The Gambia in World War II

[1] In 1941, Lord Lloyd, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, asked for General Staff to draw up an Appreciation on Africa.

In February 1941, this was completed and sent to Lloyd and Anthony Eden, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

[2] Dudley Pound, the First Sea Lord, partially objected to the assessment of the Gambia's importance.

[6] At the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Thomas Southorn was the Governor of the Gambia, having been appointed to the role in October 1936.

[6] In July 1941, a commission of inquiry was launched to investigate the wages of manual labourers in the Gambia.

[7] Also, during the war, a full income tax was established in the Gambia along with other West African British territories.

[8] Kenneth Blackburne, then Colonial Secretary, published a report in 1943 that assessed the long-term and immediate economic needs of The Gambia.

On 11 November 1943, a Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) Catalina IB with the callsign FP122 crashed in the river while coming in to land at RAF Bathurst.

[14] A Red Cross Committee was also founded in the Gambia in order to assist British soldiers detained in French West Africa.

He was appalled by the poverty he encountered in Bathurst and the experience contributed to his growing antipathy towards the British Empire.

[17] The Colony-class light cruiser HMS Gambia, which saw active service during World War II, took its name from the colony.

It maintained a connection with the Gambia throughout its service, and on 28 May 1943, called at Bathurst when it was en route to Cape Town.