Kimmel Park Mutiny (1919)

Tue Mar 04, 1919

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Image: Damage to ‘tin town’, a collection of shops and pubs set up to cater for the thousands of troops stationed in the camp [westernfrontassociation.com]

On this day in 1919, on the signal of “Come on the Bolsheviks!”, 15,000 Canadian soldiers in Bodelwyddan, Wales began rioting following delays in their return home and being used as forced labor by British officers.

The uprising began when the camp commander, Colonel Colquhoun, left the base for a social outing on March 4th. In his absence, several leaders were appointed by the men and, on the signal of “Come on the Bolsheviks!”, the soldiers began raiding the Quartermaster’s Stores, looting sergeant’s messes, and setting fires.

When 20 of the mutineers were seized, the rest simply charged the guardroom and set them free. Throughout the mutiny, rifle shots were exchanged - 3 rioters and 2 guards were killed, and around 23 were wounded. Of the 78 Canadians arrested, 25 were convicted of mutiny, with sentences between 90 days detention and 10 years’ penal servitude handed out by military courts.

Following the riots, priority was given to repatriating the Canadian troops. The affair was “hushed up”, and, by March 25th, over 15,000 Canadians had been transported home.