On the day Guyana attained Independence on May 26, 1966, celebrations were not confined to Georgetown. In London, Officer Cadet Fairbairn Liverpool, then undergoing military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, was entrusted with carrying the Golden Arrowhead during a special Independence Day service at Westminster Abbey. Sixty years later, the retired Lieutenant Colonel has reflected on the historic experience that saw him represent the newly independent nation before members of the Guyanese diaspora and distinguished guests in the United Kingdom.
While thousands of Guyanese watched 20-year-old Second Lieutenant Desmond Roberts raise the Golden Arrowhead at the National Park in Georgetown at midnight on May 26, 1966, Liverpool was participating in a parallel ceremony organised to mark Guyana’s emergence as an independent nation.
The service at Westminster Abbey was arranged by Guyana’s then High Commissioner to the Court of St. James, Sir Lionel Luckhoo, in collaboration with British authorities. The event formed part of official Independence celebrations for Guyanese residing in the United Kingdom and their well-wishers. It was customary for newly independent Commonwealth nations to hold such commemorative ceremonies in Britain.
At the time, Liverpool and fellow Guyanese Officer Cadet Haydock West were enrolled at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, while Officer Cadet Harry Hinds was training at Mons Officer Cadet School. The three young men were selected to serve as the Colour Party for the occasion, with Liverpool chosen as Flag Bearer and West and Hinds serving as escorts.
Speaking with Village Voice News, Liverpool recalled how he came to be selected for the ceremonial role.
“I was a cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Myself and David West were cadets at Sandhurst,” he said. “David and Joe were in the final exercises at Mons Officer Cadet School. Sir Lionel Luckhoo approached us through the Foreign Service and invited me down. They explained what it was all about, and I ended up taking part in the practice that was normally done by countries having their independence.”
Liverpool’s military journey had begun only months earlier. He was among four pioneering Guyanese who joined the newly established Guyana Defence Force and were sent to Britain for officer training.
“Four of us joined the army literally signing on my 20th birthday, the 29th of December 1965,” he recalled. We left for England early January 1966.
The retired officer described Westminster Abbey as a scene of national pride, with Guyanese servicemen stationed in Britain helping to honour the occasion.
“Harry and I were like mirrors and the escort, and lining the route in Westminster Abbey on the day were Guyanese soldiers who were in the British Army and nurses,” Liverpool recalled. “They lined the route in the aisle going up in Westminster Abbey, and I carried the Golden Arrowhead.”
Historical records show that among those lining the aisle were Guyanese serving in the British Army, including Privates Lambert Semple, Roger Simon, Richard Locke, Maurice Calder, Murray, Williams, Singh, Puddicum and Sardinia.
Liverpool said the highlight of the ceremony came when he reached the altar carrying the national flag.
“When we got to the top, there was a fanfare of trumpets, and I presented the flag. That was the unforgettable experience,” he said.
The Independence observances in London extended beyond the church service. Liverpool said he was invited by the High Commission to participate in a number of social engagements following the ceremony.
“From time to time, the High Commissioner would call for me to participate in different activities, social activities, tea parties, coffee functions. I don’t know why I was selected. That was part of my experience,” he said.
Liverpool would go on to enjoy a distinguished military career spanning 25 years in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). Among the pioneering officers trained overseas following the force’s establishment in 1965, he rose through the ranks on merit to become a Lieutenant Colonel. During his service, he commanded platoons, battalions and military garrisons, contributing significantly to the professional development of the GDF and the defence of Guyana.
His role at Westminster Abbey remains an important but often overlooked chapter in the story of Guyana’s Independence. While the raising of the Golden Arrowhead in Georgetown symbolised the birth of the nation at home, Liverpool’s presentation of the flag at one of Britain’s most historic institutions represented Guyana’s arrival on the international stage.
On the occasion of Guyana’s 60th Independence Anniversary, Liverpool’s recollections serve as a reminder of the many individuals who contributed to the country’s historic transition to nationhood.
