A MIRROR ON THE JDF

The quest for roots has become a popular theme. Nowhere are our common roots better illustrated than in the Garrison Church at Up Park Camp. I attended services there fairly regularly and I must confess that it is not unknown for my attention to wander. It invariably strays in the direction of the old Colours laid up in the chancel, and I find myself reflecting on what they represent, the people who served here all those years ago and their legacy to us today.

It seems to me entirely appropriate and somehow symbolic that here in a Jamaican church there are Queens Colours laid up and kept for posterity. Everything about the church , its services, its brass plaques, and its big events such as the annual VC Day service are to me completely ‘British Army’. What better manifestation is there of the JDF’s roots?

The JDF estate and standards

Familiarity with much of the JDF estate, for example Port Royal, Newcastle, Moneague and Up Park Camp itself, and almost total unfamiliarity with similar British institutions no doubt prevents the average member of the JDF from recognising how very ‘British’ are his surroundings. Priviledged as I am to have a foot in each camp, I remain astonished at how successive generations of the JDF have preserved British traditions and infrastructure.

I see standards of drill and turnout at Newcastle that there is a direct reflection of the Guards Depot at Pirbright in the United Kingdom. I hear familiar military music that warms the heart and brings a lump to the throat. The JDF’s military architecture is comfortingly recognisable and is all the more striking as it is not in a rush to modernise. We in the UK have demolished almost all our old barracks. Naturally, I must comment on the British Army badges on the wall at Newcastle. They are a wonderful reminder of our joint past.

Traditions, flags, uniforms and procedures

While the Garrison Church in up Park Camp and the military estate generally may represent an outward and visible sign of our joint past, there are many less tangible aspects of that joint past that are equally, if not more striking. It is difficult to single out any one area. The JDF rank system, mess traditions, uniforms, staff and operations procedures are instantly recognisable to me as either identical to ours or so close as to be indistinguishable.

As a soldier, who am I to comment on naval matters, yet in the Coast Guard too I can instantly recognise its Royal navy heritage, not least the White Ensign. Curiously, however, into all this creeps a sort of déjà vu. While many of our British systems have changed, the JDF, refreshingly, has preserved much of them from British military institutions of the 1960s.

Current British influence on the JDF

Looking on the British Forces, if we take Jamaica’s independence in August 1962 as a baseline, there have been massive changes since then. Up to the end of the Cold war in 1990, change was mainly evolutionary, occurring at a steady rate. Since 1990, a revolution has occurred and it is difficult to recognise much of what is left. Virtually everything has changed. Thus, our procedures, tactics, dress, organisation, weapons and equipment are all markedly different from those on which the JDF was modeled. Of course, development has occurred here too but, inevitably with a smaller organisation facing different threats and challenges, at a different pace. Indeed we have, through courses and exercises, passed on more up-to-date approaches.

Thus in terms of Anglo-Jamaican military relations, the JDF finds itself resting on a solid foundation of pre-1960s British military tradition garnished with later additions. I should add that this period is held in particular esteem by the present generation of British service people.

Our relationship is of course greatly strengthened by the JDF’s contacts with other allies, for example, the Americans. From my perspective, this results in a happy, mature and constructive partnership. With almost all JDF officers being trained in the UK, I see every prospect of the partnership continuing and flourishing. Thanks to friendships made in their earlier years, senior officers in the UK Ministry of Defense have among them a large reservoir of goodwill towards the JDF.

Nevertheless there are clouds on the horizon. Apart from the financial difficulties inherent in preserving this relationship, the JDF and the British High Commission will have to work hard to ensure that EXERCISE RED STRIPE/CALYPSO HOP and other joint training ventures are not compromised by the huge changes sweeping the British armed services.

Conclusions

"History is … bunk," said Henry Ford. Are our historical links bunk too? What is their relevance? I have attempted to point out some of the more obvious aspects of the British historical legacy that are present in the JDF. It would be arrogant of me to presume that the Jamaican servicemen should recognise these links only as good things even if they were. But one thing is certain; like it or not we live with these ties and, as with any military situation, we should do our best to turn them to our advantage. Admittedly the British has learnt too from these ties with the JDF.

These procedures and systems have served us well over the centuries and I see them doing exactly that for the JDF and us. History has shown that tradition should not lightly be abandoned. Our links also allow British service personnel to integrate easily into the JDF and greatly facilitate our provision of assistance. There is also no doubt that, conversely, they are a help to JDF units exercising with British Forces. There are wider implications too: Jamaica shares its British heritage with many Caribbean Defence Forces, thus simplifying inter-operability and so contributing to overall regional stability.

And finally, as old friends, we the British military greatly value these ties. We are honoured and delighted to do all we can to strengthen and preserve our links with Jamaica. Long live the JDF!