King Charles, Macron honour Jamaican RAF veteran

LONDON:

Gilbert Clarke, who served as a member of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War, was recently honoured by the UK’s King Charles III and French President Emmanuel Macron for his service to Britain and Europe.

Clarke, who turned 100 on December 3, 2025, told The Weekly Gleaner of his delight at receiving letters of commendation from the two leaders.

Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on December 3, 1925, Clarke — a member of the Windrush generation — answered the call to Commonwealth countries for volunteers to join the Royal Air Force during World War II (1939–1945). Although just 16 years old at the time, Clarke lied about his age and successfully passed all the required tests and basic training. This led to the acceptance of his application and his journey to Liverpool by troopship via the United States.

In 1944, he served as a radar mechanic at a modest Royal Air Force base in Yorkshire.

“I was a poor, barefoot Jamaican in Montego Bay, wanting to be a flight mechanic and to help serve during the war in Europe,” Clarke told The Weekly Gleaner. He added: “It was an emotional time for my mother, especially since she had previously lost her husband — my father — when I was just three years old. For her and the rest of my family, my departure was difficult, but they did not stop me, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

During his journey from Jamaica to the UK, with a brief stop in the United States, Clarke encountered racism for the first time.

“Seeing the segregation of Black and white people during my stop in the US was new to me, as I had not experienced anything like that back home in Jamaica,” he said. “However, during my service in the UK, race was not the defining issue during World War II. My RAF comrades came together as one to defeat a common enemy.”

Now living with his eldest daughter, Norma, in Plaistow, East London, Clarke proudly displayed the letters of commendation he received from King Charles III and President Macron, both expressing gratitude for his service to Britain and Europe during the war.

In a letter dated December 1, 2025, and translated from French, President Macron wrote:

“I wish to express my warmest congratulations and best wishes. I can assure you that France will never forget the sacrifice of those who, like you, chose to take up arms during the Second World War to defend the values and freedom of our continent. In this regard, please know that I cherish the memory of our meetings at the Normandy Landings commemoration ceremonies, particularly on June 6, 2023, in Arromanches. Please accept, dear Sir, the assurance of my highest regards.”

Proud of her father’s legacy, Norma said: “As the daughter of a Jamaican man, I am proud, grateful, and lucky that my father signed up to the RAF when he was only 16 years old. He achieved top marks on the entrance tests, outperforming many 18-year-olds who were eligible to apply. Had he stated his real age, he would never have had the opportunity to become the RAF veteran he is today.

“When my father turned 100 on December 3, 2025, he received a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla. I am proud that my father is a World War II veteran and grateful that he—along with hundreds of thousands of men and women — helped shape Great Britain as we know it today. I am thankful that he returned home safely and made Britain his home. We must never forget those who gave their lives to make the world a better place. God bless them all.”

In addition to the letters of commendation, Clarke and his family also received a Royal Invitation from King Charles III and Queen Camilla to attend the RAF Veterans’ Remembrance Day celebration at the Royal Albert Hall late last year, in the presence of the Royal Family.

“It has been an honour to meet esteemed dignitaries and political leaders from Britain and across Europe at Remembrance Day services and to receive recognition for my service,” Clarke said. “To this day, I still remember assembling the equipment that sent signals to the aircraft flying out to war. It fills me with pride and honour. We were at war, and at the time I said, ‘Give them hell.’”

His niece, Cassandra Harvey, a retired mathematics teacher, reflected on her uncle’s journey: “Growing up in Jamaica, I often heard stories about my father’s older brother who went to the UK to fight in World War II and never returned. When I was recruited from Jamaica in 2001 to join the UK teaching force in London, I made it my mission to reconnect with my long-lost uncle. I admire Uncle Gilbert’s vibrant and authentic personality — there is never a dull moment with him. I am immensely proud of the accolades he has received for his service to the Commonwealth and the British Empire.”

Another niece, Opal Johnson-Christie—a retired science teacher and former director of education for the South England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists — said: “It is an honour to have Gilbert Clarke, one of only two surviving World War II RAF veterans from Jamaica, as my uncle. His courage, bravery, and determination to serve the freedom of citizens across the British Empire and Commonwealth have inspired my own dedication to excellence as an educator.”

Clarke was also accompanied by his son, Alan, to a celebration honouring Black Caribbean RAF veterans at Windrush Square in Brixton, South London, late last year, where many lined up to greet him.

When asked the secret to reaching 100 years of age, Clarke replied simply: “Vitamins — taking my vitamins and living well has kept me going all these years.”

A father of eight children, 12 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren, Clarke offered this advice to today’s 16-year-olds:

“Go for what you want and never give up. That is what I did, and it has served me well.”