Submitted by Dean de Freitas, email: deandef@bellsouth.net. May not be copied or reproduced without permission from submitter.
The following is a list of persons of Portuguese descent who left Trinidad to serve in the Great War: – “T.C.” means “Trinidad Contingent.” “M.C.” – “Merchant’s Contingent.” “”L.O.” – “Left on his Own.”
Transcribed from Brief History of the Associação Portuguesa Primeiro de Dezembro, by Charles Reis, Port-of-Spain: Franklin’s Electric Printery, 1926., pp 59 to 62.
CALDEIRA, Benjamin, (2nd T.C.)
CALDEIRA, Joseph (3rd T.C.)
CORREIA, Christian (4th T.C.)
CORREIA, Joseph (2nd M.C.) Joined 4th London Regt. R.F.
CUNHA, Henry Cullen, Lt. 18 Inf. State Guards, U.S.A.
D’ABREU, Antonio G. (2nd M.C.) Joined 4th London Regt. R.F. Jan. I6, 1916. Served with 4/4th London Regt. and Devon. Regiment.
DA COSTA, Antonio (L.0.) Sapper R.E., killed in action Lesars, France on Nov. 29, 1916.
DA C0STA, Donald (L.O.) Enlisted in U.S. Army
DA C0STA, Vernon O. (14th M.C.) Joined 56th Batt. R.F.A. afterwards Cadet R.A.F.
D’ANDRADE, Cecil (17th M.C.) Arrived in England after signing of Armistice. Returned to Trinidad Dec. 1918.
DE CAIRES, Matthew (L.O.) Pte Australian Exped. Force.
DE CASTRO, Francis (2nd M.C.) Joined 4th London Regt. R.F. Jan. I5, 1916. Served with 4/4th London Regt. and Devon. Regiment.
DE CASTRO, Laurie Stanley (L.O.) Lt. R.F.A. Northum. Bdge.
DE FREITAS, Conrad (5th T.C.)
DE FREITAS, Vincent (3rd T.C.) Pte. B.W.I., Egypt.
DE NOBRIGA, Albert Ralph (L.O.) Cpr. Alr Mechanic R.A.F., Egypt.
DE NOBRIGA, Charles (12th M.C.) 2nd Lieut R.A.F.
DE NOBRIGA, Joseph Oliver (1st M.C.) Joined 1st King Edward’s Horse. Discharged medically unfit Sep. 1918. Returned Nov. 1918.
DE NOBRIGA, Lewis (lst M.C.) Joined Royal Engineers Nov. 22, 1915. Served with 7th Field Troop, 7th Cavalry Bgde. in Mesopotamia, June 1916 to April 1918. Retd. Oct. 1919.
DE PAIVA, Antonio (Ist T.C.) Joined 1st Batt. B.W.I.
DE SILVA, Antonio Hilario (14th M.C.) Joined16th Batt. London Regt. (Civil Service Rifles.)
DE SILVA, Gregson Ellis (4th T.C.)
DE SILVA, Leslie (15th M.C.) Joined Royal Air Force. Cadet June 11, 1918. 2nd Lieut. Feb. 6., 1919. Retd. June 16, 1919.
DE SILVA, Raymond (1st T.C.) Returned medically unfit. Received Silver War Badge.
DE SILVA, Sebastien (3rd T.C.)
DE SOUZA, Albert (4th T.C.)
DE SOUZA, Alexander Ramsay (1st M.C.) Joined 1st King Edward ‘s Horse. (NOTE: This is the spelling of this gentleman’s name according to Charles Reis. However, we received an email from descendants of this gentleman noting that his name is actually spelled Alexander Ramsey de Sousa. It is possible that Mr. Reis used the more common of the two spellings for de Sousa/de Souza)
DE SOUZA, Charles (5th T.C.)
DE S0UZA, George (1st M.C.) Joined 1st King Edward’s Horse. Served on Western Front. Prisoner of war in Germany May 1918. Returned Nov. 20, 1918. (NOTE: This is the spelling of this gentleman’s name according to Charles Reis. However, we received an email from descendants of this gentleman noting that his name is actually spelled de Sousa. It is possible that Mr. Reis used the more common of the two spellings for de Sousa/de Souza.)
DE SOUZA, Wilfred (3rd T.C.) Served in Egypt.
DIAS, Alfred (3rd T.C.) Served in Egypt.
D0S SANTOS, Alan Percy Carlye (1st T.C.) Served in Egypt.
D0S SANT0S, Joseph (1st T.C.) Served in Egypt.
FERREIRA, Albert Joseph (2nd M.C.) Joined 4th London Regt. R.F., transferred to 2/6th Devons.
FERREIRA, Edwin Lionel, (1st M.C.) Joined 1st King Edward’s Horse. Served in France, Belgium and Italy.
FERREIRA, James (4th T.C.)
GOMES, George R. (2nd M.C.) Joined 4th London Regt. R.F. Served with 4/4th London Regiment and 2/6th Devons. Service in India.
GOMES, John C. (3rd T.C.) Served in Egypt.
GOUVEIA, Egbert Lionel (1st M.C.) Joined 2nd Life Guards, transferred to Tank Corps.
GOUVEIA, Frederick T. (L.O ) Pte 24th Batt., Victoria Rifles, C.E.F. Service in France. Wounded Nov. 3, 1917. Decorated. Unit of Army of Occupation, Menden, Germany.
GOUVEIA, Martln Austin (1st M.C ) Joined 2nd Life Ouards, transferred Household Batt. Wounded April 1917.
JOAQUIN, Arthur Alfred (lst T.C.) 1st Batt. B.W.I. Regt. Joined Royal Engineers Mounted. Service at Palestine.
MARQUES, Noble (15th M.C.) Joined King Edward’s Horse, May 1918. Returned to Trinidad June 1919.
MENDES, Alfred H. (2nd M.C.) Joined King’s Royal Rifles, Jan. 1916. Served in Franco. Major-General Matheson, Commanding Officer 4th Division reported “his fine behaviour” in taking an important despatch back under great difficulties, a deed of bravery and devotion to duty under fire, for which he wes awarded the Military Medal. Returned to Trinidad April 1919. (NOTE: This is the author Alfred Mendes, see the Literature section.)
MENDES Alick (L.O.) War-work munition factory. Joined Royal Air Force.
MENDES, Harry (L.O.) Joined Queen’s Royal Rifles. Service in France. Suffered from shell-shock. Discharged medicallv unfit after two years service.
MENDES, Hugh Martin (L.O.) Joined Royal Army Medical Corps, 1914. Service in France, was gassed. Returned to West Indies in 1916 on War Work.
NUNES, Albert (2nd T.C.)
PEREIRA, GEORGE (L.O.) Surgeon-Capt. R.A.M.C.
PEREIRA, Harold (4th T.C.)
PEREIRA, John (17th M.C.) Arrived in England too late for enlistment. Returned December 1918.
PINTO, John Baptiste (1st T.C.) 1st Batt. B.W.I. Regt.
REIS, CHARLES (L.O.) Joined I.C., O.T.C., Oct. 1914 to Jan. 1915. Machine Gun (Heavy Section) afterward named Tank Corps, 1916. A.P.C. July 1917. War work Board of Trade Decr. 1917 to 1918.
RODRIGUES, George Harold (1st M.C.) Joined 1st King Edward’s Horse.
VASCONCELLOS, Jules Louis (1st T.C.) Served in Egypt.
VIEIRA, Cosmos (3rd T.C.)
VIEIRA, Harry Elbert (L.O.)
VIEIRA, James (L.O.) Served in U.S. Army
This list does not claim to be exhaustive as it is very difficult to obtain proper records. Of the names on this list, eleven have been registered as members of the Portuguese Association since the armistice and the undermentioned two were members at the time they joined the colours, namely Antonio de PAIVA who became a member in 1911 and Antonio da COSTA in 1914. The former joined the 1st Trinidad Contingent while the latter who also left voluntarily to give help to the Empire in its hour of need, made the Great Sacrifice. His name will be remembered for all times with honour, praise and, gratitude while his valiant deed and noble death will ever remain with the Association a fragrant memory.