Battle of Bow Street
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Bow Street is the name given to a riot
which took place in Bow Street
, London
during March 1919. The riot involved an estimated 2000 Australia
n, American
and Canadian
servicemen
fighting against 50 Metropolitan Police
officers
.
came across three American soldiers
and sailors
, playing dice
outside the 'Eagle Hut' which was a rest and relaxation center set up by the YMCA
. When the servicemen were advised that this was illegal by the police officers, they protested that they had won the Great War
for the British and that they would do as they pleased. Upon the two officers placing the three servicemen under arrest
, a large crowd gathered round and a pitched battle began. Due to the officers being outnumbered they sounded their police whistles signalling the need for assistance which brought reinforcements. In the following melee several servicemen were struck with truncheons
, when a Corporal named Zimmerman addressed the crowd stating that he would stop the trouble himself. At that point, several officers believed he was in the process of drawing a firearm
from under his coat, and was felled with a truncheon blow around the head. The police fought their way back to Bow Street Police Station taking their prisoners with them.
Later that night a rumour circulated among servicemen that Zimmerman had died in police custody, despite the efforts of YMCA staff and American Officers
to assure the crowd that this was untrue, the crowd proceeded to throw bricks and stones at Bow Street Police Station. Around 20 police officers forced the crowd back with a baton charge
, later joined by 30 more officers the police formed a protective line around the police station. The police repeated successful baton charges when the mob tried to overwhelm them. Later in the night mounted police
cleared the street of servicemen, and a large number of police stayed on duty well into the night to counter a renewed disturbance.
respectively. Four Canadian servicemen appeared at Bow Street Magistrates' Court charged with riot, and six other servicemen who were injured in the riot were kept under guard in hospital before a later appearance in court.
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
which took place in Bow Street
Bow Street
Bow Street is a thoroughfare in Covent Garden, Westminster, London. It features as one of the streets on the standard London Monopoly board....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during March 1919. The riot involved an estimated 2000 Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
servicemen
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
fighting against 50 Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
officers
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
.
Rioting in Bow Street
During March 1919, Metropolitan Police officers patrolling the StrandStrand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
came across three American soldiers
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and sailors
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, playing dice
Dice game
Dice games are games that use or incorporate a die as their sole or central component, usually as a random device.-Collectible dice games:Patterned after the success of collectible card games, a number of collectible dice games have been published...
outside the 'Eagle Hut' which was a rest and relaxation center set up by the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. When the servicemen were advised that this was illegal by the police officers, they protested that they had won the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
for the British and that they would do as they pleased. Upon the two officers placing the three servicemen under arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
, a large crowd gathered round and a pitched battle began. Due to the officers being outnumbered they sounded their police whistles signalling the need for assistance which brought reinforcements. In the following melee several servicemen were struck with truncheons
Baton (law enforcement)
A truncheon or baton is essentially a club of less than arm's length made of wood, plastic, or metal...
, when a Corporal named Zimmerman addressed the crowd stating that he would stop the trouble himself. At that point, several officers believed he was in the process of drawing a firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
from under his coat, and was felled with a truncheon blow around the head. The police fought their way back to Bow Street Police Station taking their prisoners with them.
Later that night a rumour circulated among servicemen that Zimmerman had died in police custody, despite the efforts of YMCA staff and American Officers
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
to assure the crowd that this was untrue, the crowd proceeded to throw bricks and stones at Bow Street Police Station. Around 20 police officers forced the crowd back with a baton charge
Baton charge
A baton charge is a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people, usually used by police or military during public order situations. In certain countries, police are not authorised to use the tactic unless no other means can be practiced....
, later joined by 30 more officers the police formed a protective line around the police station. The police repeated successful baton charges when the mob tried to overwhelm them. Later in the night mounted police
Mounted police
Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and...
cleared the street of servicemen, and a large number of police stayed on duty well into the night to counter a renewed disturbance.
Aftermath
Following an investigation into the events, 30 servicemen were arrested, with seven American soldiers and sailors handed over to the Military Police Corps and the US Navy shore patrolShore patrol
Shore patrol are service members that are provided to aid in security for the U.S. Navy, United States Coast Guard, United States Marine Corps, and the British Royal Navy while on shore...
respectively. Four Canadian servicemen appeared at Bow Street Magistrates' Court charged with riot, and six other servicemen who were injured in the riot were kept under guard in hospital before a later appearance in court.