The Terrace Mutiny
Thousands of men across Canada were conscripted under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA). Check out our blog on conscription for more information on the NRMA! Men were not sent overseas initially, and many were moved to the west coast as the threat of a Japanese invasion from the Pacific increased. Stationed in small towns across British Columbia, many soldiers were ill-equipped for long-term residence. Often men from the city were moved to “frontier towns” and were bored without amenities and entertainment they were used to. Furthermore, the men stationed in Northern British Columbia were unprepared and not properly outfitted to deal with severe winter weather.
On November 23, 1944, Prime Minster King announced that 16 000 men currently serving as home defence on the Home Front would be sent for active service overseas. This did not sit well with thousands of Canadian men stationed across British Columbia. There were demonstration parades against this new policy in places like Vernon, Nanaimo, and Prince George. However, the unhappiness and unrest in Terrace grew into a full-blown mutiny.
THIS BOOK AND ACCOMPANYING WEBSITE, PRODUCED BY THE TERRACE AND DISTRICT MUSEUM SOCIETY, HAVE BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE EVENTS OF THE TERRACE MUTINY.
When the news reached the men in Terrace, many of their senior officers were in Vancouver attending a military conference. Taking advantage of the lack of senior supervision, the soldiers broke into the armory and took rifles, ammunition, Bren Guns, and grenades. However, no significant acts of violence occurred, save for a few fist fights, during the mutiny. Nevertheless, a week of 1500 - 3000 armed men parading through the streets of Terrace carrying signs that read things like “Down with Conscription” made civilians very nervous that the events could turn violent. Civilians and even officers were advised not to engage with the protesters, so as to keep the protests as peaceful as possible. The mutiny wound down as officers were able to convince some soldiers to end their participation in the protests with the promise of a safe return to their home province with no consequences and no overseas service. Most of the mutineers were packed on trains and shipped out of Terrace by November 30, 1944.
Courts of inquiry were established to investigate the mutiny, but ultimately with the dispersal of participants, including those who did go overseas, returned home, or went AWOL, it was difficult to prove anything sufficient for punishment. The army’s presence in Terrace opened up new opportunities for the small northern town. The new highway, airport, and hospital constructed during the years of the war drew new families into the area.
Large scale conflict often entails social, political, and economic upheaval. The Canadian Home Front during WWII experienced its own struggles and changes as the war progressed. This blog series will look at some controversies and uprisings that occurred on Canadian soil during the war, like conscription and conscientious objectors. This series will also address new roles for women and social changes that occurred as women filled new roles within Canadian society and the Canadian Armed Forces.