CANADIAN CAMP RIOT

Evening Star, Issue 17032, 1 May 1919, Page 9

CANADIAN CAMP RIOT

THE KINMEL OUTBREAK,

BOLSHEVIK INFLUENCES.

Further details have come to hand by mail of the serious rioting at the Canadian camp at Kinmel, North Wales, early in March, whereby 12 officers and men were killed, and 20 were injured, one V.C. winner being trampled to death in 'ttcmpthig to quell the outbreak. Writing on March 6 from Llandudno, a "correspondent says:— Although their camps are several miles from here, the Canadians occupying jthem are familiar visitors to the town. They are high-spirited* soldiers —for the most part young fellows, all admittedly eager to get home again after their fighting experiences in France. In a score or more of camps ranging over the distant hills are lines of huts which house upwards of 20,000 men, among whom there iia-s been constant coming and going. The trouble, according to a number of them, was that certain detachments felt they were not booked foxCanada in rotation; they chafed at delay in demobilisation, and grievances grew with discussion. The outbreak came with startling unexpectedness, when the camps had on Tuesday apparently closed down for the night. On the extreme end of the series a number of men rushed a canteen and looted stores. It is stated that almost simultaneously with this manoeuvre some of the wilder spirits rushed the neighboring guard room, and, getting a mastery over the sentries, had no fear of being checked in their immediato escapade. Goods were recklessly thrown out of canteen stores and liquor was appropriated, the men afterwards passing to further excesses. Even more serious was the spread of the lawlessness yesterday, when in tire afternoon a disorderly advance upon cue of the camps' was met by the lining up '.-f a firing party. It was at this stage that the casualties occurred. The detachment with loaded rifles grimly stood their ground, their pfficer warning the rebellious mob, which shouted defiance and brandished improvised weapons, that if ' the forward movement were continued the defenders would fire. The seriousness of the situation did not appear to be fully grasped by a number of the men. Possibly iu the noise made by their companions they may not have clearly heard all that was said. Still, there" was no room for misapprehension. It was obvious that, as one of the soldiers subsequently said, "No nonsense was going to be tolerated." FIVE MEN SHOT DOWN. As the mob still came on word was given to lire, and the ranks of mischief-makers were forthwith broken. Besides an officer, four soldiers of the rank and file lost thenlives, and about 20 others were more or less seriously wounded. Many arrests followed. It was practically the last incident of the outbreak. I .am told that many of the- men who joined in the disorder simply a weakness for horseplay, while others, in-

flamed with liquor, were more ugly customers to tackle. But behind these were some companions of sinister influence, who were believed to have deliberately fomented the mad attempt to defy authority and order. All this will, ot course, be the subject of -a military inquiry. A section of the Russian Canadians have exploited the unrest which exists to spread the spirit of Bolshevism. Avowed Bolsheviks are at present under arrest both at Rhyl and Kinmel, and numbers have been sent .under escort to other pa,rts of the coiyitry. THE RED FLAG. On the crv of a section of Russian Canadians, " C'ome on, Bolsheviks," a body of men, estimated at 200 or 300, emerged from their huts and made sharp rushes in extended order on the huts of other sections. These men were fully armed. The red flag is said to have been waved. Kneeling down, they began firing at a party which was sent out to repel the attack. Shots were exchanged ; but on this point there is an official statement that the shots of the defending party were fired without/ orders. The revolters appeared to have overcome all opposition and to have carried on » general expedition of looting on the camp stores and shops just outside the camp. In connection with these shops, one of the rumors current is that they were selected by men fpr demolition on account of the high prices which have been imposed for goods, and this is among other minor matters which are put forward as having influenced the men. 'There was apparently no attempt at concerted operations by the raiders. Skirmishing was spasmodic, and one of the men killed was shot by a stray bullet while he was taking shelter.