Johnny Doyle: June 2020

As we reach the 100th anniversary of the Connaught Rangers mutiny, it's worth remembering that this was not the only mutiny or issue to affect Britain and the British and Imperial forces during WW1 and in the immediate aftermath.

The Empire was riddled with racial prejudice, wages during WW1 increased but Police and military lagged behind, post war unemployment skyrocketed while few "Homes fit for Heroes" were materialising, and for many the demobilization process was slow while the Empire dabbled in Russia, Turkey, Silesia, Iraq, Palestine etc after the end of WW1 and tried to contain the independence movements in Ireland and India. The revolution in Russia, the near civil war in Germany and the race riots in America were also part of the background.

Singapore saw Indian troops mutiny in February 1915. There are references to similar mutinies in Rangoon, Burma but clear information is hard to come by. 103th Baluchees, 24th Punjabi and 22nd Pahari seem to get mentions but little else seems available. Empire troops were certainly in action in Burma fighting against Kachin rebels in early 1915.

In December 1915, after serving in France, over 400 Indian troops of the 15th Lancers were arrested in Basra for refusing to fight the Turks, fellow Muslims.

Shoreham saw mutinies in July 1917, November 1918 and January 1919.

Etaples saw soldiers mutiny in September 1917. Conditions and the brutality of the camp regime the core issues.

Early1918 saw a mutiny of the Machine Gun Corps based at Pirbright.

August 1918 saw a Police strike in London following the dismissal of PC Thomas Thiel for trying to improve pay and conditions

https://www.policeoracle.com/news/1918-strikes-I-rang-Scotland-Yard-and-told-them-there-is-likely-to-be-trouble_96966.html

In September 1918, white soldiers at the military hospital at Belmont Street in Liverpool attacked 50 black soldiers in the hospital. A number of white soldiers came to the aid of the black soldiers. Several of the black soldiers had amputated limbs.

January 1919 saw race riots with Trade Unionists and ex-service personnel targeting black and colonial sailors in what has been referred to as Red Clydeside.

January 1919 also saw members of the RAF mutiny at RAF Biggin Hill. 20000 troops are also reported to have mutinied in Southampton. The mutiny was put down by "father of the RAF" Trenchard.

Folkestone saw several thousand troops mutiny in early 1919. The mutiny was then supported by troops in Dover.

North Wales saw Canadian troops rioting at Kinmel Parl in March 1919. delays in demobilization, poor conditions, poor rations and being used as forced labour. 3 mutineers/bystanders were killed as well as two guards.

Sapper William Tarasevich

Private David Gillan

Private William Haney

Cpl Joseph Young

Gunner John Hickman

In February 1919, the British Government started repatriation of black and arabs living in the United Kingdom. This intensified after the June 1919 race riots.

May 1919 saw 9000 reservists being recalled owing to industrial unrest in England and the growing unrest in Ireland. The soldiers demonstrate their "enthusiasm" by rioting.

In June 1919,Canadian troops rioted in Epsom, leaving one policeman dead - 51 year old Station Sergeant Thomas Green.

Victory/Peace Parades in July 1919 saw ex-servicemen riot in Luton and Swindon and a boycott by many ex-service personnel in Dublin.

Summer 1919 saw troops mutiny in Kantara, Egypt.

August 1919 saw a Police strike that had generally limited support but saw rioting in Liverpool. All the Police who took part in the strike were dismissed and their pensions lost.

June 1919 had seen a race riot in Liverpool in which Bermudan Charles Wotten was murdered. He was thrown into the dock and the crowd threw rocks and called for him to drown.

http://www.catalystmedia.org.uk/archive/issues/nerve12/charles_wootton.php

Charles Wotten's Royal Navy record describes him as "A Man of Color".

Cardiff saw race riots in September 1919, with troops joining in the lynch mobs

One that is particularly disturbing is the December 1918 mutiny by troops of the British West Indies Regiment in Taranto, Italy. The Base Commander dismissed legitimate complaints from soldiers in the regiment with the racist comment

"The men were only niggers… no such treatment should ever have been promised them …they were better fed and treated than any nigger had a right to expect…"

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/filesonfilm/copy-of-petitions-addressed-to-the-recruiting-committee-co-28-294-24.pdf

https://www.josieholford.com/no-parades/

https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/community/4484

Private Samuel Pinnock was killed during the mutiny and is buried in Taranto

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2935494/pinnock,-samuel/

In Ireland, the actions of the Black and Tans and Auxies did little to "restore law and order", with the RIC quite able lend support to murdering ex-British soldiers on a sectarian basis. "Murders embellished with all the glory of authority" as Devlin referred to the British death squads operating in Ireland just weeks before the Connaught Ranger mutiny.

Just over a year before the Connaught Rangers mutiny, troops fired on a peaceful crowd on Indian civilians - the Jallianwala Bagh/Amritsar Massacre.

Two podcasts worth tuning into during lock down and beyond :

Donal Fallon's Three Castles Burning is available from a variety of Podcast services. Check the Come Here to Me website and choose your preferred option :
https://comeheretome.com/2019/11/24/announcing-three-castles-burning-a-dublin-social-history-podcast/

Lorcan Collins has stopped walking around Dublin at the moment but is still as engaging with his Revolutionary Ireland podcast :

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revolutionary-ireland/id1511809051

Enjoy!!

Meanwhile, Facebook group Trasna na Tire has been organizing a great range of presentations online via Zoom and then making the presentation available on their YouTube channel.

The group also has a website.

Off the usual track, the Western Front Association has a number of podcasts relating to Ireland e.g. The Defence of Trinity College during the Easter Rising and an episode re Tom Barry is planned.

https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/the-latest-wwi-podcast/

Johnny Doyle

Sunday 28 June 2020

Mutiny 1920

Thursday 11 June 2020

Sixpence well spent

Podcasts and Zoom sessions for the Lock Down