Noted Anguillian historian, Mr. Colville L. Petty, has pointed out that June 10, 1967, had two principal objectives and that they were interrelated.
The first was the defence of the Revolution, he stated. The second objective was the overthrow of the government of Premier Robert Bradshaw and the installation of a government sympathetic to the Anguillian cause. Mr. Petty further observed that Ronald Webster, the Leader of the Revolution, “reasoned that the best way of preventing a feared invasion of Anguilla by St. Kitts, was to attack St. Kitts and overthrow its government.”
He quoted Atlin Harrigan, one of the revolutionaries, as saying: “We were seeing boats coming in and we figured that Bradshaw might attack us at any time, so we attacked him first.”
Like the throwing out of the St. Kitts Police from Anguilla, on May 30, 1967, and the taking over of the day-to-day affairs of the island by the leaders of the Revolution, the June 10 attack on St. Kitts made headlines across the world.
Anguilla recently celebrated the 54th Anniversary of the Revolution and, although, like other years, there is no observance of the anniversary of the attack on St. Kitts, June 10 is a perpetual milestone in the annals of Anguillian history. That historic date was Thursday this week.
Mr. Petty’s comments above are contained in the book Anguilla’s Battle For Freedom 1967-1969, which he and Mr. Nat Hodge co-authored. Copies of that publication are still available for sale on the island. They can be obtained from Mr. Petty, The Anguillian newspaper and Coral Reef Bookstore.
The May 30, 1967 Anguilla Revolution and the June 10, 1967 attack on St. Kitts are part of the island’s chequered history of battles and the bravery and indomitable spirit of its people.
