1910s 1st World War WWI Chinese Labour Corps Worker PHOTO Postcard China CLC
Item History & Price
Very rare old / antique real photo postcard / RPPC depictinga Chinese worker with walking stick next to a nice carved table / he is a member of the Chinese Labour Corps / CLC from the French Forces during the First World War / WWI with the famous hats many of the Chinese were wearing. He is a very proud man with strong eyes.
some info about the CLC from the www:
" The Chinese Labour Corps (CLC; French: Corps de Travailleurs Chinois; simplified Chinese: 中国劳工旅; traditio...nal Chinese: 中國勞工旅; pinyin: Zhōngguó láogōng lǚ) was a force of workers recruited by the British government in the First World War to free troops for front line duty by performing support work and manual labour. The French government also recruited a significant number of Chinese labourers, and although those labourers working for the French were recruited separately and not part of the CLC, they are often considered to be so. In all, some 140, 000 men served for both British and French forces before the war ended and most of the men were repatriated to China between 1918 and 1920.[1]
A deal between the Chinese government and the allies resulted in the enlistment of thousands of Chinese who formed the Chinese Labour Corps (CLC) mainly poor Chinese men from the north who were told they would be in non-combatant roles. The Canadian government had restricted the arrival of all Asians and the CLC were secretly landed at Victoria, British Columbia. They were drilled in the old quarantine station at Metchosin, British Columbia on Vancouver Island.[10] Roughly 81, 000 Chinese men were then taken on Canadian Pacific Railway trains to Halifax to board steamships to England.[11] On arrival, they crossed the English Channel to France. After the War, over 40, 000 returned by ship to Halifax and then by train to Vancouver; they were returned by ship to China.[12] [13] Unknown numbers never made it to the war front, died and buried in unmarked graves in British Columbia (including 21 at William Head Prison) and Ontario (1 known grave of Chou Ming Shan in Petawawa, Ontario).[11]A total of about 140, 000 Chinese workers served on the Western Front during and after the war.[14] Among them, 100, 000 served in the British Chinese Labour Corps. About 40, 000 served with the French forces, and hundreds of Chinese students served as translators.[15]By the end of 1917, 54, 000 Chinese labourers were with the British Armed Forces in France and Belgium. In March, the admiralty declared itself no longer able to supply the ships for transport and the British government were obliged to bring recruitment to an end. The men already serving in France completed their contracts.[7] By the time of the armistice, the CLC numbered nearly 96, 000, [7] while a further 30, 000 were working for the French.[2]In May 1919, 80, 000 Chinese Labour Corps were still at work.[7] The British soldier Arthur Bullock, in his wartime memoir, gives a vivid account of the interactions between the British soldiers and Chinese workers. He also drew a sketch of one Chinese man, Tchung Camena Tungwa, who invited him to have tea in Beijing when he was next there (he never was).[16]The workers, mainly aged between 20 and 35, served as labour in the rear echelons or helped build munitions depots. They were asked to carry out essential work to support the frontline troops, such as unloading ships, building dugouts, repairing roads and railways, digging trenches, and filling sandbags.[17] Some worked in armaments factories, others in naval shipyards, for a pittance of one to three francs a day. At the time, they were seen just as cheap labour, and were not even allowed out of camp to fraternise locally. When the war ended, some were used for mine clearance, or to recover the bodies of soldiers and fill in miles of trenches.[17] Men fell ill from poor diets and the intense damp and cold, and on occasion, they mutinied against their French and British employers or ransacked local restaurants in search of food.[18] The harshness of the conditions in which some of these men worked is recorded by Arthur Bullock in his wartime memoir.[19] Bullock also recalls the differences between the 'coolies' and the German prisoners of war, in terms of their attitudes to work and to each other.[20]After the armistice of 11 November, the Chinese, each identified by a reference number, were shipped home. Only about 5, 000 to 7, 000 stayed in France, forming the nucleus of later Chinese communities in Paris. Most who survived returned to China in 1918.[21] The contribution of these Chinese men went uncommemorated for decades until military ceremonies resumed in 2002 at the Chinese cemetery of Noyelles-sur-Mer.[16]Throughout the war, trade union pressure prevented the introduction of Chinese labourers to the British Isles.[3] Sidney and Beatrice Webb suggested that the CLC was restricted to carrying out menial unskilled labour due to pressure from British trade unions.[22] However, some members of the corps carried out skilled and semiskilled work for the Tank Corps, including riveting[23] and engine repair.[24]One member of the corps, First Class Ganger Liu Dien Chen, was recommended for the Military Medal for rallying his men while under shellfire in March 1918. However, he was eventually awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, as it was decided CLC members were not eligible for the Military Medal. By the end of the war, the Meritorious Service Medal had been awarded to five Chinese workers.[25]After the war, the British government issued the bronze variant of the British War Medal to every member of the Chinese Labour Corps."
Very good condition, only softly rounded / bumped corners and a soft crease in the upper right corner / some water staining on back but does not affect the front in any way ! // divided back, no stamp box / unposted
( CHINE / CHINA / SWATOW / ASIA / HANKOW / SHANGHAI / AMOY / HONG KONG / HONGKONG / CHINOIS / CHINESE / GUANGDONG / TSINGTAU / TSINGTAO / KIAUTSCHOU / PEKING / TIENTSIN / BEIJING / CANTON / GUANGZHOU / SOLDIER / FOOCHOW / KOWLOON / MISSION / PEKIN / SHANTOU / SWATOW )
--------------------------------ATTENTION: CURRENTLY SHIP ONLY BY REGISTERED AIRMAIL DUE TO ACTUAL SITUATION, IT IS MUCH SAFER. SO PRICES ARE 6, 50 US$ OR 8, 50 US$, STILL A GOOD PRICE COMPARED TO OTHER INTERNATIONAL POSTAL CHARGES BEING REQUESTED.
Postage is 4, 50 US$ for 1-2 photos with regular airmail worldwide, no refund if lost or stolen! Payment in this case only by IBAN / BIC bank transfer to my bank account, bank fees occuring on the side of the buyer need to be taken over by the buyer, so I get the full amount. Shipping within Germany is cheaper (via regular letter, registered airmail or DHL package), please ask!
Registered airmail that I strongly recommend in actual times is 8, 50 US$ for 1-2 photos, more on request depending on size and overall weight. If you choose this mode I am more than happy to accept PayPal for payment.
I can also ship by DHL but this is a lot more expensive, depending on the countries it varies between 15-50 US$, also depending on insurance, size etc. Please ask for details.
Due to the actual situation I have had some massive losses, that's the reason why I decided to sell these highly attractive and rare photos and postcards from my own collection to gain some money to go through this tough time! So your bid really helps! Many thanks!
Good luck, take care and stay healthy!
don_alfonso
some info about the CLC from the www:
" The Chinese Labour Corps (CLC; French: Corps de Travailleurs Chinois; simplified Chinese: 中国劳工旅; traditio...nal Chinese: 中國勞工旅; pinyin: Zhōngguó láogōng lǚ) was a force of workers recruited by the British government in the First World War to free troops for front line duty by performing support work and manual labour. The French government also recruited a significant number of Chinese labourers, and although those labourers working for the French were recruited separately and not part of the CLC, they are often considered to be so. In all, some 140, 000 men served for both British and French forces before the war ended and most of the men were repatriated to China between 1918 and 1920.[1]
A deal between the Chinese government and the allies resulted in the enlistment of thousands of Chinese who formed the Chinese Labour Corps (CLC) mainly poor Chinese men from the north who were told they would be in non-combatant roles. The Canadian government had restricted the arrival of all Asians and the CLC were secretly landed at Victoria, British Columbia. They were drilled in the old quarantine station at Metchosin, British Columbia on Vancouver Island.[10] Roughly 81, 000 Chinese men were then taken on Canadian Pacific Railway trains to Halifax to board steamships to England.[11] On arrival, they crossed the English Channel to France. After the War, over 40, 000 returned by ship to Halifax and then by train to Vancouver; they were returned by ship to China.[12] [13] Unknown numbers never made it to the war front, died and buried in unmarked graves in British Columbia (including 21 at William Head Prison) and Ontario (1 known grave of Chou Ming Shan in Petawawa, Ontario).[11]A total of about 140, 000 Chinese workers served on the Western Front during and after the war.[14] Among them, 100, 000 served in the British Chinese Labour Corps. About 40, 000 served with the French forces, and hundreds of Chinese students served as translators.[15]By the end of 1917, 54, 000 Chinese labourers were with the British Armed Forces in France and Belgium. In March, the admiralty declared itself no longer able to supply the ships for transport and the British government were obliged to bring recruitment to an end. The men already serving in France completed their contracts.[7] By the time of the armistice, the CLC numbered nearly 96, 000, [7] while a further 30, 000 were working for the French.[2]In May 1919, 80, 000 Chinese Labour Corps were still at work.[7] The British soldier Arthur Bullock, in his wartime memoir, gives a vivid account of the interactions between the British soldiers and Chinese workers. He also drew a sketch of one Chinese man, Tchung Camena Tungwa, who invited him to have tea in Beijing when he was next there (he never was).[16]The workers, mainly aged between 20 and 35, served as labour in the rear echelons or helped build munitions depots. They were asked to carry out essential work to support the frontline troops, such as unloading ships, building dugouts, repairing roads and railways, digging trenches, and filling sandbags.[17] Some worked in armaments factories, others in naval shipyards, for a pittance of one to three francs a day. At the time, they were seen just as cheap labour, and were not even allowed out of camp to fraternise locally. When the war ended, some were used for mine clearance, or to recover the bodies of soldiers and fill in miles of trenches.[17] Men fell ill from poor diets and the intense damp and cold, and on occasion, they mutinied against their French and British employers or ransacked local restaurants in search of food.[18] The harshness of the conditions in which some of these men worked is recorded by Arthur Bullock in his wartime memoir.[19] Bullock also recalls the differences between the 'coolies' and the German prisoners of war, in terms of their attitudes to work and to each other.[20]After the armistice of 11 November, the Chinese, each identified by a reference number, were shipped home. Only about 5, 000 to 7, 000 stayed in France, forming the nucleus of later Chinese communities in Paris. Most who survived returned to China in 1918.[21] The contribution of these Chinese men went uncommemorated for decades until military ceremonies resumed in 2002 at the Chinese cemetery of Noyelles-sur-Mer.[16]Throughout the war, trade union pressure prevented the introduction of Chinese labourers to the British Isles.[3] Sidney and Beatrice Webb suggested that the CLC was restricted to carrying out menial unskilled labour due to pressure from British trade unions.[22] However, some members of the corps carried out skilled and semiskilled work for the Tank Corps, including riveting[23] and engine repair.[24]One member of the corps, First Class Ganger Liu Dien Chen, was recommended for the Military Medal for rallying his men while under shellfire in March 1918. However, he was eventually awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, as it was decided CLC members were not eligible for the Military Medal. By the end of the war, the Meritorious Service Medal had been awarded to five Chinese workers.[25]After the war, the British government issued the bronze variant of the British War Medal to every member of the Chinese Labour Corps."
Very good condition, only softly rounded / bumped corners and a soft crease in the upper right corner / some water staining on back but does not affect the front in any way ! // divided back, no stamp box / unposted
( CHINE / CHINA / SWATOW / ASIA / HANKOW / SHANGHAI / AMOY / HONG KONG / HONGKONG / CHINOIS / CHINESE / GUANGDONG / TSINGTAU / TSINGTAO / KIAUTSCHOU / PEKING / TIENTSIN / BEIJING / CANTON / GUANGZHOU / SOLDIER / FOOCHOW / KOWLOON / MISSION / PEKIN / SHANTOU / SWATOW )
--------------------------------ATTENTION: CURRENTLY SHIP ONLY BY REGISTERED AIRMAIL DUE TO ACTUAL SITUATION, IT IS MUCH SAFER. SO PRICES ARE 6, 50 US$ OR 8, 50 US$, STILL A GOOD PRICE COMPARED TO OTHER INTERNATIONAL POSTAL CHARGES BEING REQUESTED.
Postage is 4, 50 US$ for 1-2 photos with regular airmail worldwide, no refund if lost or stolen! Payment in this case only by IBAN / BIC bank transfer to my bank account, bank fees occuring on the side of the buyer need to be taken over by the buyer, so I get the full amount. Shipping within Germany is cheaper (via regular letter, registered airmail or DHL package), please ask!
Registered airmail that I strongly recommend in actual times is 8, 50 US$ for 1-2 photos, more on request depending on size and overall weight. If you choose this mode I am more than happy to accept PayPal for payment.
I can also ship by DHL but this is a lot more expensive, depending on the countries it varies between 15-50 US$, also depending on insurance, size etc. Please ask for details.
Due to the actual situation I have had some massive losses, that's the reason why I decided to sell these highly attractive and rare photos and postcards from my own collection to gain some money to go through this tough time! So your bid really helps! Many thanks!
Good luck, take care and stay healthy!
don_alfonso
