The Caribbean contribution to World War Two has been reflected as the BBC invited people to write in about their experiences about the end of the war as the whole of Europe marks sixty years since Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
"It was in 1944, as a young man aged 18, that he had seen advertisements in the Jamaican Gleaner stating that 'The Mother Country needs you', encouraging people to join in the war effort. He responded to an advertisement for ground staff for the RAF," read one contribution about a 'Jamaican motorcyclist in the RAF'.
Histon (Stan) Boreland left the parish of St Mary in Jamaica to join the war effort and remained with the RAF until 1952 and then lived and worked in Gloucester for many years.
In London many assembled in Trafalgar Square on Sunday to celebrate soldiers like Stan and to remember those who did not survive the war.
One Barbadian in Trafalgar for the celebrations said "I was in Barbados on VE Day. When we heard the war was over we started to celebrate right there and then. I was fifteen at the time and it was declared a holiday with dancing and maypoles and everything that we do in Barbados."
Using bases in the Caribbean
Official documents also show how the United States traded destroyers to get access to British air and naval bases in the then colonies of the Bahamas, Jamaica, St Lucia, Antigua, and British Guiana (now Guyana).
