June 2, 2002

Dear Sir,

Your recent Editorial on the black Bermudian who served on the Union side in the American Civil War and subsequent suggestion that he was born after the end of slavery in the British Empire in 1834 underlines the necessity for professional research into such matters of long ago, or even more recent history.

Several hundred black Bermudians served in the two World Wars, at home and overseas. The exhibition on "Bermuda's Defence Heritage" that will be open to the public at the Commissioner's House in late June will document some of their achievements and sacrifices, as well as those of other Bermudians.

Even though the Second World War is within living memory, the facts of the matter have taken considerable research to ascertain. In this regard, Dr. Clarence Maxwell, Charlotte Andrews of the Maritime Museum and I would like to thank all those who responded to an earlier letter asking for information on some of those who fell in the 1939-45 conflict.

We now have a list of full names for all 35 Bermudians on the Debt of Honour Register for that war and photographs of most of them.

We believe this is the first time such a list has been compiled, believe it or not.

It will shortly be published in your newspaper.

What we can now say with reasonable certainty is that five black Bermudians sacrificed their lives in the Second World War.

One, Granville Burton Williams, served with the United States Army with distinction, receiving the Bronze Star and after his death, the Purple Heart.

Research by the Maritime Museum is now recording in a permanent archive the range of service by all Bermudians up to and including the Vietnam War.

We are still unable to find any contact information for the family of Flying Officer Frank Scott, RCAF, son of Arthur and Rena Scott who apparently left Bermuda after the war.

We would be grateful for any help in this regard.

DR. EDWARD CECIL HARRIS, MBE, FSA

Executive Director, Bermuda Maritime Museum