Ekpenyon I. Ekpenyon was a Nigerian from the town of Calabar, who originally came to Britain to study law. He began training as a warden with the Air Raid Precautions Service as soon as the war broke out. As an air-raid warden in St Marylebone in London, Ekpenyon worked as an official in charge of local arrangements for air raids. He was responsible for running air-raid shelters, giving advice to his community, keeping lists of people living locally, helping with rescue work, and warning people about the blackout (during the war all outside lights were switched off and people had to make sure that no lights could be seen from within their homes – hence people put up ‘blackout’ screens or curtains).

Ekpenyon described how he challenged racism in the air raid shelters: ‘Some of the shelters told others to go back to their own countries, and some tried to practice segregation. So I told the people that though I am an air raid warden in London I am still an African. I said I would like to see a spirit of friendliness, co-operation and comradeship prevail at this very trying time in the history of the Empire. I further warned my audience that if what I had said was not going to be practised, I would advise those who did not agree to seek shelter somewhere else.’ He added: ‘It amuses me to know that in the district where I work the people believe that because I am a man of colour I am a lucky omen. I had heard of such childish beliefs, but I am delighted that such beliefs exist, for wherever my duties take me the people listen to my instructions and orders, and are willing to allow me to lead them. So I am able to control them, which makes my duties lighter in these troublous days.’

During the war Ekpenyon made several broadcasts for BBC radio’s Empire Service in Calling West Africa. He described his duties as an air-raid warden, such as tackling the fires started by incendiary bombs, and recalled several frightening experiences during air raids. On one occasion he had to evacuate a shelter that had suffered bomb damage and, as he was helping an elderly lady to another shelter, another bomb came down. He threw her to the ground, and protected her by lying on top of her: 

‘I found the shelter had been damaged and was in darkness, and about 120 people were in a state of confusion. As I was standing on the top of the stairs, I shone my torch on my face and signalled to them to be quiet. I managed to make myself heard, and told them plainly that if they wanted to be saved from fire they had to keep cool and take orders from me. Failing that, they and I would have to remain in the building and face our fate, which would be a very unpleasant one. The people became quiet and we were able to evacuate everyone…I had to carry a frightened woman from the damaged shelter. In the street the droning of the planes and the bursting shells increased her fright, so that she gripped me round the neck and I was nearly choked. I braced myself and carried her to a place of safety.’

This information is from Stephen Bourne's books Mother Country: Britain's Black Community on the Home Front 1939-45 (The History Press, 2010) , The Motherland Calls: Britain's Black Servicemen and Women 1939-45 (The History Press, 2012) and War to Windrush: Black Women in Britain 1939-48 (Jacaranda Books, 2018).

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