[T]he Chinese dimension of the Great War rarely figures in British-centred narratives despite its importance in understanding our own day. David Reynolds The Long Shadow: The Great War and the Twentieth Century, p432 ISBN-13: 978-0857206350
Author Archives: Campaign Team
英国殖民大臣专电英属威海卫租借地行政长官骆克哈特
值此停战大喜之日，我向威海卫人民祝贺战争胜利，并感谢你们的帮助，从威海卫招募的华工军团对战争发挥了巨大作用，非常感谢华人社团对政府的衷心支持。 1919年11月11日 青少年爱国主义网
The `coolie’ killing fields
By Danny Buckland in The Independent, 28 June, 1997 Britain has made much of human rights in the run-up to the hand- over of Hong Kong to the Chinese, but who are we to point fingers? As Danny Buckland reports, thousands of Chinese labourers died at our hands from mistreatment, malnutrition and bullets during the turmoil …
The Labour Auxilaries
The Great War revived, to a degree that few dream of, methods of very old campaigns, when the hero had his attendant myrmidons and the Spartan foot soldier his helots. Study a “ration strength” return of the B.E.F., France, 1918, and discover how the actual fighting men in trench or gun-pit had to be …
Celebrating Chinese New Year 1918 on an old biscuit tin
Members of the Chinese Labour Corps use an old biscuit tin for a drum and a pair of old helmets for cymbals to celebrate Chinese New Year on 11th February 1918.
How the Chinese Labour Corps became the Forgotten of the Forgotten of the First World War, and its significance.
A free public talk will be given by Steve Lau, Chair of the Ensuring We Remember Campaign’s Strategic Partnership Board. To mark the start of the First Word War centenary, the BBC screened a two part series by historian David Olusoga entitield The World’s War – Forgotten Soldiers of Empire. In referring to the Chinese Labour …
Sinking of SS Athos with the loss of 543 Chinese lives
The SS Athos was a French merchant ship that was sunk by a German Submarine ( U-65 commanded by Hermann von Fischel) on 17th February 1917, 180 nautical miles off the coast of Malta. On board were about 1,000 Chinese labourers who had been recruited by the French, and had almost completed their journey to France, with …
Misleading statement corrected.
At the launch of the campaign the Chair of the Strategic Partnership Board, Steve Lau, delivered a speech in which he said, Over 6,000,000 medals were awarded after the war. Let’s forget that the Chinese received bronze rather than the silver medals everyone else got. All of those 6,000,000 medals had the name of the recipient …
Tweets on the Chinese Labour Corp
Air of humble, obedient sacrifice in Chinese Labour Corps is a stern reminder of what we overlook of spectacular things done for us. SpeakUpMan 31 January 2015
Asia House Event: From Peking to Paris: China and the First World War
Tuesday, 3 February 2015 from 18:30 to 20:00 (GMT) Asia House 63 New Cavendish St W1G 7LP London United Kingdom Tickets £10, concessions £8, members £6. During the First World War, 95,000 Chinese farm labourers volunteered to leave their remote villages and work for Britain. They were labelled “the forgotten of the forgotten”, as their …
Why I signed the petition…
I only recently learned about the role of the CLC and I am appalled their contributions have been forgotten for so long. Olivia, Newcastle Sign the petition here.
Chinese sacrifice
“On the 7th September, 1918, the tanker “British Sovereign” caught fire in Calais west dock, strewing a sheet of flame across the surface of the water, into which leapt the Chinese crew or dockers to escape the inferno. Every one of these poor wretches was horribly badly burned, and some died before they could reach …
Why I signed the petition…
As we remember the events of WW1 it would be most appropriate for the UK government to support the establishment of a suitable memorial for the Chinese Labour Corps. Edwin, London Sign the petition here
The Chinese Labour Corps creates a voice for Britain’s Chinese community
This time last year the campaign was little more than a simple concept – a memorial to the 96,000 volunteers of the Chinese Labour Corps. That hasn’t changed, but how we envisage that concept has. It has changed a great deal. Back in August of 2013 Steve Lau, Chair of the Chinese in Britain Forum …
I signed the petition because…
I am British of of chinese descent so am interested from that angle but more importantly this will widen the number of british citizens to have a more personal connection to the various remembrance celebrations that are held each year. I have always supported and attended services but in the context of general respect but …
I signed the petition because…
It is a shame and a disgrace that so many people have been erased from history and ignored. Bad enough they were exploited in their lifetimes. Nick, Cardiff Sign the petition here.
End of year update.
Many plans are in the process of being developed, not least of all the hunt for a suitable site for our memorial – the is not an easy task. We continue to work with our friends at Durham University’s Oriental Museum for a major exhibition in 2017, plans which are increasingly taking an international dimension, …
Une Immigration Oubiliée
An article in French by Philippe Divelier on Chinese labourers during the First World War.
Campaign gets its first mention in Parliament.
Liberal Democrat MP Martin Harwood has specifically mentioned our campaign for a UK memorial to the 96,000 men of the Chinese Labour Corps. Mr Harwood stated, We have undervalued contributions such as that of the 96,000 members of the Chinese Labour Corps during the first world war. And went on to say, “They behaved with …
Nobody Of Any Importance: A Foot Soldier’s Memoir Of World War I
By kind permission of Phil Sutcliffe, an excerpt from Nobody Of Any Importance: A Foot Soldier’s Memoir Of World War I By Sam Sutcliffe Available from philsutcliffe47@gmail.com £10 + P&P. Website: www.footsoldiersam.co.uk Twitter: @FootSoldierSam A POW from March 28 (the battle near Arras) until Armistice, my father, starved and dysentery-wracked, walked back west from his POW …
Why we don’t have a design for the memorial
We are asked about the design for the memorial fairly regularly. The simple truth is, we don’t have one. However, there is a reason, and it is as follows. In order to build a memorial we will need two things as a starting point. The first is a site. The second a design. Why we …
What we will do with artefacts donated to the Campaign
Donations to the campaign will given to the Oriental Museum of Durham University. Potential donors are always made aware of this. Why? The Campaign organisers recognise that objects of historical significance not only need specialist care but also should be made as widely available as possible. This is a fine balancing act. We have no …
Message of Support from Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
We are delighted to receive the following message of support from the Right Honourable Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Message of Support from Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
We are delighted to have received the following message from the Right Honourable Nick Clegg MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Message of Support from Ed Miliband, Leader of the Labour Party
We are delighted to have received the message of support below from the Right Honourable Ed Miliband MP, leader of the Labour Party.
The incredible story of Colonel AA Kennedy
The words of Andrew Denison, grandson of Colonel AA Kennedy, on the presentation of the banner (shown above) given to Colonel Kennedy by members of the Chinese Labour Corps. I thought I would tell you a little about my grandfather, Col. AA Kennedy, and how the magnificent banner that you are about to see came …
Fundraising Dinner, Tuesday 11th November, 2014
Last night we had our first fundraising event, a dinner held in the heart of London’s Chinatown at the Imperial China Restaurant. With one hundred guests, great food and ample wine courtesy of See Woo supermarket the evening was a huge success. A moving speech by Martin Horwood MP highlighted the ramifications for both the recruited …
Fundraising Dinner Menu
This is a traditional Chinese banquet, and therefore not likely to be a great hit with vegetarians. However, we are able to provide vegetarian alternatives, just let us know of your dietary preferences. Priced at £55 a head, includes one bottle each of white and red per table of ten. Cash bar available throughout the …
Why I signed the Petition…
I was surprised to see Chinese graves in the British Cemetery at Bellicourt near St Quentain. Now I know why they are there. These men desrve our respect and gratitude. John, Ickenham
Why I Signed the Petition
I believe that it is imperative that we recognize, appreciate, and commemorate the enormous personal contributions and sacrifices made by so many ordinary people in this terrible conflict. The story of the Chinese Labour Corps is an absolutely extraordinary one, and I applaud the Ensuring We Remember Campaign for their efforts to establish this woefully …
Memorial Service, Anfield Cemetery
Steve Lau, Chair of the Ensuring We Remember Campaign, will join local Chinese community representatives at a memorial service at Anfield Cemetery next Sunday, where five members of the Chinese Labour Corps are buried. We are grateful to the organisers for the invitation.
Why I signed the petition…
My great grand father died in the service of the Labour corps. Mark, Craven Arms Sign the Petition here.
Pagoda Arts: Last Post for the Chinese Labour Corps
Try and make this special event. It promises to be both moving and inspirational.
Why I signed the petition…
I’m signing because I didn’t realise the role China had played in ww1 until recently, and that is wrong. Rachel, London Sign the Petition here.
Why I signed the petition…
These guys deserve official recognition for their sterling work and the suffering they endured. Charles, Bamber Bridge Sign the Petition here.
Last Post
Today we remember Mr Li Jen Kuei who died on this day in 1918. Mr Li is the first person since the 14th August when we started to remember the fallen men of the Chinese Labour Corps, who stands alone among the fallen. As a single representative of all those who died whilst serving in …
About the Chinese Labour Corps
Every man who joined the Labour Corps was assigned a number that would effectively replace their name for the duration of their service. Whilst translators were on hand to explain orders to the men, British officers referred to each man by the numbered wristband each wore and it was reproduced on the headstones of those men …
Purchase your Fundraising Banquet Tickets
Join us for some of the best food in London’s Chinatown, and help us raise funds for the Chinese Labour Corps Memorial Campaign. Why not buy a table for ten and host your own guests for the evening? A table for ten costs £500 email banquet@ensuringweremember.org.uk for further information. Ticket sales now closed.
China’s problems at the outbreak of war: No 1. Spheres of Influence
China, at the outbreak of war, was effectively controlled (in large part) by five greet powers, Britain, France, Russia, Germany and Japan, through what was known as spheres of influence. Within these spheres the respective nations held sway, and even the Chinese government could not enforce its own laws if push came to shove. …
Book Review: China and the Great War: China’s Pursuit of a New National Identity and Internationalization.
Xu Guoqi. China and the Great War: China’s Pursuit of a New National Identity and Internationalization. Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 2011 342 pp. £24.93 (Paperback), £68.55 (Hardback) ISBN 978-0521283236. Reviewed by Peter Worthing Department of History, Texas Christian University Beyond Betrayal: The Larger Picture of China and World War I Discussions of China and World …
Source of war dead records
Each day we publish an In Memoriam, detailing the names of those men of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on that day. Currently we are using the lists of names and their dates of deaths provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It is generally believed that a significant number who died have not …
In Memoriam
On the 19th September the following men of the CLC died. CHAO HSUEH CH’EN (50022) 1918 LIU LIEN TSENG (54956) 1917 T’IEN LI PEN (24169) 1919 TING T’UNG I (133283) 1919 WANG YU LIN (42902) 1918 We Remember Them
British Forces TV Coverage
Coverage of the Campaign Launch by British Forces TV can be viewed here.
Fundraising Dinner
The Chinese in Britain Forum will be holding a fundraising dinner. All proceeds will support the work of the Ensuring We Remember Campaign. Date: 11th November, 2014 Venue: Imperial China Restaurant, Lisle Street, London Chinatown. Tickets are priced at £55 and there is a cash bar. A table of ten can be bought for £500. This …
164 lives remembered in our first month
On the 14th August we began to remember the anniversaries of individual men of the Chinese Labour Corps who died in service. One month on we have commemorated 164 men.
In Memoriam
Deaths among members of the Chinese Labour Corps on this day were: YANG WEN PIN(45961) 1917 TSO LIEN CHI (1554) 1917 WANG KUANG HSUEH (55705) 1918 YANG NIU (48721) 1918 HUNG YUAN (6335) 1918 CHIANG CHUNG CHING (6527) 1918 HO HSI K’UEI (6062) 1918 HSU CH’UANG TE (6448) 1918 HSU YUN CH’ENG (95690) 1918 HSUEH …
South China Morning Post Covers Campaign
We’re delighted to report that the Ensuring We Remember Campaign has been reported in the South China Morning Post’s City Scope Magazine. The original text can be found here. Anna Chen’s South China Morning Post magazine City Scope column on the China Labour Corps memorial campaign 31st August 2014 This month, the world commemorated the centenary of …
What we mean when we say, “We Remember Them”.
Each day we record the names of those members of the Chinese Labour Corps whose anniversary of their death falls on that day. Numbers vary, and so far its been as low as two and as high as eleven – though you must bear in mind that these deaths fall over a period of three …
Campaign Lapel Pin
[le_product] The Ensuring We Remember Campaign team invite you to support the campaign by wearing one of our campaign lapel pins. Made of nickel and enamel, the pin has the feel and look of quality, and its simplistic elegance will not look out of place whatever you’re wearing. We hope as many people will wear …
The Campaign Logo
Our logo design takes a quite deliberate industrial look for the background, symbolising labour. A forget-me-not flower is imposed on top, and is intended to be an all embracing aspirational message – that all members of the Chinese Labour Corps be remembered. No wording is used, but there is a very simple inscription: …
Today, deaths reach double figures
For the first time since we began recording daily death tolls on 14th September we reach double digits. On this day, between 1916 and 1919 eleven men of the Chinese Labour Corps died. CHAI LIEN SHENG (23700) 1917 CHANG HUI LIN (22778) 1917 CHANG LI HAI (23764) 1917 CHANG TA YUNG (23322) 1917 KUNG HSING TAO …
Maintaining a balanced perspective
This letter appeared in The Guardian in response to Maev Kennedy’s coverage of our launch. Your account understated how horrendously these 95,000 Chinese were treated, as were 40,000 under French control. As Xu Guoqi revealed in his book Strangers on the Western Front: Chinese Workers in the Great War, members of the Chinese Labour Corps who survived …
Shandong
Shandong (山東) literally means Eastern Mountains. As has been briefly explained in our short history of the Chinese Labour Corps the fate of Shandong is at the heart of the story of the Chinese Labour Corps. China’s spokesperson at the Paris Conference called it Chinas Holy Land. Certainly some of Shandong’s scenery is inspiring, as this …
Why it matters…
Why it matters. In an occasional series of articles, we ask people involved in the Campaign to tell us why it matters, Steve Lau writes in his capacity as Chair of the Chinese in Britain Forum, the Campaign’s lead body. —– To embark upon such a venture as the Ensuring We Remember Campaign isn’t done …
The Four Year War – 1916-1920
As our daily In Memoriam posts show, many Chinese Labour Corps men died well after the last guns had been fired, and the overwhelming majority of surviving combatant and non-combatant forces had returned home, mostly to be received as heroes. For the Chinese the four year war began not in 1914 to end in 1918, …
A supporters vBlog
We thought we’d share with you a video Blog by Nathan Hazlett. If you have something to say on the campaign, let us know, whether by video, audio or in writing.
One week, 36 deaths – 23 after the Armistice
During our first week of remembering those members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died we have remembered 36 men. Of those 36, 23 died after the Armistice – that’s a staggering 64%. The most common surname of those who died was Liu (simplified 刘, traditional 劉）who accounted for 11% of the deaths -Liu is …
Speech by Steve Lau, Chair of the Strategic Partnership Board
The following is the text of the speech by Steve Lau, Chair of the Strategic Partnership Board which was given at the launch of the Ensuring We Remember Campaign. My Lord, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is with a sense of great honour and privilege to stand before you today to announce the launch …
Lecture: World War 1 and China: the Chinese Labour Corps in France
24 September 2014, 1-2pm The Kanaris Theatre Manchester Museum Dr. Jenny Clegg Free to attend and there is no need to book. Dr. Jenny Clegg is a Senior Lecturer at the University for Central Lancashire and her specialist research mainly focuses on China’s development and it’s implications for the world order. 2014 marks the 100th …
Making a financial contribution
We understand that we are in a period of austerity, and so we are particularly grateful to those supporters who are willing and able to make a financial contribution. If you are not in a position to do so, then please consider the other ways you can support this campaign. We explain here the numerous …
Lord and Lady Bates pay respects at the Chinese cemetery in Noyelles
Lord and Lady Bates stopped at the chinese cemetery at Noyelles-sur-mer where 842 Chinese Labour Corps volunteers are buried. The cemetery is adjacent to the site that once had the largest Chinese hospital in the world, and certainly the best treatment available in any Chinese hospital in the world. The great care of the doctors …
Campaign Launch
Today the Ensuring We Remember site is officially launched. This is our main Campaign video. Please enjoy and share.
Campaign Petition now open. Please sign.
The Campaign Petition can be found here. Please do consider signing it and letting your friends know about it.
UCL Friends of the Chinese Labour Corps
We are delighted to announce the launch of the UCL Friends of the Chinese Labour Corps – a pioneering student-led body of University College London. Formally registered as a student volunteer organisation at UCL, UCL Friends are affiliated to the Campaign. Jonathan Liu, founding President of the UCL Friends of the Chinese Labour Corps said, Being able to …
Protected: Observations on the Buckland article
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: Did China’s wartime exports of wheat to the allies cause the North China Famine of 1920-21
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.