Ben helped commemorate a forgotten mutiny at the corner of the Fort and Quadra streets in Victoria, December 2011
On December 21, 2011, I helped commemorate a forgotten mutiny of French-Canadian soldiers that occurred 93 years ago at the corner of Fort and Quadra streets in downtown Victoria, as the 259th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (Siberia) embarked for the port of Vladivostok and service in the Russian Civil War.
I first discovered the story of the Victoria mutiny while researching my book From Victoria to Vladivostok: Canada’s Siberian Expedition, 1917-19.
Casting a critical eye on the government of the day’s reading of the Military Service Act, and the use of conscription for a theatre of war a world away from the Western Front, I joined other citizens in calling for the soldiers’ pardon and for an apology for their families.
Here I discuss the mutiny on CBC radio’s On The Island program, recorded at Fort and Quadra with host Gregor Creggie:
Link to CBC Radio interview, December 21, 2011
Download CBC radio Podcast
Watch Video Footage of the mutiny commemoration
Listen to the full Audio Recording, courtesy of Victoria’s Gorilla Radio
Link to audio recording of Victoria Mutiny Commemoration, December 21, 2011
Download Mutiny Commemoration Podcast (22 MB | 24:25 min)
I also spoke with Adam Sterling on CFAX 1070:
Link to CFAX 1070 interview, December 22, 2011
Download CFAX1070 Podcast
And I appeared on Vancouver Co-op Radio’s W2 Morning Project:
Link to Vancouver Co-op Radio interview, December 21, 2011
Download Vancouver Co-op Radio Podcast
Television media reported on the event
Radio-Canada television report (en française), December 21, 2011
Print media coverage in the Victoria Times Colonist and Victoria News
Learn More
Read about Canada’s Siberian Expedition in the Legion Magazine
Visit the Siberian Expedition Virtual Exhibition & Digital Archive
Watch the Documentary Film Trailer | En Française
