The Last of the Chinese Labour Corp Return Home from France – 21 Years Later

Among the men of the Chinese Labour Corps (the so-called Coolie Corps) that went to Europe in World War One to work for the British and French governments some never returned home – dead in France or Belgium – while others opted to stay in Europe, married, had families, started businesses etc. Some stayed for a while after the war, helping/working in the reconstruction of the continent after the conflict. Most of these only stayed a few years. But some it seems stayed a lot longer. Here, in 1937, is a record of perhaps the last of the Chinese Labour Corps to return home to China – 21 years after they signed up for the Corps in China in 1916 – in 1937….

(PS: this Wednesday – May 4th no less!! – a one-day China and the Great War Symposium is being held at the Imperial War Museum in London with several speakers on the Chinese Labour Corps – their history and contribution – including Xu Guoqi, Paul Bailey, Gregory James and Guo Xiaolu  as well as an exhibition of photographs from the Imperial War Museum of the Labour Corps – tickets are free and bookable here)