Mutiny in the field
Just over sixty years ago, in September 1943 the men of 8th Army, the Desert Rats, were recovering in Italy from their long campaign against Rommel's Afrika Corps. They had fought across North Africa and many had been wounded or were ill with malaria or dysentery.
Montgomery had instilled in them an indomitable fighting spirit. As they recuperated, with home leave a distant dream, they would discover that their services were still in demand Across the Mediterranean, in southern Italy the Allies had landed south of Naples as the Germans were putting up stiff opposition, to the point where the US commander in Chief General mark Clark had to request reinforcements.
An order arrived at 135 Transit camp in Tripoli where the 51st Highlanders and the 50th Northumbrian’s were encamped. Many of their comrades were already in Sicily and still recovering from their fight against Rommel 15, 00 men sailed out immediately aboard three Royal Navy Light Cruisers in the belief that they would be joining up with their old units in Sicily and it was not until they were well at sea that they learned that they were being amalgamated with the 46th Division which was at that time fighting alongside the American 5th Army at Salerno.
The men were dumfounded and felt that they had been tricked. Instead of rejoining their own units waiting for some kind of rest and recuperation, they were disembarked at Salerno. The majority were angry, especially so when they found that their plight was due to lack of information and disorganization.
What lay ahead was not rest and recuperation but supporting their already battle scarred comrades. There had been a complete balls up, there had been no clear direction or precise information and the moral of the men was beginning to ebb
Apparently due to an administrative error, the message which was received should have actually been sent to the main reinforcement centre in Algeria. Instead Of the men sent to Italy where 1000 were new recruits and 500 veterans of the North Africa campaign
At Salerno the new recruits went straight into the front line leaving 500 very confused individuals without a leader on the beaches where men and materials continued to arrive around the clock .
Two hundred of them remained on the beaches while 300 were moved to a nearby plot of land. These men were already irate with the situation as it stood, only to learn that the men who had gone into action with home counties units instead of their own.
An ugly mood was descending and on the morning of the 20th September they still remained in the field, refusing to move until they received some form of explanation. That day Lieutenant General Richard McCreery who had a reputation of being a quiet persuader arrived to talk to the men. He knew his task would be a tough one, because he was not about to confront a bunch of recruits, but a group of seasoned soldiers. Some with gallantry medals and citations,
They had fought valiantly and won a great victory against the Africa Corps. They had witness many of their friends being killed, with the resultant bond of friendship and comradeship forged between the survivors. As many of them knew, Mutiny in war time was an executable offence, their anger was such concerning what to them was a complete cock up, that they had reached that point in their lives when they must draw the line across the treatment they were receiving
The general told them of the administration error which had brought them to this position and promised that once Salerno had been secured, they would all be sent to rejoin their own units. He then read out the army act in full. Including the death penalty. After his talk, 108 men decided to accept the general’s offer. However the remaining 192 stood steadfast and refused to a man to accept the general’s offer. All 192 men were then charged with mutiny in the field. When General Montgomery heard about the situation he was furious and went on to blame General Charles |miller for the cock up in administration
The mutineers were sent temporarily under arrest to a nearby prisoner of war camp from there they were sent on to Algeria where their trial took place in a school gymnasium The army sought to keep the matter under wraps. The courts martial lasted for five days and they were all found guilty Three sergeants received the death sentence. All corporals were given ten years penal servitude. And all privates seven years.
On 15th November 1943 Sir Ronald Adam arrived in North Africa, where he asked to see each individual transcript. The background and the whole mess appalled him that he ordered the immediate release of all the men .Although their sentences had now been suspended the men still had to return to their own units where they faced further ignominy.
Many were sent to join the 8th army, while the remainder of their unit went home to England. They were sent to join unfamiliar units where their previous good conduct counted for nothing 80 of the men found the reception and attitude too much and immediately absconded. They were captured and put in prison to spend the rest of the war behind bars.
There was evidence to show that many of them were victimized by being given front line duty and extra duties without rest, they were also sent on dangerous patrols. Many were stripped of their Bravery medals, their campaign medals were withheld, and others received a cut in their pensions.
As usual the official secrets act came into operation and a great big silence fell over the whole cock up This was just one mutiny which was kept under wraps.
Do any readers know of any others, and are there any survivors who would like to publish
their version of events
Arthur Lane
Stay Alive
Dear to whoever,
I am a former Empire soldier now aged 87 years, I was one of the unfortunates taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore
As a prisoner I heard a number of rumours and stupid stories which included the one about the Indian front line units being dissatisfied with their job and that immediately before the Japanese invasion there was an attitude of no cooperation.
I have recently received the following information via a Malaysian history report on the internet
On the 6th December there had been some trouble with the 1st Hyderabads mainly concerning poor conditions plus being led by British officers ( There were no Indian army officers ) conditions improved slightly with the promise of the report being sent to Whitehall. On the morning of the 8th the Japanese landed unopposed at Singora.
The invasion had actually started on 4 Dec 1941 when Japanese forces left the ports of Samah. Although detected by British scout planes two days earlier, bad weather provided stealth for the invasion convoy. On 8 Dec, after some fighting at Kota Bharu, the Japanese troops took coast cities of Singora (Thailand), Patani (Thailand), and Kota Bharu (Malaya). British planes attempted to attack landing ships, but Japanese troops made beachhead at Kota Bharu within three hours despite the air distraction. At an airfield near Kota Bharu, Indian troops who received incorrect intelligence that the Japanese were far ahead than were, actually were killed their own commander Lt. Col. Hendricks and fled the airfield without destroying anything, providing the Japanese invaders a fully working airfield along with fuel and ammunition. Other Indian soldiers learning of the Hyderabads revolt followed suit and discarded their weapons.
Apparently this matter was withheld from the British public because to have publicised it might have caused reactions from India and would lead to their withdrawal of other Indian regiments fighting in Europe and the middle east who were giving their full support
Churchill insisted on the matter being swept under the carpet and allowed the world to believe that the British army in Malaya was useless.
The ribbon on the medal which I received after the war displays a yellow streak down the middle. The medal ribbon was designed by Churchill. Many of my friends and comrades died believing that they were to blame.
How much of this is true?
Arthur Lane
WE VOTE TOO Y’KNOW!
ITS ALWAYS THE BLOODY COST
