the islands as a "third-class British colony". In June 1942, there was a "full-scale riot" over low wages in Nassau that the Duke blamed on "mischief makers – communists" and Jewish immigrants. A Canadian garrison was stationed in Nass

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akosierika
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Late-colonial period[edit]
In 1911, there was a short-lived movement to make the Bahamas part
of Canada. Although the movement enjoyed the support of many
in Nassau and from the head of Sun Life, a Canadian insurance company,
the movement failed. The failure of the movement was, in part, due to the
British government's opposition to uniting a predominantly Black colony
with a predominantly white country.[20]

The Bahamas at war[edit]


In World War I organizations such as the Imperial Order of the Daughters
of Empire and the Bahamas Red Cross Guild, began collecting money,
food and clothing for soldiers and civilians in Europe. "The Gallant Thirty"
Bahamians set out to join the British West Indies Regiment as early as
1915 and as many as 1,800 served in the armed forces of Canada, Britain
and the United States.
Riot[edit]
Oakes Field, the Bahamas first airport, was opened in Nassau in January
1940. It was named after Harry Oakes, a millionaire who made a large
contribution to its creation. Prior to that, aviation in the Bahamas was
largely carried out by seaplanes.[21][22]
The Duke of Windsor was installed as Governor of the Bahamas, arriving at
that post in August 1940 with his new Duchess. They were appalled at the
condition of Government House, but they "tried to make the best of a bad
situation."[23] He did not enjoy the position, and referred to the islands as "a
third-class British colony".[24] He opened the small local parliament on
October 29, 1940, and they visited the 'Out Islands' that November, which
caused some controversy because of on whose yacht they were cruising.
[25]
 The British Foreign Office strenuously objected when the Duke and
Duchess planned to tour aboard a yacht belonging to a Swedish
magnate, Axel Wenner-Gren, whom American intelligence wrongly
believed to be a close friend of Luftwaffe commander Hermann Göring.[25]
[26]
 The Duke was praised, however, for his efforts to combat poverty on the
islands, although he was as contemptuous of the Bahamians as he was of
most non-white peoples of the Empire.[27] He was also praised for his
resolution of civil unrest over low wages in Nassau in June 1942, when
there was a "full-scale riot,"[28] even though he blamed the trouble on
"mischief makers – communists" and "men of Central European Jewish
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descent, who had secured jobs as a pretext for obtaining a deferment of


draft".[29] The Duke resigned the post on 16 March 1945. [30][31]
During World War II, the Allies centred their flight training and
antisubmarine operations for the Caribbean in the Bahamas. They fought
for their freedom.
Canadian Garrison
In April 1942 the United Kingdom asked Canada to provide military support
in Nassau, in part to provide protection services to H.R.H. the Duke of
Windsor. No. 33 company of the Veterans Guard of Canada was raised
and arrived in June. No 33 company were relieved in 1943 by a company
of The Pictou Highlanders. The Canadian garrison left Nassau in 1946 [32]

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