Africa’s World War 2 veterans are the ignored heroes of Britain’s colonial empire

6 June was an important day for the democratic world and World War 2 veterans who made democracy possible. However, as the allied forces converged in Normandy, France to commemorate the D-Day landings that led to Hitler’s defeat 80 years ago, it appears as if it was a European war rather than a world war where Africans played a significant role.

This year, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, 25 heads of state and World War 2 veterans from the US, Britain and Canada converged on the beaches of Normandy where French President Emmanuel Macron awarded 11 US WW2 veterans with France’s highest order of merit, the Legion of Honour. As he pinned medals on their lapels, he appreciated their memorable roles and said, “You came here to make France a free nation. You’re back here today at home, if I may say”.

In the usual manner of these celebrations, rarely do you see veterans of colour, particularly African veterans featuring, not least honoured for their contributions. No wonder an army archivist at an army museum in the US strongly believed “there were no black men at D-day”. This reflects the trivialisation and marginalisation of the black race from one of the most important events of WW2. It’s ironically missing from history books as well as WW2 movies.

Linda Hervieux, the author of Forgotten: The Untold Story of D-Day's Black Heroes, at Home and at War, tells the story of the only African-American combat unit to land on D-Day. She recounts the story of a 21-year-old black African-American veteran, Waverly Bernard “Woody” Woodson, Jr, described as “No 1 Invasion Hero” by the black press whose commanding officer had recommended him for the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest award, but that the office of a US Army general in Britain had changed the recommendation to the highest decoration, the Medal of Honour.

The campaigns for equal recognition and acknowledgement of black veterans led to the award of Medals of Honour to seven African Americans by President Bill Clinton in 1997. This was revolutionary because no African American had ever received the Medal of Honour and an army inquiry attributed it to prevalent racism. In June 2015, President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honour to a long-neglected veteran noting that, “it is never too late to say thank you”.

US African-American World War 2 veterans sit together during a ceremony commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the racial integration of the US Armed Forces, in the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC, US. 23 July 2008. (Photo: EPA/Matthew Cavanaugh)

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There are signs of progress and acknowledgement at least symbolically. For instance, on the 75th anniversary of the Allied landing, President Macron expressed gratitude for the contribution of African soldiers in defeating the German forces. On 5 April 2014, US Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Malawi, Amy Diaz, visited the King’s African Rifles War Memorial in Zomba to honour soldiers killed in World Wars 1 and 2. She said, “We reflect on their valour and sacrifice as we commemorate Normandy’s 80th anniversary this year”.

These are commendable gestures and the first important step towards a greater recognition and correction of wrongs committed in the past. However, more should be done. The history, narratives and recognition of African world war heroes must be mainstreamed and the veterans honoured on the same yardstick as their white counterparts.

More than a million African veterans actively served bravely in colonial armies in WW2 and endured prejudice during and after the war. There has been a general lack of appreciation or compensation for their services afterwards.

A story is told of Lance Corporal Job Maseko, the South African WW2 hero who was denied the highest military award because he was black. He was among 80,000 black South Africans who served in the Native Military Corps (NMC). Despite his ingenuity and use of an improvised explosive that he used to blow up a German freighter, he was awarded the military medal for “meritorious and courageous action”. He deserves the highest honour, equal to what other white South African veterans received.

Several other African soldiers participated in the Normandy landings and many participated in related operations before and after Normandy. These included the Italian campaign and the liberation of Corsica, but their contribution is less well documented and acknowledged.

Many African WW2 veterans returned with a sense of pride and commitment to the democratic and human rights movement that they helped create, but were disappointed by the treatment they received afterwards. An investigation by Al Jazeera revealed that many African veterans received a tiny fraction of what their white colleagues got as compensation. The investigation called their treatment “akin to slavery”.

Africans are proud of the democratic movement they helped shape and are concerned about the legacy of racism and its manifestations in contemporary times. As the African Union 2024 theme focuses on the eradication of modern slavery, forced labour, human trafficking and all forms of human exploitation, it is important to begin to change the historical narratives, recognise and honour African WW2 veterans and award them the medals they deserve.

More importantly, democracy, human rights and humanitarian law are concepts that Africans never received from the West, but ideals borne of their direct fight against fascism in Europe. DM

Dr David Monyae is the Director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg.