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Chinese New Year day (Feb 11th) Celebrations in a labour camp in France. A Chinese juggler.
photograph, photograph
Accession Number

NAM.2001-02-121-1

Description

Chinese New Year day (Feb 11th) Celebrations in a labour camp in France. A Chinese juggler. Official photograph of a crowd of Chinese labourers in great coats or labour camp uniforms, watching a juggler and other entertainers in the foreground, 1918. Associated with World War One, Western Front (1914-1918). The scale of fighting on the Western Front created an insatiable demand for labour in the rear areas. The British and French armies met this demand by recruiting labourers from many countries around the world, including China, India, South Africa and Egypt. The Chinese labour corps formed the largest contingent of workers, with nearly a quarter of a million employed in France by 1918. The principle work that they undertook involved maintaining lines of supply and communications for the troops at the front. From the collection of the former Buffs Regimental Museum.

Campaigns

World War One, Western Front (1914-1918)

Associated collection