Roger34 Posted 24 January , 2014 Share Posted 24 January , 2014 Hi All, While in Etaples last October I noticed a lone Chinese Labour Corps grave,it just seemed to have a number and no name. Is this normal for Chinese graves? And does anyone have any more details about this lone grave tucked away in a corner of the cemetery? Thank you, Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 24 January , 2014 Share Posted 24 January , 2014 Seems odd as there is a Chinese cemetery relatively close to Etaples. However some Chinese seamen were buried in various places and some were not readily identifiable having been washed ashore some time after their ship was torpedoed. Can you id the graveyard? Is it the big Etaples one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger34 Posted 24 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 24 January , 2014 No 9436 Chinese Labour Corps Died September 23rd 1917 And A good reputation endures for ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 24 January , 2014 Share Posted 24 January , 2014 The grave in etaples is the grave of 9436 Fu P'ei Ch'en. His is the only CLC grave in Etaples Military. He is listed in CWGC so I assume that his name is given in chinese characters. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger34 Posted 24 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 24 January , 2014 Thank you Tom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger34 Posted 24 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 24 January , 2014 Not really knowing much about the CLC were most of the casualties due to disease, illness, random shelling or other war related factors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 24 January , 2014 Share Posted 24 January , 2014 Sorry, Roger, I don't know how Fu P'ei Ch'en died, although you do see many Chinese Labour Corps graves with dates of death post-Armistice as lots were killed on battlefield clearance work. It's possible that Fu may have been sick or wounded/injured and died in hospital. As you probably noticed, his grave is easy to spot, and lots of visitors walk across to look at it. It's in a plot which has only one row, and that row has only one grave, and that's Fu's grave. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger34 Posted 24 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 24 January , 2014 Thank you Tom, I only spotted it after many visits last October and it made me sad that it seemed to be tucked away in a corner! I will make sure that all future groups I take there see the grave as part of their visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 25 January , 2014 Share Posted 25 January , 2014 Post about the recently published book Chinese Labour Corps by Forum Member Gregory James http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202853 The book is also mentioned in this link http://ww1centenary.net/2013/12/05/ww1-books-the-chinese-labour-corps-1916-20/ Also previous GWF thread "UK-based Chinese Labour Corps?" http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=200826 Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelcave Posted 25 January , 2014 Share Posted 25 January , 2014 I think a fair number succumbed to Spanish Flu in 1918 and the immediate post war years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted 25 January , 2014 Share Posted 25 January , 2014 The headstone is named - in Chinese: 傅培臣 (Fu P‘ei Ch‘en), who was from Tianjin, a Ganger in 56th Coy. of the Chinese Labour Corps. His date of death according to the headstone is 23rd September 1917. The annotation on the medal roll gives it as 23rd September 1919. The CWGC database says 3rd September 1917. Etaples also has other CLC-related burials. For example, William Spinks, a YMCA chaplain, who lost his life on 29th May 1918 "from injuries received while rescuing a Chinaman during an air raid" (headstone). Five British NCOs of the CLC are also buried in Etaples: their dates of death range from October 1918 to October 1919. Two of these died of broncho-pneumonia, probably flu related. It may be of interest to members to know that the CWGC is at present revising its sometimes idiosyncratic spellings of the Chinese Labour Corps personnel, to match the spellings in the medal roll, which follows a recognised standard system. Fu P'ei Ch'en, for example, was formerly listed as Fu Pu Chen. Other anomalies (such as the one of dates mentioned above) are also being ironed out, where the relevant evidence is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger34 Posted 31 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 31 January , 2014 Thank you all for the help with this question. It is always good to be able to find out the more personal details about all off the fallen no matter what their role! Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbriscoe Posted 24 November , 2020 Share Posted 24 November , 2020 On 24/01/2014 at 23:50, Roger34 said: Thank you Tom, I only spotted it after many visits last October and it made me sad that it seemed to be tucked away in a corner! I will make sure that all future groups I take there see the grave as part of their visit. It is not uncommon to come across "lonely" Western graves that have no others near them. Probably just luck (or bad luck) from when they were buried. There might be clues in the Grave Registration attached to each record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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