Major Charles Gilson, China and World War Two – The Yellow Mask (1942)

Posted: August 19th, 2025 | No Comments »

There’s an interesting number of children’s adventure books published throughout World War two featuring China – invariably designed to reinforce the alliance between the allies and China against the Japanese. Major Charles Gilson heard the call!! Gilson served in China after the Boxer Rebellion and featured China in some of his stories. Gilson even featured a Chinese detective in one of his stories.

Charles Gilson had never stopped being a bestseller since his first books back in the early years of the century. A former army officer (sometimes billed a “Captain” and sometimes as a “Major” on his book covers) Gilson’s tales ranged from Africa to India to South America. However, China was a favourite location and one he knew, having served with the British army in Beijing after the Boxer Uprising. Gilson’s tales are far from politically correct by 2023 standards but were still popular by the time war broke out. His YA stories from China included kidnapping escapades, pirate adventures and a story featuring a Chinese detective (The Mystery of Ah-Jim). When war broke out between Britain and Japan Gilson was in his sixties and contemplating retirement. But he wanted to make sure the youngsters who still read his books appreciated China’s wartime plight. Sons of the Sword: A Tale of the Sino-Japanese War (1941) was a plodding tale but sold well. It was also to be Gilson’s last book. He died in 1943.

But is that true as this copy of The Yellow Mask (which I picked up for £2 at Much Ado Books in Alfriston the other week) is dated 1942, a year later – a bibliographical mystery I must find time to get to the bottom off.

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