Impression sketch
for Troopers Mutiny -
by Jamie.
One certain regiment of a
county laying
Within the capital county of London,
Within the capital county of London,
Made a show of
discontent by way
Of mutiny - amid
5th supernumerary
Company, 9th
Battalion Middlesex
Regiment, made private disobedience.
Until a call to
war of eighteen months
Before, the Territorial
Force of 1908
Had struggled as
a home defence -
Three months in,
the national reserves
Formed into Protection Companies,
To guard
vulnerable home targets.
The protective
force saw modification
By March 1915,
into supernumerary
Companies - on
Parade of 19 February
1916, a new guard
inspection made
Witness to actions
by three privates,
Towards others of
rank into a mutiny.
The Saturday saw
a supernumerary
Company on parade
ground - amid
Them, a Private
Thomas Walker,
Private William
Frederick Williams,
And Private
Fredrick Charles Poole;
All present for
guard inspection.
Superiors of rank
overseeing men
Included
Lieutenant Anderson and
Lieutenant D'Oyly,
while Sergeant
Melroy paraded
the guard - already
Known among them
was discontent,
As the Sergeant
called out orders.
First of the
three Private Walker,
At the call of
Sergeant Melroy
To 'Right turn,' then stepped away
And said 'Don't
do it boy's!' to be
Arrested - another
Private Williams
Had separated
from the ranks.
Amidst murmurings
of rising
Discontent,
Lieutenant Anderson
Gave Williams an
order to step
Back to the ranks
- the private
Made hesitation,
wanting to air
His complaint to
the officer.
His later
statement told how
He had not heard
order to step
Back, due the
shouting noises
At the time -
Private Poole was
To follow in
arrest, by trying
To persuade
others to mutiny.
Lieutenant
Anderson after act
Of the second
arrest, warned
The men of their
serious nature
To disobey orders
- he could
Only hear
individual complaints
Not collective
voices of the men.
'Right turn,' was
given by Lieutenant
Anderson. The
force obeyed, except
For two, one of
who then followed
A repeated order
- the other stepped
Forward and
called out, effectively
With words,
'throw down your arms!'
Wednesday 15
March 1916, a Court
Martial hearing
by Major General
Lord Cheylesmore,
saw the three
Accused - two
charged to instigate
Mutiny and the
other in disobeying
A lawful command
by senior officer.
Private Walker’s
statement stated
The men's
complaint came from
A so-called
'rest' order - how most
Of the men on 18
February had
Been on duty for
eighteen hours;
'Not having been treated like man.'
The statement was
backed up by
Two other soldiers
- while Private
Williams, in
having 30 years service
In varied units,
had never been part
Of any crime -
Williams in 1914 had
Been a sergeant
at St James Palace.
The disorganised
parade had proved
A tinderbox of
discontent for soldiers
Complaints, amid shouting of orders
By officers and
men alike - accused
Called witnesses,
who backed them;
Court's decision
was not announced.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Alleged
Camp Mutiny - Soldiers Court-Martialled. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 15 March 1916.
P.11. Col.4. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12193873/Daily-Telegraph-March-15-1916.html
[Accessed: 16 March 2016].
Source: File:
Reserves and Reservists. Online. Available at:
<http://www.1914-1918.net/reserve.htm> Accessed 16 March 2016
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 16 March 2016).
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