Ref: DR20342
- £125.00
China. (Chinese Labour Force in France World War One). 1917. Picture post card of 'La Basse - Normandie, Pittoresque, Cherbourg' written from Doulon dated '23rd November 1917' addressed to Brest with circular 'Service Travailleurs Coloniaux/Le Chef de Batainer Grenes/ Controleur/ Section Chinoise' in violet on face.
One of the darkest aspects of World War One 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 often under inhumane conditions. A large number were also struck down by the devastating Spanish flu epidemic of 1918.
