“History is not only made by battles and treaties. It is also shaped by encounters—moments when different people meet and, in doing so, change one another forever.”
Eighty years after the departure of British forces from Terceira Island, the Municipality of Praia da Vitória has chosen not merely to commemorate a military chapter of the past, but to revisit a turning point that helped transform the social, cultural, and economic landscape of the island.
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition 80 Years Since the Departure of British Forces from Terceira Island, Praia da Vitória City Councilor Paula Sousa described the British presence during the 1940s as a decisive moment in the island’s history. It was, she argued, the beginning of a new era—one that introduced Terceira to broader international realities and accelerated changes that continue to shape Azorean society today.
The arrival of British troops during World War II brought much more than military objectives. For a community that had long lived within the realities of Atlantic isolation, the encounter represented an unprecedented exposure to different languages, customs, technologies, and ways of life. Terceira was still largely rural, conservative, and deeply rooted in traditions that had evolved over centuries. Yet it was precisely this meeting between a small Atlantic island and a global conflict that opened new horizons.
“The British presence marked a turning point,” Paula Sousa noted. “For the first time, our community came into close contact with an organized foreign force from the United Kingdom, bringing not only military objectives but also new habits, new perspectives, and a certain idea of modernity.”
That contact left a lasting imprint. The English language became more familiar. New social interactions emerged. Islanders encountered lifestyles and cultural references previously known only through stories, newspapers, or distant imagination. The presence of thousands of foreign military personnel introduced a degree of internationalism that few could have anticipated.
Perhaps even more significant was the economic impact.
The expansion and construction of the airfield at Lajes created an unprecedented demand for labor. Local workers found employment opportunities that transformed household economies and altered traditional patterns of life. Families that had depended primarily on agriculture or fishing suddenly became connected to an international military installation whose importance extended far beyond the Azores.
The Base das Lajes became more than a military facility. It evolved into an economic engine and a catalyst for social transformation.
When British forces departed in 1945, their influence did not disappear. Instead, it was succeeded and expanded by the growing presence of the United States military, which would establish a long-term role at Lajes. In many respects, the British years served as the bridge between an older insular reality and the modern, internationally connected society that would gradually emerge in the second half of the twentieth century.
The commemorations organized by the municipality seek to preserve that memory.
The exhibition at the Academia da Juventude e das Artes da Ilha Terceira provides historical context for the British presence on the island, while a series of complementary events explores its wider significance. A roundtable discussion featuring Armando Mendes, Pedro Ventura, and Tânia Santos examined the social, military, and strategic dimensions of the British legacy, while the screening of the film Sarrado Grande offered another perspective on this important period. The commemorative program concludes with a lecture by historian António José Telo entitled Has It Really Been Eighty Years?
Taken together, these initiatives represent more than a historical anniversary. They are an exercise in collective memory.
As Paula Sousa emphasized, preserving this history is part of preserving the identity of Praia da Vitória itself. The British presence helped shape not only the island’s economy but also its outlook on the world. It fostered connections that transcended geography and introduced generations of Terceirenses to a broader international reality.
Today, eight decades later, the legacy remains visible in the strategic importance of Lajes, in the enduring transatlantic connections of the island, and in the stories passed down by those who witnessed those transformative years.
Remembering the British presence is therefore not simply an act of looking backward. It is also a way of understanding how Terceira became the island it is today—a place where local identity and global history intersect in ways that continue to define its character.
For the people of Praia da Vitória, preserving these memories is not merely about honoring the past. It is about understanding the journey that brought their community into the modern world.
Adapted from a story in Correio dos Açores-Photos from Câmara Municipal da Praia da Vitória.