Kinmel Military Camp was a huge facility constructed during the First World War. It was served by the Kinmel Camp Railway (nprn 34761) from Foryd Junction on the North Wales main coast line from 1915. The Camp is infamous for the riot of homesick Canadian troops in 1919 awaiting de-mobilisation after World War
i have found tis hope it helps,
The Camp was built in 1914 as a training camp for the North Wales battalions raised as the Kitchener army. It was a basic, no frills camp. By 1919, the camp became a transit camp for the huge amounts of soldiers leaving France, and shipping from Liverpool to the four corners of the world. In 1919, it was filthy, over crowded, had a lack of bedding, soldiers slept on damp earth, food was described as pig swill, and the troops were continually under military order, drilling, parades, forced marches etc despite the majority of them being 'duration' men - ie soldiers for the duration of the war. Many resented the fact that newly arrived troops were shipped home earlier, there was also resentment that they had not been given a victory parade, etc.
There was also a feeling that the gloomy economic prospects for the returning Canadians was a factor in deliberately keeping them here. The Canadian war debt was £400 million, and severe unemployment was rife in Canada. Foreseeing riots in Canada on their return, one school of thought believes that the men were kept here so that they could erupt in dissatisfaction here in Wales, and not in Canada!
"Strikes and unrest in Canada were dealt with by troops, and there were numerous occasions when troops fraternised with striking workers in Toronto. Canada also began to deport aliens - mainly thousands of Russian immigrants, to provide work for native Canadians. News of this ill treatment of aliens filtered back to Kinmel, a large number of the Canadian soldiers there being 'aliens' themselves.
"This also gave the authorities an excuse to blame 'Russian Communists' for the aggravation. It's no coincidence that William Tarasevitch was villified as a 'leader of the mutineers' and bayonetted. Another myth is that the local tradesmen were profiteers. This is a falsehood. Evidence by numerous Canadian soldiers showed that there was excellent rapport between the locals and the soldiers, and many close links forged. 12 local civilians were arrested with the mutineers who had 'enjoyed' the spree and damage. No charges were brought against the locals.
"Tradesmen stores in the camp were stripped and robbed, but no injury was reported, even the wives and children living in the camp were well treated. As far as I can see, the actual events of 4-10 March 1919 are confused and deliberately clouded. On 4th March, a meeting was called by the soldiers of Camp Montreal.
"A strike committee was formed with Tarasevitch a member. He was chosen to give the signal to begin the mutiny in which they aimed to takeover all 21 camps in Kinmel, involving 20,000 men.
"On 7th March, The Times ran an article giving the official view of what happened. This article was wrong, and gave the government's spin to events which deliberately clouded what actually happened. The article blamed Russian communists who led men to the officers' quarters, drank their liquor, overwhelmed the guards, took their weapons and rampaged and looted. £50,000 worth of damage was done, 12 were killed including a New Brunswick Major and VC holder, 20 others injured.
"Some rioters were arrested, but the other mutineers besieged the Guard Room, and released them. By Wednesday, the riot was over and The Times states that the rest of the men recovering from a teriffic hangover regreted their actions, and that they would be good boys from now on!
"On 9th March a Canadian Military Authority court of inquiry issued a statement:- the official view is that 5 were killed, and 21 injured. Inquests on the deceased were opened on the 7th March. No attack was made on officers, and Brigadier General M.A.Colquhoun the report author stated that he personally went amongst the men during the riots, and men put down their loot and saluted him! 50 or 60 men got out of hand, one barrack."
sorry it abit long