Attempted Overthrow of Bradshaw’s Government, St. Kitts History, Anguilla Revolution
Written By St. Kitts History
The June 10th event has been documented by Anguillian authors Nat Hodge and Colville Petty. In their books and other written articles on the Anguilla Revolution they wrote that the attempt to overthrow Bradshaw on June 10th 1967, was the brainchild of Ronald Webster and a prominent Kittitian politician, Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement, Dr. William V. Herbert Jr. According to their publication: “Its (June 10th 1967( ha two principal objectives which were interrelated: Firstly, the defence of the Anguilla Revolution. Secondly, the overthrow of Robert Bradshaw’s government and its replacement by one sympathetic to Anguilla’s cause.
Ronald Webster, leader of the Anguilla Revolution, was fearful of an invasion from St. Kitts and reasoned that the best way of preventing it was to attack St. Kitts before St. Kitts attacked Anguilla. On the other hand, the sole objective of the prominent Kittitian politician was the removal of Premier Bradshaw. To this end, he thought it expedient to use the ‘armed might’ and revolutionary fervour of the Anguillian people to assist him. It was not difficult for him and Webster to join forces because both of them had goals, which, they envisaged, could be accomplished by defeating their common enemy: Bradshaw.
The plans included capturing Bradshaw and his deputy, Paul Southwell, and taking them to Anguilla; the announcement by Ruby Gumbs, over radio station ZIZ in St. Kitts that the new Premier was the prominent Kittitian politician; the demolition of the Defence Force Camp; the capture of the Police Headquarters; the destruction of the Power Station; the blowing up of the fuel depot and the capture of the Revenue Cutter used by the Police.
As part of their preparations for the attack, several of our men underwent shooting exercises at Junks Hole Bay. United States mercenaries conducted the exercises. According to Ruby Gumbs the prominent Kittitian politician remarked: “If the boys continued to shoot the way they were doing at Junk Hole, with the help of the Pamites in St. Kitts, they can overthrow the Government in St. Kitts.”
Click Here to Read what a writter had to say about this day in history.
“I was in awe of the physical and moral courage of this gentleman (Robert Bradshaw). Both his moral and physical courage were tested sorely in the wake of 10th June, 1967. Because when details of the plot were revealed, it turned out that he (Robert Bradshaw) was to be humiliated, put on trial and eventually killed.” “Nevertheless, Mr. Bradshaw remained strong and resolute. It is the measure of the man that he was able to put all of these traumatic events behind him and chart a course forwards Unity in the society,” said Sir Probyn, a former Governor of the State, who served as Permanent Secretary, Crown Counsel and Teacher.Remember June 10th 1967, Faces Change, Philosophies Remain
This article is about; St. Kitts History, History of St. Kitts, History of Robert Llewelyn Bradshaw, History of Robert Bradshaw, History of the People’s Action Movement, Ronald Webster, Nat Hodge, Colville Petty, Leader of the People’s Action Movement, Dr. William V. Herbert Jr,St. Kitts Politics, St. Kitts Political History, YoungPamites in St. Kitts, C. A Paul Southwell, Paul Southwell,Sir Probyn Inniss, Kennedy Simmonds, St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party.
If you would like your oppinion to be heared on Cmvlive, please send it to us in an email to oppinion@cmvlive.com , Let Freedom of Speech Reign.
