ORION AGAIN

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23392, 26 December 1945, Page 5

ORION AGAIN

British Troops Walk Off In Protest Skirmish On Quayside By Telegraph—N.Z Press Assn.—Copy-lg ’ (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 24. Five hundred British troops walked off the troopship Orion at Liverpool yesterday in protest against the inadequate accommodation and sanitary arrangements, says the “Daily Mail.”

The men were among 5000 British troops embarked In the Orion yesterday afternoon. The vessel was due to sail later in the day for the Far East. The men later held protest meetings on the quayside. It is believed they objected to sailing from England so close to Christmas. Military and civil police guarded all the entrances to the dock. The men afterwards returned to the ship but to-day they swarmed off again and joined in a melee with the military police on the dockside. Correspondents say the Liverpool authorities earlier assured them that everything on the troopship had returned to normal. The correspondents were unable to see for themselves, because of the military cordon around the dock, but witnesses reported that a few men left the ship by drop ladders. Military police detained them. Watching comrades then threw over scramble nets and climbed down in an attempt to release the men detained. Others w'ho remained aboard threw tin cans and other objects at high military officials on the quay. It is understood that several persons, including military police, were injured during a skirmish. The military police are believed to have used batons, but there were soon sufficient troops on the quayside to capture the gangway which was lifted into position and many more men rushed off the ship until upwards of 300 were demonstrating. Military police cordons barred the exits from the dockshed.

Tire men were addressed by army officers, who explained the difficult situation and they returned aboard. The Orion then sailed.