Ref: DR17971
- £175.00
China. (Chinese Labour Force in France World War One). 1918. Picture post card of 'Pont Gallieni, Lyon' addressed to Seine cancelled by Seine Oise date stamp with circular 'Travailleurs Tonkinois de la Cie 6th Navigation/ Lyon (Rhone)/ Le Commandant du Groupement.' 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.
