Egyptian Labour Corps mutinies

The first mutiny arose at Boulogne on 5 September the day after a German air raid struck the camp.

Some 1,300 men of the 73rd and 78th Labour Companies refused to work, claiming their contracts had expired (as they counted the start as the date they left their homes).

British troops were ordered to the camp and, upon their arrival on 6 September, ELC members attempted to break out and were fired upon, leaving 23 dead and ending the mutiny.

The British response to the mutinies was intentionally harsh because of the effects they had on supplies reaching the front lines of the Battle of Passchendaele, to try to dissuade other potential mutineers, and because of the risk of break-outs from nearby prisoner-of-war camps.

[7] The unit was commanded by officers drawn from British and other European nationals residing in Egypt; they generally had little military experience.

[8] Coutts attempted mediation with the mutineers that afternoon, to no effect, but promised to return to continue negotiations the following day.

Coutts was overruled on this by the army's Deputy Director of Labour, Colonel E. C. Wace, who ordered the mutineers back to work and sent men of a British garrison battalion to the camp.

[7] Ten of the mutineers were court martialled on 6 September and found guilty of mutiny; they served 8 months of hard labour.

[2][7] A telegram from British Army headquarters in Cairo confirmed the terms of the labourers' contracts were six months from arrival in France.

[10] Officers of the ELC attempted to explain this to their men but this was not completed before 16 September when a further mutiny occurred in the 71st Labour Company at Marseille.

[7] A leader among the mutineers, labourer Mahmoud Mahomed Ahmed claimed he was told by Foreman Sergeant Sellek "you sons of dogs will be kept here by force", which sparked the mutiny.

[11][2] Ahmed was overpowered by the NCOs and arrested, and act, with the sending of British and Indian troops to the camp, ended the mutiny.

[10] In his defence Ahmed, who had previously been sentenced to flogging for insubordination and rioting, claimed he had been told his contract was for seven months and he had worked longer than this.

[7] On 16 December a unit of Foot Guards shot dead 4 Chinese members of the 21st Labour Company at a camp near Les Fontinettes station; a Canadian Permanent Army Service Corps private was killed by crossfire.

The authorities were concerned that the withdrawal of labour delayed the movement of supplies to the front lines of the Battle of Passchendaele; that the mutinies could spread to other camps or could provide cover for escaping prisoners of war.

This was again sparked by disputes over contract dates and was subdued, without loss of life, by the deployment of mounted military police and 200 soldiers of the 34th Royal Sikh Pioneers.

[10] Consideration was given to raising two new ELC companies for service in Marseilles in June 1918 but issues finding volunteers in Egypt prevented this from proceeding.