Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Bodelwyddan (St Margarets) Church


chrisharley9

Recommended Posts

Just thought everyone would like to see a photo of this memorial situated in a beautiful churchyard. The memorial commemorates those Canadians who died whilst based at Kinmel Park nearby.

All The Best

Chris

post-4020-1121807590.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...
Guest lone piper
Just thought everyone would like to see a photo of this memorial situated in a beautiful churchyard. The memorial commemorates those Canadians who died whilst based at Kinmel Park nearby.

All The Best

Chris

Excuse me but this is my first attempt at contacting Great War Forum. I have almost completed my challenge to several tour operators who are taking coachloads of foreign tourist to the war graves at BODELWYDDAN, St Margaret's Church, North Wales. These tour operators like most are lost in the general confusion that surrounds the deaths of the FIVE Canadians who died DURING the so called Kinmel Park Riots of March 4/5th 1919.

For many years I have travelled alone to play my pipes at the lost and often forgotten war graves world wide. Although living not an hour's drive from BODELWYDDAN I have passed it on numerous occasions but never stopped. As a child I remember being told that "The Canadians had all got plague and were shot to protect us all". The stories faded over the years but once again they are being bandied around by those who can not see the insult in trampling among the graves and taking part in some kind of game - FIND THE MUTINEERS.

Things came to a head when I read on a website of a Canadian veteran returning from Wales to Canada and telling his mates in his local Royal Canadian Legion of his visit to the graves of the Canadians WHO WERE SHOT FOR MUTINY. This caused me to start researching the numerous versions of what happened at Kinmel Park Camp in 1919. The whole truth of WHAT HAPENED may never be known but I now know what DID NOT HAPPEN. It is true that five men died DURING the disturbance but none were executed (shot) for muiny.

I have now all the documetary evidence to prove that THE BODELWYDDAN FIVE were not executed (shot) or even charged with taking part in the 'riot'. They could not have been charged because they were already dead when the first charges were laid. The tour operators have now ammended their brochures and websites accordingly but the myths are still there. A pint in a nearby pub will be accompanied by a rumour. A chat in the market place will bring a story of the Canadians who shot their officers and so it goes ...

I have the assistance of the local Welsh archivists, police reports, statements and Coroner's inquest reports and a mountain of paperwork.

After having had the 'can passed' by the British Ministry Of Defence to their Canadian counterparts I have now had a promise from the Canadian Directorate of History and Hertiage that they are taking an in depth look into the affair at Kinmel Park Camp and I will receive an official response.

I am now making plans to have this matter brought to the attention of the British and Canadian nations in an effort to at last allow THE BODELWYDDAN FIVE to rest in peace. I will approach all the British/Canadian media to help.

I have stood in the old trenches where the Candains trained (they are stiil there). I have sat quietly by the barrack rooms of Kinmel Park Camp (still there) and I have walked among the graves at St.Margaret's Church. I feel that my conclusions are not merely taken from files.

At 11am. on Saturday the 11th. November 2006, I will stand in full uniform at the graves in Bodelwyddan.

There I will play 'Going Home'. I will place wreaths in tribute to all who lay at rest there and bowing my head say not only I WILL REMEBER but a quiet apology for the way they have been treated in the past.

It may be that I will standing alone or that others may wish to join me. Should they do so I hope they attend not as the once a year formality but as a simple tribute.

Bill Jenkins (72)

Liverpool

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill

I pass Bodelwyddan two or three times a year and always stop to walk round the CWGC graves.

Whether one calls the events in 1919 a riot or a mutiny is a moot point, but it is well known and documented that the men were shot during the events and not as a subsequent punishment.

The truth about the deaths of these five men has been in the public domain for some considerable while and is the subject of a book "The Kinmel Park Camp Riots 1919" by Julian Putkowski and has also been the subject of a TV programme (can't recall it's name).

I only mention this not to discourage you but to point out that you may be re-covering old ground that is already accepted by the relevent official bodies.

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just thought everyone would like to see a photo of this memorial situated in a beautiful churchyard. The memorial commemorates those Canadians who died whilst based at Kinmel Park nearby.

All The Best

Chris

Is there any chance that any of you visiting Bodelwyddan would be able to photo the garve of Harold John Farrar, grave 520? I am writing a Roll of Honour for the City of Kingston, Ontario, and including photos of the grave markers. His is one I do not yet have. And if there is an inscription on the bottom ... Many thanks in advance to anybody who can help.

Peter Gower, Kingston, Ontario

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest lone piper
Bill

I pass Bodelwyddan two or three times a year and always stop to walk round the CWGC graves.

Whether one calls the events in 1919 a riot or a mutiny is a moot point, but it is well known and documented that the men were shot during the events and not as a subsequent punishment.

The truth about the deaths of these five men has been in the public domain for some considerable while and is the subject of a book "The Kinmel Park Camp Riots 1919" by Julian Putkowski and has also been the subject of a TV programme (can't recall it's name).

I only mention this not to discourage you but to point out that you may be re-covering old ground that is already accepted by the relevent official bodies.

John

Hi John.

Firstly contrats on your website. I wish I had more time to put pen to paper. I found it very interesting and informative.

I have sifted through mountains of different versions of what happened at Kinmel Park and can not blame some for getting confused. The bottom line is that there are still some who are spreading untruths and it is these I have targeted.

My aim was to get several tour operators to STOP telling thir clients a story that suited their own profitable purpose. I HAVE but the stories still lurk in the minds of those who do not know the truth.

Having a pint in the local Bodelwyddan pub I was again treated to the 'shot for mutiny' myth. The local cafe owner treated me to a tale of Canadian trators. Even in my own Liverpool I make a point of asking people what they know about Kinmel Park and The Marble Church. There is no doubt that the story of the 'mutineers' while, as you say, is well documented still is in the telling.

You mention 'not to discourage you'. The Foreign Office tried to discourage me from going to The Basra Memorial by attempting to block my visa. The gipsies at Salonica tried to prevent me from playing my pipes at the graves of a group Ghurkas buried in their village. The Maoists in Nepal held me for a short while when I asked directions to the Ghurkas civil cemetery and an over zealous police Supt. arrested me in Kohima. These and many more are some of the attempts to 'discourage' me. All in the last decade and all failed.

You also mention that I may be 'covering old ground' in continuing my challenge at Bodelwyddan. May be but I am used to that. In February this year I covered old ground at Hosur Road Cemetery, Banglaore, India. In that old ground lay 170+ heroes of WW1. Their graves had been abandoned. I left an ex Indian Navy Admiral and a group of locals to search for the graves. They are now covering that old ground with enthusiasm.

My sole aim now is to keep my day. That is the 11th. November. I was planning to go to Libya or The Falklands but they will wait until I have played at Bodelwyddan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 13 years later...

The Canadian memorial at Bodelwyddan

 

FLICKR

 

Quote

Memorial to Canadian soldiers who died at Kinmel Camp in WWI

Bodelwyddan

SJ 00408 75433

 

 

 

 

1-JMB_02_05_2019_07_57_56_0002638203.JPG.4850cd54d89ff89ba1066c885cd677a4.JPG2-JMB_02_05_2019_07_58_10_0002638103.JPG.719ffee255dd3b1a059f23a1b7066065.JPG5-JMB_02_05_2019_07_59_07_0002637803.JPG.3279322f0c31f0e390fc484e57b1ed49.JPG7-JMB_02_05_2019_08_00_11_0002637603.JPG.7969169b51c685b656b43a4b20367980.JPG

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...