Chris had the opportunity to meet with many veterans and widows whilst in Guyana including Private Victor Bushe, 97. Victor joined the British Guyana Battalion in 1943 at the age of 18 and trained at Tacama Battle School in Guyana. He was deployed as a guard to protect the bauxite mines, as bauxite is the most common ore of aluminium and was used to make aircraft for the RAF. He was demobilised in 1946 but did not join the Guyana Defence Forces. Victor is one of the oldest surviving WW11 veterans supported by RCEL.  He is very grateful for the support he receives which he uses to purchase food. He is looked after by his wife, Geneva at home in Guyana.

Cpl Kenneth King, 98 enlisted in 1942 and trained as a Radio Operator in Guyana, instructed by British Signallers. He was demobilised in 1946. He was posted to Trinidad during the War and worked with the Royal Navy and reported German ship deployments in the Caribbean, working in morse code and semaphore. He became Guyana’s first Parliamentary Mace Bearer and very much enjoyed his Parliamentary business, particularly the opening of Parliament. He proudly holds the photo of him in his formal dress as Mace Bearer. His wife died 8 years ago, when he was 90 and he is now cared for at home by his daughter Lorraine. His son sadly died of covid in 2020 whilst working as a nurse in one of Guyana’s hospitals. He is very grateful for the grant he receives as it allows him to enjoy a healthy 2 meals a day.