Townsville mutiny

Townsville mutiny
Date 22-23 May, 1942
Location Townsville, Australia
Methods Rioting, race riots
Parties to the civil conflict

The Townsville mutiny was a mutiny by predominantly African American servicemen while serving in Townsville, Australia, in World War Two.

About 600 African-American troops from the 96th Battalion, US Army Corps of Engineers, were stationed at a base outside Townsville called Kelso Field. They were a labour battalion and their main job was to build bridges and barracks.

The troops had been the subject of regular racial abuse by some of their white officers. A rumour that a black sergeant had died at the hands of a white superior resulted in the troops of A and C company mutinying. Aiming to kill their commander, Captain Francis Williams of Columbus, Georgia, they machine gunned the tents of white officers. A siege of eight hours resulted.

At least one person was killed and dozens severely injured, and Australian troops were called in to roadblock the rioters.[1]

US journalist Robert Sherrod wrote a report on the mutiny but it was suppressed. Lyndon B Johnson, then a senator, was visiting Townsville at the time.[1]

The mutiny was revealed by a historian in 2012.[2][3][4]

References

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