Bamber Bridge, UK Celebrates Its Role in Resisting WWII-era Racism in the US Army

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Bamber Bridge, a village located in the northwestern region of England, celebrates its historic stance against the racially discriminatory practices of the U.S. military during World War II.

When the all-Black 1511th Quartermaster Truck Regiment was stationed in the village, the locals declined to uphold the racial segregation prevalent in the U.S. Army. Despite pressures from both the British and American authorities, pubs welcomed the Black soldiers, local women engaged with them, and British soldiers shared a drink with their fellow fighters against fascism.

However, on June 24, 1943, tensions between the Black soldiers and white military police escalated into a night of gunfire and revolt outside a pub, leading to the death of Private William Crossland and several soldiers from the truck regiment facing court martial. Crossland’s niece, upon learning about her uncle’s circumstances from a Big Big News reporter, demanded a fresh investigation into his death.

The village is currently reflecting on its stand against segregation as it observes the 80th anniversary of the event, now referred to as the Battle of Bamber Bridge. This comes at a time when America is reassessing its historical treatment of Black servicemen and servicewomen.

Valerie Fell, who was merely 2 years old in 1943 and whose family owned Ye Olde Hob Inn where the conflict started, commented on the community’s lack of bigotry towards the soldiers. She emphasized that the respect and dignity owed to the soldiers was recognized by the locals.

Such recognition was starkly absent in the wartime U.S. Army, which was still segregated by law. Black soldiers of the truck regiment stationed at Bamber Bridge lamented over subpar food and poor living conditions. They also reported continuous harassment by white military police over minor infractions that were usually overlooked for other soldiers.

Segregation was even attempted to be exported. U.S. authorities tried to enforce racial segregation in local British establishments, but many British communities resisted, including Bamber Bridge.

What sets Bamber Bridge apart, according to Alan Rice, co-director of the Institute for Black Atlantic Research at the University of Central Lancashire, is the local community’s determination to preserve this part of their history and share it with others.

The Battle of Bamber Bridge was reinvigorated in the 1980s when Clinton Smith, head of the Black history group in nearby Preston, found bullet holes in a bank and began inquiring about their origin. This inquiry sparked wider interest, leading to the publication of a book on the event, oral histories, and even a plaque outside the Hob Inn detailing the community’s relationship with the soldiers.

Despite the villagers’ positive relations with the Black GIs, they couldn’t prevent the ensuing violence that erupted when the Black soldiers, incensed by their mistreatment and news of racial unrest in Detroit, confronted the baton and sidearm-armed military police.

Several Black soldiers faced charges such as mutiny, riot, and unlawful possession of weapons, with many getting convicted. Most of them received sentences between three to fifteen years in prison, alongside loss of pay and dishonorable discharges. Many sentences were reduced to time served as the D-Day landings neared to reutilize the men in the war effort.

The white officers faced criticism for their poor leadership, but there’s no record of any disciplinary actions against them or the military police.

The Bamber Bridge incident led to significant changes in the treatment of Black troops. Senior generals initiated reforms, including replacing officers in charge of Black units, provision of additional recreational facilities, and more racially mixed military police patrols.

However, it was too late for Crossland, a former railroad worker who died at the age of 25. Court martial proceedings provided scant detail on his death. Officers believed he was caught in the crossfire between two groups of Black soldiers.

Currently, a reassessment of the incident is in progress. Nancy Croslan Adkins, a niece of William, expressed her desire for a new investigation. Aaron Snipe, the spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in London, expressed the Biden administration’s readiness to “right the wrongs of the past.”

This report was contributed to by Big Big News writer Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York.

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More about Racism in WWII

• Battle of Bamber Bridge: A Stand Against Racism in WWII
• The Fight for Equality: Black Soldiers in the US Army During WWII
• Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Bamber Bridge
• Reassessing the Treatment of Black Troops in WWII
• New Investigation Demanded into the Death of Private William Crossland