Soldiers riot in Luton – archive

A full inquiry is to be made into the burning of the Town Hall at Luton on Saturday and the riot which accompanied it. Sir Leonard Dunning, Home Office inspector of Constabulary, has had long interviews with the local authorities as a preliminary to the inquiry. The Mayor, Mr. Henry Impey, who left the town on the advice of the local officials, has not returned.

A number of meetings of the Town Council have been held in private and yesterday a manifesto was issued over the signature of the Town Clerk with the unanimous approval of the Town Council. The poster states: –

“Allegations have been made that the riotous conduct of a large number of persons on Saturday was the result of a refusal of Wardown Park for a memorial service in honour of the men who fell in the war.”

The notice then proceeds to give details of the application for the park and its results, and continues: –

“The speeches made during the day in front of the Town Hall indicated that the Wardown Park question had little to do with the disorderly behaviour, and that other grievances mentioned were of more serious importance such as alleged unsatisfactory allowances to discharged soldiers and their dependents.

“The council have definitely approved the action taken to quell the most serious riot, and recorded their admiration of the splendid and restrained conduct of the police and the fire brigade, and their sympathy with the many men who have been injured.”

Then follows in large type: –
“They are determined to uphold the law and preserve the King’s peace, and to govern the town in conformity with their powers. Stern measures will be adopted to prevent or overcome any further symptoms of riot, and the inhabitants are advised and strongly urged not to congregate in the street, either during the day or night, and to proceed with their business quietly and peaceably.”

There was further trouble in Luton late on Monday night and yesterday morning, but strong reinforcements of police which, had been drafted into the town from St. Albans, Bedford, and Cambridge quickly subdued the rioters. An arrest was made, and the crowd, having gathered again, surrounded the police station, and a demand was made for the release of the prisoner. Preparations were made to rush the station, and the police were given orders to clear the streets. Drawn truncheons had to be employed against the demonstrators to ensure that the attack would not be renewed.

The Question of Responsibility.
The responsibility for the rioting rests in quarters as yet unknown. Both of the chief ex-soldiers’ associations – the Discharged Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Federation and the Comrades of the Great War – have organisations in the town, and the officials of each declare the innocence of the men whom they represent. There is a military camp at Biscot, within two miles of Luton, in which are numbers of soldiers on furlough and awaiting discharge, and it is certain that among the mob which took part in the firing of the Town Hall were several men in uniform. The Chief Constable conveyed his thanks to one of the ex-soldiers’ societies after Saturday night’s riot for the help the members of its committee had rendered in trying to keep order. The societies appear to have done everything possible to keep their members out of the excitement by arranging smoking concerts, and three officials of the discharged Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Federation – Messrs. Clay (the chairman), Mr. Barton, and Mr. Weevil – addressed the mob from the steps of the Town Hall before its destruction, appealing to them to desist.

It is their opinion, and it is also the general belief in the town, that the outbreak was incited by inflammatory agents not belonging to Luton, who saw an opportunity in the discontent which had been aroused owing to the Town Council’s refusal to the ex-soldiers of Wardown Park for a memorial service, and used it to provoke disloyal demonstrations.

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TOWN COUNCIL MEET.
The Town Council met last night at the Police Court. Alderman Arnold, who was voted to the chair in the absence of the Mayor, made a lengthy statement in regard to the week-end disturbances. He said there had been a misunderstanding in regard to the Council’s attitude towards the men who had fought in the war and those who had made the supreme sacrifice. There was no lack of sympathy on the part of the Council with discharged soldiers.

Explaining the refusal of the request for the use of the local open space for a drumhead memorial service, he said the Parks Committee had to consider the unfortunate relationship existing between the two organisations of discharged men, and also to bear in mind the fact that the open space was for the use of the townspeople as a whole, and could not be allocated to any particular section of the community. When application was made, by one of the two associations, it was thought the granting of the request might create a feeling of jealousy. Had the application been a united one the Council would gladly have acceded to it, and would have taken official part in the proceedings.

One of the associations had suggested that there should be some recognition of them in the peace celebrations, but the Committee came to the conclusion that a least £1,500 would be required to do anything adequately, and there would be some difficulty in raising that amount.

A Councillor criticised the Committee’s decision to refuse Wardown Park without obtaining the consent of the whole Council.

Letters were read from local branches of the Discharged Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Federation and the Comrades of the Great War assuring the Council of their support in the restoration of order.

Flagstaff Burned Down.
While the disturbances in Luton are now well in hand, riots have broken out in other places, notably in Swindon and Bilston, near Wolverhampton, while the looting of shops in Coventry have been renewed.

From Swindon it is reported that late on Monday night, after the peace procession, a flagstaff recently erected outside the Town Hall at considerable expense to the ratepayers was set on fire and burnt to the ground.

A section of the public resented the erection of the flagpole outside the Town Hall. A crowd attacked the police station, smashing three large windows, and also attacked several business places. The police eventually dispersed the crowds. One man, sustained a broken leg.

Bricks as Missiles at Bilston.
At Bilston the disturbance appears to have originated in the arrest of two soldiers. It is alleged that they assaulted the police, and that the officers had to use their truncheons.

After the men had been taken to the police station a crowd, numbering some thousands, assembled round the station and demanded that certain constables should be turned out. The mob demolished a brick wall six feet high, and, using the bricks as missiles, smashed the windows of the police station. They then poured petrol over the woodwork of the building and attempted to set the station on fire. They were, however, prevented from doing this, and the local police, with the assistance of reinforcements from other districts, were able to restore order.

Police Superintendent Robotham was injured on the arm, and Police Constable Jarvis was struck on the face with a brick. Three arrests were made.

More Looting at Coventry.
The looting at Coventry was renewed late on Monday night and lasted until early yesterday morning. A mob attacked shops in Cross Cheaping, but the damage done was not so serious as on Sunday.

The police at Birmingham were called upon, but before they arrived the local police and special constables were able to cope with the situation by baton charges, and drove the rough elements from the centre of the city. Several persons were injured, and a policeman was hurt, though not seriously.