Douglas Camp Disturbance 19 November 1914

A single sheet hand-written note was sent by Camp Commandant H. W. Madoc to Govt Secretary B Sargeaunt dated 19th Nov

Dear Sir

I beg to inform you for the information of his Excellency, the Lieutenant Governor that about 2 p.m. today, a commotion occured in the dining room, which practically accounted to a mutiny among the prisoners. Particulars I cannot give you at present, as I have not yet received full details, but the riot was so serious, that the men on duty considered it necessary to fire, which very soon quelled the commotion. I regret to say however, that the casualties are are rather serious. I understand that there are five killed and several wounded. (These are all Aliens, no casualties whatever occurring among my men) This all occured in the big dining hall. I may add that the trouble has been brewing for some considerable time, so much so, that at about 1 o'clock to day, I ordered Captain Harris to re-inforce the camp with the men who are billeted in town. I very much regret so serious an affair, and am now employed in holding an enquiry - An inquest will of course be necessary, and further than that, I would request, from my own personal opinion, that an enquiry be held by some official from London, so that no possible misunderstanding by the Public may take place.

Yrs truly H.W. Madoc

the following saw a fuller report

[A three leaf typewritten report with some additions /corrections shown ^..^ and two side notes indicated [..]

THE ALIEN CAMP ,

DOUGLAS Nov. 20th. 1914.

Sir,

I have the honor to report for the information of His Excellancy the Lieutenant-Governor that a serious mutiny broke out among the prisoners in the big dining-room shortly after two o'clock on the 19th. inst It would appear from the statements which I have received that dinner was completely over, the kitchen door shut and the room apparently quiet when suddenly without any previous warning a large majority of the Aliens, starting apparently from the gallery, proceeded to break up tables and chairs, throw crockery about and ^at^ the same time advanced in large numbers on the kitchen door, yelling and hurling everything that came to hand at the door. The noise was so great that the alarm was given in the guard room, and a party of national reserves standing to in the avenue immediately doubled round into the kitchen. They were joined by some of the Isle of Man Volunteers called down from their dinner. When the guard arrived at the partition dividing the kitchen from the dining-room they found a large body of Aliens pressing forward with the apparent intention of rushing the kitchen. It would appear that the National Reserves and Volunteers did their utmost to quell the disturbance and induce the Aliens to cease throwing missiles at them. The soldiers also warned them repeatedly that unless they desisted it would become necessary to fire. Efforts were made to restore order by using the bayonet but the storm of missiles made progress into the room impossible. Several of the soldiers were struck and others hard narrow escapes from forks and knives which were flung at them.. The danger became so imminent that the guard were eventually forced to fire. Also all the men concerned state that an order was given to fire, but I have not been able to ascertain who gave the order.
[2]
About thirty-four shots were fired altogether. Most of them apparently aimed high according to order but it would appear that several men fired at Aliens when seen in the act of throwing missiles or to save comrades from serious ^injury. "Cease fire" was given by a non- commissioned officer [Sergt Hammond N.R.]and only a few harmless shots were fired afterwards. Accompanied by several officers I arrived on the scene within a few minutes from the Officers quarters ^which adjoin the camp^ and found the most appalling chaos. I was able very rapidly to get the Aliens to their various lines being splendidly helped by all officers and non-commissioned officers and it then remained to attend to the casualties which I very much regret to say were serious. Five were killed and nineteen wounded, three of whose wounds are serious.

I should wish to add that their had been very apparent signs of unrest recently among the Aliens and it was only the previous day when they had given considerable trouble over their dinner-- going in for that they termed a hunger strike.

On the 19th. inst, when: the affair occured four officers had been instructed by me to visit both dining-rooms during the dinner. They found no cause of complaint and the orderly-officer and medical officer[Major Mackenzie, Dr Marshall, Lt Hanley, Lt Kissack orderly officer] could have barely left the room when the mutiny broke out. I deeply regret this most unfortunate affair. I have examined separately all the men involved in the shooting and I am satisfied that the out-break was carefully and deliberately prearranged and was organised by some dangerous ring-leaders of whom there are several in the camp. The object was apparently to wreck the kitchen and smash up the dining-room equipment. Foiled in their purpose by the arrival of the guard the Aliens took their revenge by attacking the soldiers in the way I have described. Owing to the limited area in which they could work and the obstructions caused by overturned chairs and tables the guard could not have restored order by the use of the bayonet or any other means [3] than that employed and I am satisfied that they were justified in their action owing to the serious state of affairs.

I can ascribe no real or justifiable cause of the outbreak. The prisoners have always been treated with the utmost consideration. I have listened to any grievance they had and have done all that was possible to meet any reasonable complaint.

^The arrangements according to Camp Standing Orders in case of alarm were carried out.^

I am Sir Your obedient servant

H. W. Madoc Commandant

[to] The Government Secretary Isle of Man

The Official list of the dead was given as:

[832] Bernhard Warning, age 25 years Dussledorf
[847] Richard Fohs , unknown [noted as age 21 at burial]
[632] Richard Mathias, Rennebeck, near Blumenthal, Hanover [approximately 22 years of age, from Reineback near Blumenthal, Hanover and was a sailor on a German vessel sunk in the North Sea.(Ramsey Courier 27.11.1914)]
[1196] Ludwig Bauer, age 31 years, Morgentheim, Wurtemburg. A Fiancee Miss Tyler, 32, Plough Road battersea, S.W.
[1935] Christian Böckl, Fiancee Miss Annie Neubacher, 13 Meards Street , Soho, W

a further internee who died from wounds was

[1125] Rudolf Dorflinger who died 10 days later in Nobles Hospital from a bullet wound through the brain and a fractured skull - given as age 19 at burial

all other wounded recovered

All were buried in Douglas Borough Cemetery.

The all embracing DORA [Defence of the Realm Act] was used in an attempt to prevent notice of the shooting from appearing in the Press until the inquest had been opened and adjoirned on the 20th Nov - however as the Peel City Guardian of 21 Nov 1914 put it "We are advised that reference to the painful occurance at Douglas, a report of which appeared in a special edition of a contempory on Thursday evening, is forbidden by the defence of the Realms Regulations."

Presumeably it was the National UK press that needed to be muzzled as I suspect the whole Island would have known by Thursday tea time.




Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2018