The British Honduran Forestry Unit (BHFU) was a civilian body of forestry workers who came from British Honduras to Scotland in two contingents to help support the war effort during the Second World War. 900 workers came, the first 500 arriving in September 1941 and were dispersed to camps in Traprain Law, East Lothian, Duns, Scottish Borders, and Kirkpatrick Fleming, Dumfries and Galloway. The second contingent of 400 arrived in November 1942, and were allocated to Golspie, Sutherland, and Kinlochewe and Achnashellach both in Wester Ross.[1] In 1943 the Unit was disbanded.[2]
Lord Moyne, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, contacted Sir John Adams Hunter, the Governor of British Honduras requesting workers to help cut timber in Scotland’s forests.[2]
British Honduras was not the only British colony to send forestry workers, Newfoundland sent a larger number of workers in the form of the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit.
- ^ Forbes, Angela (2015). The British Empire and the War Effort: A Comparative Study of the Experiences of the British Honduran Forestry Unit and the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit (PDF). Inverness: University of the Highlands and Islands.
- ^ a b Fraser, Paul. "British Honduran Forestry Unit". Forestry and Land Scotland. Retrieved 1 July 2019.