WORLD WAR ONE DECLARED 100 YEARS AGO TODAY: THE SITUATION IN DOMINICA. On 3 August 1914 news reached Roseau, by telegraph cable, that Germany had declared war on France. During that day, the government, acting on instructions received from the Secretary of State, converted the defence reserve into the Defence Force. Its 25 members, mostly planters, were called into Roseau along with the police force which was then about 40 strong. Captain H Peebles was put in charge of defence measures. Armed police were stationed to guard the harbour, the military storehouse and Colonial Bank. The next day Germany declared war on Russia. As it became more certain that Britain would be involved, concern in Roseau increased. The quickest means of getting information were the news cables, and for many days crowds gathered around the Cable Office waiting for fresh news. Guards were stationed where the cable lines came ashore along the Roseau Bayfront. Ox-carts and the few motor cars that existed were ordered to standby to take government stores to a hiding place behind Wotton Waven in the Roseau Valley. On 5 August the formal declaration of war between Britain and Germany was read on the steps of the Court House, and a small brass band paraded in Roseau, followed by a crowd waving flags and shouting ‘God Save the King’.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 12:49:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015