CADETS AND CROWD

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 September 1927, Page 10

CADETS AND CROWD

ANGRY “RAG” SCENES. A “rag” by members of the University Officers’ Training Corps, which is in camp at Pwllheli, caused much excitement on July 28, and several of the cadets were roughly handled by the crowd. About seven o’clock in the evening a big party of cadets forced an entrance into the fire station and brought the fire engine into the street. The police, assisted by members of the Fire Brigade and members of the Town Council, interfered, and after a struggle managed to get the engine back. Soon after a reinforced crowd of cadets made another attack on the fire station, but by this time a huge crowd had gathered and some of the cadets received rough treatment. Deputy Chief Constable Griffiths and a force of police managed to disperse the crowd, and the students then proceeded to West End Parade. They took possession of the bandstand and spent an hour in community singing. By this time the crowd had been augmented by several hundrleds of young men from the surrounding rural districts, who became very excited. As the students returned from the beach through the town the crowd rushed them. There was again a sharp struggle, but eventually the cadets returned to camp.

About midnight, however, a crowd of cadets again invaded the town, armed with sticks, but their own officers managed to persuade them to return. The crowd escorted them to the camp entrance, but though there was a good deal of noise, there was no further conflict. An officer stated that some of the cadets were badly injured. The Training Corps is made up of students from Aberystwyth, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Reading.