Ref: DR20343
- £175.00
China. (Chinese Labour Force in France World War One). 1918. Envelope addressed to Nevers cancelled by Imphy/ Nievre date stamp '10th Mai 18' with bold circular double ring 'Groupement Chinois/ Imphy (Nievre)/Le Commandant' in violet.
One of the darker 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 under often inhumane conditions. A large number were also struck down by the devastating Spanish flu epidemic of 1918.
