Ref: DR17968
- £175.00
China. (Chinese Labour Force). 1918. Picture post card of 'La Poundrerie, Vonges' addressed to Seine cancelled by Saone date stamp with circular 'Detachement des Travaillurs Chinoise/ Vonges (Cote d'Or)/ Le Commandant de Groupement' in violet. Very fine.
One of the darker aspects of World War 1 was the plight of 12,000 Chinese workers who were recruited by the British Army from the north of China in 1916 to serve on the battle front in France as labourers , trench diggers, munitions carriers, mine disarmers and corpse bearers under often inhumane conditions. A large number were also struck down by the devastating Spanish flu epidemic of 1918.
Ex John Marc Sitarik.
