72nd Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada engaged in Aid to Civil Powers for the Coal Miners' Strike on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo,1913 - 1914. Caption on photo: "Col. Sgt Southey Sgt Lunn" Sgt Bernard Charles Lunn and Colour Sergeant William Henry Southey, 72nd Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada posing at Nanaimo's Connaught Barracks during the Miner's Strike,1913-14. They are dressed in khaki jacket, kilt, kilt aprons, khaki spats, and glengarry. 29517 Sgt William H. Southey joined the 16th Battalion, CEF on 23 August 1914 as a Colour Sergeant in the Base Company. He went to France on 26 April 1915 and left on 22 June 1915 for the 1st D.S.C. in France until 7 July 1917. he returned to Canada on 14 August 1917. He had previously served for 17 years in the RE or RS (Reserve) and 3 years in the 6th DCOR. He served 4 years in the 72nd Regt with #194. He joined the 72nd at the same time as Bernard Lunn. 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.