72nd Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada engaged in Aid to Civil Powers for the Coal Miners' Strike on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo,1913 - 1914. Caption: "Drummer Hoey" on photo Seaforth bass drummer Cpl Thomas Hoey posing in full scarlet tunic, feather bonnet and a leopard (not cougar) pelt apron. The Imperial Seaforths wore the leopard skin. As an adaptation, the Canadian Seaforths wore cougar collar dogs (instead of the elephant) and the cougar instead of the leopard skin. #690 Cpl Thomas Hoey attested into the 72nd Regiment on 4 June 1913. Hoey had previously served for 12 years in the 1st Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders. He fought in the Boer War and was awarded the Queen's and King's South African medals. He was a fireman in his civilian job. His 72nd Regt attestation is attached. His attestation paper states that he was born in Aberdeen, was a soldier in the 50th Gordon Highlanders of Canada and lived in Nanaimo with his wife. CEF service file attached. The Vancouver Island Coal Strike began on 16 Sept. 1912 when miners at Cumberland declared a "holiday" to protest the firing of Oscar Mottishaw. Canadian Collieries locked them out and hired Chinese and strike breakers. The issues were safety (gas explosions had killed hundreds) and union recognition. Other employers followed the pattern in resisting any union. By spring 1913, 3,500 miners from Vancouver Island were off work with the United Mine Workers of America providing leadership and strike pay. In the summer of 1912, the Vancouver and Nanaimo Coal Co., settled with its employees, but not before rioting, arsons and "shoot-outs" had broken out in all the coal towns. Peace was restored when the BC government sent in 1,000 militiamen. The withdrawal of strike pay in the summer of 1914 and the beginning of WW I ended the confrontation. By then the mines were running at almost pre-strike capacity using newly hired labour.