SOLDIERS ON STRIKE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1579, 6 March 1919, Page 7

SOLDIERS ON STRIKE.

REFUSE TO DISBAND. Btj Calle. — Press Association. — Copyright, SYDNEY, March 5. The Sydney "Sun's" London representative reveals a hitherto untold story of how eight battalions of the Australian Army refused to comply with an order to disband. They organised themselves under elected commanders, and sustained themselves until their officers were restored and fresh fighting began. It appears that towards the end of September, after victoriously battering the German lines on a 20-mile front, the corps felt that it urgently needed the rest which had been promised it after the all-important offensive against the Hindenburg Line, but the men keenly resented the order to disband. The eight battalions, whose numbers were terribly thinned, possibly could not muster 500 men all told. The doomed battalions were lined up and ordered to report to other units. The men refused to obey the order, left the paradeground, and returned to camp. The officers were withdrawn, but the mutinous units could not be arrested, as time was pressing and the corps was due to stem the battle. All argu-; ments failed, except with one battalion, which was unable to resist, the appeal of Brigadier-General Elliott. This battalion defied all authority until the time arrived for it to leave its packs and march to battle. It then paraded obediently. The strike of the remaining units continued for several days. The Divisional Staff stopped all supplies, yet the men lacked nothing, every camp being well supplied by sympathetic units. The men elected their own officers, organised drills, and maintained perfect discipline, until the authorities, realising that they had bungled, ordered the officers to return to the broken battalions which had fought so well against the Hindenburg and Beaurevoir Lines.