Britain's Black Regiments

In three global conflicts and countless colonial campaigns, tens of thousands of black West Indian soldiers fought and died for Britain, first as slaves and then as volunteers. These all but forgotten regiments were unique because they were part of the British Army rather than colonial formations. All were stepchild units, despised by an army that was loath to number black soldiers in its ranks and yet unable to do without them; their courage, endurance and loyalty were repaid with bigotry and abuse. In Britain's Black Regiments, Barry Renfrew shines a light on the experiences of these overlooked soldiers who had travelled thousands of miles to serve the empire but were denied recognition in their lifetimes. From British campaigns in the Caribbean to the Second World War, this is a saga of war, bondage, hardship, mutiny, forlorn outposts and remarkable fortitude.

Barry Renfrew is a military historian and foreign correspondent who has covered wars and unrest in Afghanistan, Russia, Africa and elsewhere. Front-line experience in Chechnya and other conflict zones has helped him understand what soldiers through the ages have faced on the battlefield. He is the author of Wings of Empire (The History Press) and lives with his wife Margaret in the Chiltern Hills.