The 3rd September saw seven deaths among the members of the Chinese Labour Corps. FU P’EI CH’EN (9436) 56th Company, 1917 SUN CHEN SHENG (34559) 1917 TS’AO KUEI (18363) 35th Company, 1917 YANG K’OU CHEN (15593) 35th Company, 1918 SUI CHUNG WEN (52031) 63rd Company, 1918 WANG FU LUNG (97199) 1919 WANG CH’I FA (36334) 1919 …
Author Archives: Campaign Team
In Memoriam
The 2nd September saw the deaths of another nine members the Chinese Labour Corps whilst serving. TS’UI FU SHENG (2825) 1917 WANG WEI LO (2593) 23rd Company, 1917 CHIAO HSING (12052) 12th Company, 1918 HSU WEN HUA (100485) 1918 SU WEN AI (25632) 88th Company, 1918 WANG HSING FENG (29244) 39th Company, 1918 WANG K’AI …
In Memoriam 1 September
Nine Chinese Labour Corps members died on the first of September: CHANG FENG LING (20894) 31st Company, 1917 CHANG YUAN CH’ING (20656) 31st Company, 1917 HAN LI HSIEN (20546) 31st Company, 1917 KAO CH’ENG CHIH (20888) 31st Company, 1917 KU KUANG MING (3002) 23rd Company, 1917 SUN YEH TE (20520) 31st Company, 1917 YEN CHUNG FA …
In Memoriam 31 August
Three members of the Chinese Labour Corps died on the 31st August: LIU CH’ANG HSIANG (7422) 1917 TUNG FANG CH’ENG (75099) 1919 LIU SHOU WAN (58667) 1919 We remember them.
In Memoriam 30 August
We remember the following three members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died On the 30th August CH’EN TE HSUAN (11916) 1917 CHANG HSIANG YUN (50919) 1919 LI CHING JUNG (40661) 169th Company, 1919 We remember them.
In Memoriam 29 August
We remember the following five members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on the 29th August LIU K’O P’ING (9032) 1917 YANG HUI KUNG (2049) 1917 LIU PANG HSING (983251) 53rd Company, 1918 CHAO CHIN T’ANG (92408) 1919 HAO YUN LUNG (73681) 1919 We remember them.
In Memoriam 28 August
On the 28th August the following four members of the Chinese Labour Corps died. SUN TE KUNG (7423) 1917 WANG LAI HSIANG (55287) 72nd Company, 1917 WANG HSI SHENG (12604) 13th Company, 1918 YU SHENG FANG (57080) 1918 We remember them.
In Memoriam 27 August
On this day, 27th August, the following five members of the Chinese Labour Corps died. HOU ERH (10051) 1917 CHENG YEH LUNG (62142) 1918 HU CH’EN K’UEI (34946) 1918 CHAO HUNG P’ING (47632) 1918 WANG FENG WEN (22466) 1919 We remember them.
In Memoriam 26 August
On this day, 26th August, the following two members of the Chinese Labour Corps died. KAO SAN TUNG (96403) 145th Company TU CHUNG I6105 We remember them both.
In Memoriam 25 August
On this day, 25th August, the following members of the Chinese Labour Corps died. CHANG HSIAO LIEN (15295) 47th Company, 1918 SHAN I CH’UAN (5863) 1918 T’ENG CHI KUANG (1015540) 158th Company , 1918 We remember them.
Burial Detail
For the men on burial detail, exhuming and burying their former comrades was an extremely difficult and traumatic task. Those who volunteered for the job were paid an extra 2s 6d per day (worth around £24.10 today). ‘For the first week or two I could scarcely endure the experiences we met with, but I gradually …
In Memoriam 24 August
On this day, 24th August, the following members of the Chinese Labour Corps died. CHANG K’UEI P’IN (506) 2nd Company, 1918 SHIH JUI AN (45341) 112th Company, 1918 We remember them both.
In Memoriam 23 August
Today four men of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on this day are remembered. T’AN CHI CH’I (53608) 1917 CHAO YU HSIANG (9195) 19th Company, 1918 HSIA CHING HSIU (41428) 1919 SUN HAO LI (55496) 1919 We remember them.
In Memoriam 22 August
Today we remember the following seven members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on 22nd August: SUN YU CH’EN (25693) 1917 WEI SHENG FU (27171) 1917 CHOU CH’ING YUAN (7993) 1918 SUN HO LING (70) 1918 YANG YU CH’UN (33392) 74th Company, 1918 HSU LAO HAN (132642) 3rd Company, 1919 KAO CHIN CH’AI (51095) …
In Memoriam 21 August
Today we remember the following five members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on 21st August: FANG P’EI HE (100363) 1918 HE SHENG LIANG (102054) 1918 WANG CHIN SHAN (7145) 8th Company, 1918 YANG CHIN CHIH (7006) 1918 LIU WEN HSING (30301) 1919 We remember them.
In Memoriam 20 August
Today we remember the following five members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on 20th August: CHANG PEN I (52206) 1918 KUO T’UNG FA (64309) 102nd Company, 1918 TUNG WAN SHUN (30279) 1918 WEI HUNG K’O (21085) 1918 LIU TSENG PIN (99164) 1919 We remember them.
In Memoriam 19 August
Today we remember the following four members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on 19th August: SUNG YU T’IEN (1369) 3rd Company, 1918 FANG LAO (49977), 1919 KUNG TS’UN KUEI (133923) 1919 KUO CHEN HAN (27323), 1919 Three of the four men died after the armistice. We remember them.
Update on the CLC Banner.
Many of you will remember the fantastic gift of the Chinese Labour corps banner by the Dennison brothers, and the Incredible Story of Colonel AA Kennedy to whom the banner was given by grateful men of the Chinese Labour Corps under his command. Although the banner had been offered to the campaign, it was felt that we …
In Memoriam 18 August
We remember the following five members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on this day. LIU CHIA SHUN (5253) 1917 T’IEN FENG T’IEN (66516) 110th Company, 1918 YANG SHIH YUEH (98364) 1918 LI KUO HSIU (65474) 120th Company, 1919 P’ENG CHI SHAN (98487) 146th Company, 1919 We remember them.
In Memoriam 17 August
We remember the following four members of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on this day. LI HSIEN MING (74059) 1919 SUN T’ENG CHIANG (99389) 1919 WANG CH’ING HU (48909) 1919 WU FENG TSAO (40277) 1919 We note that all four died after the armistice. We remember them.
In Memoriam 16 August
We remember the following nine member of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on this day. YIN K’O I (28801) 42nd Company 1917 CHANG TE SHENG (11167) 30th Company 1918 CHAO SHAO WU (47628) 125th Company 1919 HAN YU CHO (106644) 1919 HSU YEN CH’UN (13080) 1919 KAO LAO HEI (48979) 1919 KAO TIEN PAO …
In Memoriam 15 August
We remember the following six member of the Chinese Labour Corps who died on this day. FENG CHIH CH’UAN (104496) 1918 TENG KOU (72459) 1919 CH’I YU LUNG (49857) 1919 HSU HSING TAO (107278) 1919 KAO FU TS’UNG (103686) 1919 LI MING T’ING (101629) 1919 Please note that five of the six died after the …
In Memoriam 14 August
The following members of the Chinese Labour Corps died on the 14th August: CHANG YUN KAO (59115) 1918 CHU HSING MING (96878) 1919 LIU CH’ING HAI (16651) 1919 If you are wondering why 14th August 1919 when hostilities ended on 11th November 1918, it’s because the Chinese Labour Corps were kept on after the armistice to repair …
Countdown to China’s Great War centenary
Today’s our second anniversary. We launched the Ensuring We Remember Campaign on the 14th August 2014. It wasn’t a random date, it marked the 97th anniversary of China formally joining the allies as a belligerent in the Great War. From today, 14th August 2016 through to 13th August 2017 we will be remembering the men …
With the Chinese Labour Force in France in 1918
With the Chinese Labour Force in France in 1918 (The late Norman Mellor worked with the Chinese Labour Corps for some time after the war. In October 1999, a copy of his report was sent to me by his widow. Unfortunately the copy of the report – date stamped 29 Mar 1983 – is rather …
Chinese labour on the home front to be explored at Conference in September.
The Ensuring We Remember Campaign is delighted to be contributing to Dissenting Voices and the Everyday in the First World War Conference to be held at the National Archives over three days, starting on September 8, 2016. An outline of our presentation is given below. Trade Unionism and the Yellow Peril: The use of Chinese labour …
I Think They Will Remember.
“I think they will remember. I am sure they appreciated. It made them feel at least that they were men and not mere quarry slaves, driven to their dungeon when the day was done…” Report of the War Emergency Work of the Y.M.C.A. from 1914 to 1926, Year Book of the National Council of Y.M.C.A.’s, …
Campaign Chair to speak on ‘Missionaries and the Chinese Labour Corps”.
Steve Lau, Chair of the Ensuring We Rememeber Campaign, will be presenting a short paper at the forthcoming conference, Faith and First World War Conference, on the subject of Missionaries and the Chinese Labour Corps. The Conference is being held in Glasgow over two days, 21-22 July 2016, and is free to attend. (Mr Lau …
Jim Maultsaid sums up the Chinese
In the newly published second volume of Lieutenant Jim Maultsaid’s diaries he gives the following summary of his feelings towards the Chinese at the start of the section covering his command within the 169th Company of the Chinese Labour Corps. To my last day on this Earth I will always have a very high …
Chair of Campaign to speak at Hidden Histories Conference.
Steve Lau, Chair of the Ensuring We Rememeber Campaign, will be speaking at the forthcoming conference, Beyond the Western Front – The Global First World War Conference, on the subject of the link between the First World War and the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party. The Conference is being held in Nottingham over two …
CiBF sends congratulatory message to Her Majesty the Queen
The Chinese in Britain Forum, lead body of the Ensuring We Remember Campaign, sent a congratulatory message to Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of Her Majesty’s ninetieth birthday. The Private Secretary of Her Majesty the Queen, Buckingham Palace, London, SW1A 1AA. 11 June 2016 Dear Sir, I write on behalf of The …
Did China’s wartime exports of wheat to the allies cause the North China Famine of 1920-21
For some time here at Campaign HQ we have puzzled over an article in the New York Times that appeared on the 5th June, 1921. The article is a plea by Union N Bethell, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the American Committee for China Famine Fund n which he claims a causal link between the thousands of tons …
Seeking Chinese language transcribing volunteers
We are seeking volunteers to assist with transcribing Chinese text from a scanned document and producing it as a word document. Although perfectly legible, the text is not suitable for OCR scanning. For further information please contact using our Contact Form.
Write an article for the Campaign website.
We would welcome the submission of articles for publication on this site. We are happy to give full credit to authors, whether they be individuals or organisations. If you have an idea for an article, please let us know by using our Contact Form. Please note. 1. Articles can be on any subject as long …
“The European war made possible Japanese aggression on China.” An American’s view from 1916.
The European war made possible Japanese aggression on China. The War Party in Japan assured their compatriots that all Europe was engrossed in a life-and-death struggle; and no European nation would or could interfere with Japan’s realization of her ambitions; that the United States was isolated, and the protection of China would not furnish her …
“Stop dredging up things from the past”
It is an interesting turn of events to find that the main backlash against the Campaign has been from those who consider it to be “white-bashing”, by people who suggest “white people are not there merely for the convenience of others”, and, “as a minority”, to “expect to be offended”. To them, we show a lack …
Mayor of London Candidate supports the Campaign
We are indebted to London Mayoral Candidate Sadiq Khan for his election pledge to support the Chinese Labour Corps memorial campaign. In a Chinese New Year statement, Sadiq Khan states, As your Mayor I will: Support the Chinese community’s call for a London Memorial for the 95,000 Chinese Labour Corps members, whose contribution to Britain …
On this day 1918, the British shut down their recruitment network in China. Following the entry of the United States into the war in April 1917 the US Army expanded rapidly. The need to transport this vast American force across the Atlantic Ocean to France put increasing pressure on the already stretched capacity of Allied …
Englands Yellow Peril – Sinophobia and the Great War
As England suffered heavy casualties at the front during World War One, the nation closed ranks against outsiders at home. England sought to reaffirm its racial dominance at the heart of the empire, and the Chinese in London became the principal scapegoat for anti-foreign sentiment. A combination of propaganda and popular culture, from the daily …
An interesting character: Dr. Tillson Lever Harrison
A serial bigamist, front-line physician in 7 wars, and humanitarian revered in China, Canada’s own Dr. Tillson Lever Harrison is a study in contradictions. In 1917, Harrison joined the Canadian Army, abandoned Eva, and served in France as a physician to the Chinese Labour Corps, which carried stretchers, dug trenches and delivered ammunition. Harrison …
China and the Great War: A symposium.
A must for anyone interested in the birth of modern China, the Chinese Labour Corps and the profound legacy of the Great War. Don’t miss this one if you can possibly help it. CHINA AND THE GREAT WAR: A SYMPOSIUM a panel of leading international scholars, archivists, and community activists will address the ways in which …
Artefacts Donated to the Campaign
It seems timely to give a reminder of our policy on artefacts that are donated to the Campaign. Through a partnership with Durham University’s Oriental Museum we have found a wonderful place where any artefacts donated will not only be used for both exhibitions to the general public and as teaching resources for University courses, …
A correction, an apology and a thank you
In our previous blog, Remembering the 543 men of the SS Athos, we made the following assertion: 543 Chinese labourers recruited by the French lost their lives. At this point it was the practice of the French not to record names of their recruits. Following this disaster, at the demands of the Chinese government, names …
Remembering the 543 men of the SS Athos
It was on this day 1917 that a French registered ship, the SS Athos (pictured), was sunk by a German u-boat attack in the Mediterranean, tantalisingly close to their final port of call, Marseilles. 543 Chinese labourers recruited by the French lost their lives. At this point it was the practice of the French not …
Tom Watson MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party recognises and supports campaign
Our thanks to Tom Watson MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party for highlighting the need to recognise the contribution of the Chinese Labour Corps at a speech during an event to mark the Chinese New Year. Thanks too to Chinese for Labour, one of the Campaign’s Strategic Partners.
Our best wishes for the Chinese Year of the Monkey!
We pay tribute to the men of the Chinese Labour Corps this Chinese New Year with a clip from China Television’s New Year’s Eve Gala show – an army of 540 dancing robots! We hope this brings you a smile (don’t miss 1 minute and 26 seconds in!) and may we wish you a very happy …
A tribute to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
We owe so very much to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (Commission) in relation to commemorating the fallen men of the Chinese Labour Corps (CLC), as a community, as a society and as a nation. For almost one hundred years the Commission carried the torch that ensured that the light that illuminated the CLC’s contribution was …
Forgotten Voices from The First World War: The Chinese Labour Corps
By Alex Calvo and Bao Qiaoni Global Research, December 26, 2015 The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 13, Issue. 49, No. 1 21 December 2015
I signed the petition because
I want people to remember that these people played a part in the war too. Our forgotten heroes. Jenny, London If you haven’t done so, please do sign the petition. Thank you.
The editing out of the Chinese Labour Corps began before they had even all left Europe – at the Paris Peace Conference. The consequences were profound.
Photograph of May 4th demonstrators, Beijing, 1919 [T]he meaning of the Versailles settlement [is reconfigured] by exploring its unintended consequences in stimulating movements of national liberation in Egypt, India, Korea, and China. Instead of telling us about the interplay of Great Power politics, he shows how non-Europeans invented their own version of Wilson in their search for a kind of self-determination …
I signed the petition because…
As a Chinese from the mainland I’m totally ignorant of this historical event back then but now that I know I feel so sorry for these men who made such a great contribution was totally forgotten by either their employers and their motherland people. It’s so sad. Dee,Coventry
A description of the Chinese Labourers
It is the destiny of all Coolie Labour Battalions, once landed in France, to be divided into I don’t know how many parts, and disbursed over a wide area of usefulness…some are marching by the harvested fields of the Somme country on the way to chalk pits to dig ballast for light railways; others are in …
A long train journey with men from Shandong
Steve Lau, Chair of the Ensuring We Remember Strategic Partnership Board, shares the story of an inspiring encounter with men from Shandong on a recent visit to China. Three hours before I was due to take off, my plans to fly from Jinan to Shenzhen were scuppered. I won’t explain why, not because it would …
Why I signed the petition…
Saddened that the Chinese contribution to the Allied effort in WW1 is so under represented. Tony, UK You can join Tony and sign the petition here.
Update on the Address to Members of Liverpool City Council.
Further to our previous post, An address to the Members of Liverpool City Council the following is an extract from the minutes of the Council meeting. Peter Foo and Steve Lau addressed the City Council in relation to the Chinese community within the City in the context of the Motion set out in Minute No. 15. and entitled …
Consultation on memorial design begins
As we move from preparatory stages of the memorial to the design and commissioning stage we are now starting consultation on the proposed memorial. At this point we have not secured a site for the memorial, but feel we should have a “proposed design option” in order to be able to fit within the timeframe. …
Significance of the Campaign
In the third of our Campaign insight’s marking the first anniversary of the Campaign we are releasing an extract from the Project Proposal, written back in the winter of 2013. It explores the potential significance of the Campaign on the British Chinese community. SIGNIFICANCE This project represents the largest coalition of Chinese community organisations in …
Our Objectives
In the second of our Campaign insights being released to mark one year since the launch of our Campaign we are taking a look at the Campaign objectives. This excerpt is taken from the introductory section to the Memorandum of Undersanding that each Strategic Partner signs. Ensuring We Remember, is a national campaign for a …
One Year Old Today!
The Campaign is one year old today. To mark this milestone we will be releasing some “insider” knowledge on the campaign today and over the coming week. Today we share some insights into the reach of our website. In the 365 days since launch we have reached almost 100,000 people, and served over a quarter …
The Chinese Labour Corps in Basra? Part 2
In a recent post, The Chinese Labour Corps in Basra? we explored the story of 227 unidentified Chinese buried in Basra, explaining our belief that records had been lost rather than the names of those Chinese having never been recorded. Our belief was based as much on cultural reasons as on anything else. Wherever possible the British paid respect to …
Victory over Japan Day
Most people in the UK would probably not attach much significance to the 15th August. Elsewhere it is a day of national significance, not least of all in China, as it is the day on which the Imperial Japanese army surrendered, and the Second World War truly came to an end. As we approach the …
An address to the Members of Liverpool City Council
Steve Lau, Chair of the Ensuring We Remember Campaign was invited to address a full meeting of Liverpool City Council on Wednesday 22nd July, 2015. His address is given below. Our thanks to the Members of Liverpool City Council for their support of the campaign. I am delighted to address the Council today as Chair …
The Chinese Labour Corps (1916-1920), Gregory James
The Chinese Labour Corps (1916-1920) Gregory James Bayview Educational (2013) In this important and wide ranging contribution to military history, Gregory James draws on an extensive array of public and unofficial sources to chronicle the saga of a wartime cross-cultural encounter whose legacy remains in the narrative of contemporary Sino-Western relations today. For your copy contact: …
The affect of an air raid on Chinese Labourers, a contemporaneous account
To add to the drivers’ difficulties, numbers of Chinese ran screaming about the place, many of them crazy with fear. One girl was asked to keep a Chinaman in her car while the men went to fetch more patients, but though quite a little man, she had to invite a passing soldier to come and …
Volunteer Chinese Social Media Facilitator
We are looking for a volunteer(s) to maximise our exposure on Chinese social media. This will include the establishment of Campaign accounts on China-friendly platforms. This role requires that you be literate in Chinese and with basic IT skills. For further details, please get in touch via our Contact Form.
Seeking Volunteers for a Collaborative Translation Project.
我们正在寻找致力于合作翻译项目的志愿者. We are seeking volunteers who are able to read Chinese and to translate into English. Both native English or native Chinese speakers are welcome with the aim of participating in an exciting collaborative translation project, taking an original historical Chinese text which has not, to date, been translated into English. Please contact us using …
Why I signed the petition…
To correct a historical omission in our rememberance process of WW1 Patrick, Nelson.
SACU 50th Anniversary Celebrations
Practitioners Panel 2 at SACU’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations: Understanding China – the whats, the whys and the hows Speakers (Left to Right): Graham Perry, former SACU vice chair; Steve Lau, Chair, Ensuring We Remember Campaign;Prof. Jude Howell, LSE; Prof. Kerry Brown, University of Sydney; Glyn Ford, former Labour MEP; Dr. Sam Beatson (Chair), Lau China …
In memory of John “Jack” Johnstone
Private M1/5741 John “Jack” Johnstone, committed suicide on the 7th July 1916. Why it is hard to even guess a reason. Perhaps it was because of the date, he killed himself soon after the opening of the Battle of the Somme. Jack was only 21 he had his life in front of him. He was …
Volunteer BSL Signer
We understand how language can often be a barrier to access, which is why we made our website available in four languages. Our main video is available in five languages (English, French, Dutch, Mandarin and Cantonese). Nonetheless, we are conscious that we have more to do and are committed to making our video accessible to …
Book Reviewers
We are looking to offer a range of volunteering opportunities. We have a number of books for which we would like independent reviews. Example titles include: V.K. Wellington Koo and the Emergence of Modern China Stephen G. Craft No Labour, No Battle: Military Labour during the First World War John Starling China’s Great Convulsion 1894-1924 …
A message from France
I had never heard anything of these Chinese who came during the First World War. Through Mr Léo Lapointe’s book* I now know a little about the terrible conditions that they experienced. Nathalie, France * Most likely refers to the novel, Le planqué des huttes by Léo Lapointe’s
The difficulty of assessing China’s war loses
It is difficult to clearly evaluate China’s war losses during World War I (WWI). Firstly, defining the time period in question is a complex matter: China passed through a period of neutrality (August 1914 – March 1917), a period of severance of diplomatic relations (March 1917 – August 1917), and a period of declaration of …
2007 Article from the South China Morning Post
BEHIND THE NEWS Oct 08, 2007 A bronze plaque on the wall of a Paris railway building and a modest monument in a small park are the only reminders of a remarkable but forgotten story of the first world war – 150,000 Chinese volunteers who cleared mines, removed the dead and made munitions, and became …
Artistic License
https://youtu.be/as1436gxKvA This ten minute blockbuster treatment of the Chinese Labour Corps by the Hong Kong film industry will certainly raise a few eyebrows among historians as artistic license has been taken in abundance. Of course this is a commercial film and not an historic documentary; and commercial films are essentially produced to make money. Donnie …
Surely we should invite our Chinese friends to the Cenotaph
The following article, by Professor Michhael Wood, appeared in the April 2015 edition of BBC History Magazine. Our thanks to historyextra.com and the editorial team’s kind permission for us to reproduce the article. We’ve been filming in China on and off for many months now, and still enjoying every minute. It’s nearly 30 years since …
Why I signed the petition…
I have just read an academic paper on the search for the bodies of soldiers during and after the war and there was not one mention of the Chinese Labour Corps. I was alerted to its existence by a small mention in the novel “Wake” by Anna Hope. 96,000 men should be properly remembered. John, …
A contemporaneous report on the Chinese Labour Corps
WAR WORK OF CHINESE VOLUNTEER BATTALION. DUTY BEHIND THE LINES. ACCOUNT BY DR. STUCKEY. The fine work done behind the lines in France by the Chinese Voluntary Labour Battalion was described by Dr. E. J. Stuckey, O.B.E., of the Union Medical College, Pekin, in an interview yesterday. Dr. Stuckey, who is at present touring New Zealand …