Researching the military records of HB McKnight took to the online resources for the attestation records of military service. The records revealed a couple of interesting findings. He served in Rhyl, North Wales which the infamous riots at the end of the war and secondly that he gained permission to marry and his pay package was re-routed to his new wife in Liverpool
Summary
Sgt Major Henry Benson McKnight
Number 3310354
2nd Depot Battalion, 2nd COR
Enlisted 16/1/ 1918
Departed via Quebec City 10/9/1918
Arrive England 25/9/1918
Married 2/2/1919
Rhyl Riots March 4 and 5, 1919
Married 2/2/1919
Rhyl Riots March 4 and 5, 1919
Discharged Sept 15, 1919
The records indicate that he was stationed at the North Wales military barracks in North Wales where it was the site of the largest Canadian Army Riots on March, 4 and 5 1919
Stationed at Rhyl, Kimmel Park, North Wales
This is the site which saw the 15,000 Canadian troops riot due to delays in staying in England, rations cut in half, pay package was delayed, strikes in Canada delaying ships, heating fuel cuts and more
The result five soldiers died
- Private David Gillian, Florence, Cape Breton
- Private William Tarasavitch of the Canadian Railway Troops, who was thought to be a ringleader and bayonetted to death.
- Corporal Joseph Young, Rhode Island
- Gunner J.F. Hickman of the CFA, apparently killed by a stray bullet. He was buried at Bodelwyddan on March 10th 1919 but then later exhumed and taken to his next of kin at Dorchester, New Brunswick.
- Signalman William Hanley, Talbot, Alberta
All buried in St. Margaret Cemetery,Bodelwyddan
Plus 23 soldiers injured during riot
Forty one rioters were later court martialed and 24 were tried and convicted of mutiny though many sentences were later commuted Sentences ranged from 90 days to 10 years in prison
The newspapers of the time suggested that the riots were started by Bolsheviks
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=DOM19190514.2.61
"A Brunswickian Major and VC holder trampled to death, a hundred casualties, civilian women molested, drunken sprees, fires uncontrolled, a mob of 5000 advancing on Rhyl, 15 civilians arrested, Bolshevick ring- leaders"
By the end of the March most of the 17,000 soldiers were repatriated to Canada. Therefore the whole affair, which was subject to the 75 years rule of military secrecy, was officially forgotten in the aftermath of the world war,
Resources
Video on the event
http://www.echobridgeentertainment.com/dvd/The_Kinmel_Park_RIots_08735
Commanding officer letter on event
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e042/e001031855.jpg
Report
Page One
http://www.cefresearch.ca/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4438
Page Two
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e042/e001031877.jpg
Page Three
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e042/e001031878.jpg
Research Paper on Riot
http://www.cobwfa.ca/DOCUMENTS/WWI-Kinmel%20Park%20Mutiny%20-%20Canadian%20Army.pdf
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