* ^ towards VICTORY -JhT. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARYThe HOME FRONT A TEN and women in West Africa realise IVA how much depends upon an Allied victory, and from the moment war was declared, they have ranged themselves whole- heartedly at the side of Britain and her Allies, against the aggressor nations of Germany, Italy and Japan. Many have joined their own splendid regiments of the Royal West African Frontier Force—the Nigeria Regiment, the Gold Coast Regiment, the Sierra Leone Regiment and the Gambia Regiment—in order that they may be able to defend their homeland from invasion, if necessary. West Africa is taking no chances. Big guns are ever watchful on the coast for enemies coming by sea, and anti-aircraft guns are ready to deal with any invaders who might dare to come from the skies. Efficient Air-raid Precaution services have been formed in all main towns. Men and women have qualified in First-aid, so that in the event of an emergency they can give useful service to their fellows. Many women have joined the nursing services. West Africa to-day is strategically im- portant because of its position on the supply routes to the Cape by sea, and to Egypt by air. This importance is recognised by the official appointment of a Minister of Cabinet rank—Lord Swinton—to guide the West African war effort. The people of West Africa are trained and ready to play their part if the need arises, and their hearts are with the British Empire and her Allies in this great crusade.C,u(‘vtl U bl G°V tUc vtvs^ 00“ st- ^ric“^Sct,0id first' ^n° M^,V , > ’ °.“SI’ «*■'„*,0 ?wt- Vc(‘r .-r0^en is otv .« t>vt FIRST AID POST FOOD is a weapon of war In this war of widely scattered war fronts, shipping is of vital importance. It is essential that every ship possible shall be set free from carrying ordinary produce, so that it may take arms and munitions to the battlefields. That is why the growing of food to-day is just as vital as the making of guns or the killing of Germans. West Africa has helped to free much valuable shipping by increasing her own food supplies, so that not so much food has to be imported. Of course, some of the crops which brought peace-time trade to West Africa are not much needed in war time. Ships cannot be spared from their war tasks to carry large supplies of less essential foods, such as cocoa, to other parts of the world, but during the war the British Government is paying a fair price for the cocoa crops all the same, so that West African labour shall not go without reward. And after the war, merchant ships will return to West Africa and carry West African produce all over the world and increase the prosperity of all four colonies. Men and women of the Fanti tribe, in the Gold Coast, do more fishing to provide extra food, and free shipping for vital war work.More RAW MATERIALS mean more yV>>V* Many West African products are vital to Britain’s war industries, and every day West African war materials are helping to put new weapons of war into the front line. Nigerian tin goes to Britain’s factories to be used in making engine bearings, tinplate (for canning of foodstuffs), and many other wartime necessities. The rich timber forests of Nigeria supply mahogany, the wood used through- out the world for making training aircraft propellors ; other essential exports include hides and skins, necessary for flying suits, army boots and equipment. Manganese (from the Gold Coast) is essential to the manufacture of steel. Sierra Leone iron ore helps to make tanks and big guns for the many different battle-fronts. Palm oil, from the Gambia, is used in tin plating, and her ground-nuts are used in making margarine for the armies in the Middle East. Since many important territories in the Far East have been over-run by the enemy for the time being, the raw materials of West Africa have become even more vital to the Allied war effort. Valuable industrial diamonds, used in glass cutting and rock drills, are produced in the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone, and a West African rubber industry has now been started, which may be of vital importance to Allied war industry and help to take the place of the temporary loss of rubber from Malaya. An important tin mine in Nigeria, which provides tin for many essential uses in British war factories. CVs. '„ is '*st st^' I^e’ - 0$ , o*c’ 1 CO' >W“V >;> „ c0,,°",. o) 0 cot*0”, is tin \V^V‘ T>VCtUlfC isli^ G0^ th« „a- ^/f(V"££l ;SCn Go« aUi^ tHe >ssctt ti»ls oj lll° ll^{■ills to Britain's war front West Africa has sent many generous gifts to Britain’s war front. Nigeria and the Gold Coast have paid for squadrons of “ Hurricane ” fighter aircraft, which have helped in the front-line defence of Britain’s towns and ports and vital industrial centres. They have also helped to protect convoys sailing round Britain’s coast, and they have shot down many German bombers. There is also a British bomber bearing the proud name of Sierra Leone, which has taken part in big bombing raids on Germany. Each of the four West African colonies has presented a Food Flying Squad van to rush hot drinks and food to blitzed cities in Britain, where people have lost their homes and possessions in the ruthless raids. Contributions have poured into Britain from West Africa for the Red Cross, Air-raid Relief, and many other war funds. Nigeria was the first African colony to launch its own Savings Certi- ficates scheme, and had reached a total of £224,000 by May 1942. Taxation in the West African colonies has increased, during the war, to bear the added cost of war defence. This has been willingly paid, together with generous war loans to Britain. Pilots and air crews of the Gold Coast “ Hurricane ” Fighter Squadron ready to take off and chase German bombers aiuay from Britain’s shores. ^ r\\C& rc<*c‘ X9& fi«,,,C0vt 1&* . <"e K e»<* c°»n “’V* **£> ° ,„ ^ preS A vt»n So‘|UBrit»il'' \V^st n ''6 s‘ , Wcs , GO'*1 ®*. •» „ » £ ,«< >r>^ Vc0l C>iUn' c* P°stCVlve *lV L ccTlt AcCf°’ Ajric°n V»C*‘CCk )»"'„«!•“ Amongst all human qualities that will persist to the end of time, loyalty holds foremost place— loyalty to King, to country, to Empire and to the cause of liberty, for which we are fighting His Majesty King George VI meets West African seamen who have helped to bring valuable war supplies to Britain.