Billy Strachan - RAF Pilot and Activist

William Arthur Watkin Strachan, known as Billy was born on the 16th April 1921 in Kingston, Jamaica. He was a Second World War Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot. He was also a civil rights activist, lawyer, and a Communist. Even though Strachan's father was a company manager and although his family was relatively well off, he still dealt with racism in colonial Jamaica.

In 1939 when he was only 18 years old, Strachan sold his bicycle and saxophone to buy a ticket to travel to England. He wanted to join the RAF to help fight fascism. Strachan arrived in Blackpool in 1940 where he commenced basic training. He was the only Black recruit and experienced racism however he pushed through.

Strachan still worked for the RAF as a liaison officer whilst stationed in Bedfordshire. In 1944 he became friendly with Una Marson who was involved in activism and she greatly influenced his thinking. As a liaison officer Strachan was tasked with investigating racial tensions amongst troops.

After the war Strachan returned to Jamaica with his wife and young family where he worked as a civil servant. However, he faced institutional racism which blocked his career progression. Strachan wrote to newspapers, under his wife’s name to avoid detection, to air his grievances. His articles caught the attention of Dr David Lewis a Marxist and activist who was living in Jamaica at the time. Lewis introduced Strachan to 

By 1941 Strachan was flying bombing missions over Nazi-occupied Europe as a pilot with RAF Bomber Command. He had started out as a radio operator then qualified as a gunner before becoming a pilot. Strachan was fearless, and daring which led to a crash causing him serious injury. Strachan was hospitalised, though once physically recovered he returned to active service. However, the war had taken its toll. Strachan narrowly avoided crashing the plane he was piloting  whilst flying over Lincoln Cathedral. He was diagnosed with war weariness and didn't fly again.

radical left-wing politics and persuaded him to return to the UK where his activism would be more effective. Strachan became a Communist and on his return to the UK pursued a career in law earning his degree from the University of London in 1967. He rose through the ranks becoming the president of the Inner London Justices’ Clerks’ Society. Throughout, Strachan remained active in anti-colonial movements, racial equality campaigns, and socialist activities.

Billy Strachan passed away on the 26th April 1998.