WE NEVER FORGET: Martyrs of the Winnepeg General Strike, June 21, 1919-Mike Sokolowski & Steve Szczerbanowicz

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Quote Mother Jones, Pray for dead, Ab Chp 6, 1925
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WNF, Winnipeg GS Bloody Saturday, June 21, 1919
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WE NEVER FORGET
The Martyrs of the Winnipeg General Strike
Who Lost Their Lives in Freedom’s Cause
on Bloody Saturday, June 21, 1919

Blooday Saturday

Bloody Saturday, Wpg GS, WLN Strike Bltn p1, June 23, 1919The Western Labor News, Special Strike Edition No. 32, of June 23, 1919 described events of Saturday, June 21st:One is dead and a number injured, probably thirty or more, as result of the forcible prevention of the “silent parade” which had been planned by returned men to start at 2.30 o’clock last Saturday afternoon…..

On Saturday, about 2.30 p.m., just the time when the parade was scheduled to start, some 50 mounted men swinging baseball bats rode down Main Street. Half were red-coated R.N.W.M.P., the others wore khaki. They quickened pace as they passed the Union Bank. The crowd opened, let them through and closed in behind them. They turned and charged through the crowd again, greeted by hisses, boos, and some stones. There were two riderless horses with the squad when it emerged and galloped up Main Street. The men in khaki disappeared at this juncture, but the red-coats reined their horses and reformed opposite the old post office.

Shooting to Kill

Then, with revolvers drawn, they galloped down Main Street, turned, and charged right into the crowd on William Avenue, firing as they charged. One man, standing on the sidewalk, thought the mounties were firing blank cartridges until a spectator standing beside him dropped with a bullet through his breast. Another standing nearby was shot through the head. We have no exact information about the total number of casualties, but there were not less than thirty. The crowd dispersed as quickly as possible when the shooting began.

Mike Skolowski & Steve Szczerbanowicz

From “Winipeg General Strike…Two Ukrainians Killed”
-by Peter J. Manastyrsky:

Mike Sokolowski, GraveStone, June 21, 1919Mike Sokolowski (AKA: Sokolowiski) was killed in front of City Hall on what came to be known as Bloody Saturday, shot by the Royal Canadian Northwest Mounted Police during the fighting. Sokolowski was the only person killed in the riot and buried at Winnipeg’s Brookside Cemetery (section 45, plot 450). Mike Sokolowski’s grave was unmarked for over 80 years until June 20, 2003. As part of the Brookside Cemetery’s 125th Anniversary, a donation was made to purchase a headstone for Mike Sokolowski.

Steve Szczerbanowicz, GraveStone, June 21 1919On the other hand, Steve Szczerbanowicz (AKA: Sheebaubucz, Schezerbanowicz, Schezerbanowes) after being shot through both legs by a police officer during the Winnipeg General Strike on June 23rd, died due to a gangrene infection. For 96 years Steve Szczerbanowicz was buried at an unmarked grave at Brookside Cemetery but on June 20th, 2015 funds were raised to cover the cost of a gravestone in memory of Steve Szczerbanowicz (section 80, plot 7) victim of the six-week Winnipeg General Strike.

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Martyrs of the Winnepeg General Strike, June 21, 1919-Mike Sokolowski & Steve Szczerbanowicz”

Hellraisers Journal: Winnipeg Strike Bulletin: “Bloody Saturday-R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut” Shoot Peaceful Citizens

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Quote Wpg GS Spirit Unbreakable, WLNs May 19, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 24, 1919
Winnipeg General Strike News: Mounties and Specials Attack “Silent Parade”

From Western Labor News Special Strike Edition No. 32 of June 23, 1919:

BLOODY SATURDAY

R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut
-Peaceful Citizens Shot Without Warning
-City Under Military Control
-Returned Men Incensed
-Strikers More Determined.

Wpg GS, Bloody Sat, After the Shooting, Wpg Tb p2 June 23, 1919

One is dead and a number injured, probably thirty or more, as result of the forcible prevention of the “silent parade” which had been planned by returned men to start at 2.30 o’clock last Saturday afternoon. Apparently the bloody business was carefully planned, for Mayor Gray issued a proclamation in the morning stating that “Any women taking part in a parade do so at their own risk.” Nevertheless a vast crowd of men, women and children assembled to witness the “silent parade.”

The Soldiers’ Committee, which had been interviewing Senator Robertson, had not returned to their comrades when the latter commenced to line up on Main Street, near the city hall.

No attempt was made to use the special city police to prevent the parade. On a previous occasion a dozen of the old regular city police had persuaded the returned men to abandon a parade which had commenced to move.

On Saturday, about 2.30 p.m., just the time when the parade was scheduled to start, some 50 mounted men swinging baseball bats rode down Main Street. Half were red-coated R.N.W.M.P., the others wore khaki. They quickened pace as they passed the Union Bank. The crowd opened, let them through and closed in behind them. They turned and charged through the crowd again, greeted by hisses, boos, and some stones. There were two riderless horses with the squad when it emerged and galloped up Main Street. The men in khaki disappeared at this juncture, but the red-coats reined their horses and reformed opposite the old post office.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Winnipeg Strike Bulletin: “Bloody Saturday-R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut” Shoot Peaceful Citizens”