Life In Wartime Trinidad

**Jerome** · 04-30-2009, 08:01 AM

For the past five months I have been researching WW2 Trinidad & other WI servicemen/women. The reading of the newspapers of the day has been fascinating and I thought to perhaps share here what things were like on the home front, 5,000 miles from Britain. It will be through pics of articles, so the quality may/will probably not be too good, so hope you will forgive me. Here is the first article, published in The Sunday Guardian, 29 Nov 1942:

Oopps wrong forum - can a Mod move this to Newsreels & newspapers forum?

**Kyt** · 04-30-2009, 08:50 AM

Witchbroom Officers? Should I ask?

**Jerome** · 04-30-2009, 09:17 PM

Thanks for moving this thread Kyt. Fortunately 'Authority" never followed through. The many vehicular accidents involving US personnel would have created a 'road kill' crisis - though come to think of it, may well have solved or alleviated the severe meat shortage!

**Jerome** · 04-30-2009, 09:44 PM

Not only was there a food shortage, but also a coin shortage:-

click Ctrl ++ to enlarge type

**Kyt** · 05-02-2009, 03:55 AM

The question is - who was importing the coins? The article implies that it could be citizens, but where were they getting them from? Or was it the remittance from those who had volunteered and were training in Canada, who maybe sending home some pay?

**Jerome** · 05-02-2009, 07:35 AM

Since Britain was unable to provide coins (and later on $5.00 bills) until the end of 1942, the government decided to bring in a large supply from Canada and which would be legal tender in Trinidad but carry a Trinidad face value. Special legislation had to be passed. The idea of bringing coins from the US was brought up but patriotic pride won out - about a month after, $5.00 bills from Barbados were brought in and circulated as legal tender - probably the 1st and only time a country had money from 2 other countries circulating and all legal tender ! with a local face value.

**Jerome** · 06-11-2009, 05:09 PM

These documents were found on Macqueripe Beach, Chaguaramas, Trinidad about 15 - 20 years ago in a water-proofed pouch. The finder passed it on to a friend who photocopied them as an historical oddity. Yesterday, they were passed on to me and I have scanned them for display within the Museum. They relate what action is to be taken in Trinidad if war with Japan seem imminent and they are dated 25 Oct 1941 and marked Most Secret.

**Jerome** · 06-11-2009, 05:12 PM

The other page is here:

**Kyt** · 06-12-2009, 03:27 AM

The contents of the document seem pretty standard (though very interesting) but what fascinates me are the circumstances of the find!!! Jerome, have you found anything about how they were lost? Though it says telegram I wonder whether they were in a diplomatic pouch lost on a ship?

**Jerome** · 06-12-2009, 08:00 AM

The info I have is as per post#7. I don't think it was lost on a ship, since it is/was highly unlikely for flotsam to wash ashore at this Bay. I think it was either (a) carelessness - since Macqueripe was a popular bathing area for Society at that time, or (b) post Independence and until early '90's a huge quantity of old documents were dumped in one of the old US NAS hangers and scavengers maybe took some stuff and carried them to Macqueripe for privacy to review them.