Ivor Lee Posted 26 March , 2008 Share Posted 26 March , 2008 During 1917 - 1918 six men of the Chinese Labour Corps were buried in SHORNCLIFFE MILITARY CEMETERY, KENT. I presume they were working there but there is no evidence of this that I can find. Living at the other end of the country means I cannot undertake research in person so if there are any members in the area that either have any information on this or come across mention of the CLC in local papers etc I would be very grateful. It is one section of the work of the Labour Corps in the UK missing from my work. Thanks Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 26 March , 2008 Share Posted 26 March , 2008 Ivor, I googled Chinese labour corps and found an interesting site on them with the following paragraph: "Camps were maintained behind the Front lines, some of the larger being at Boulogne, Calais, Dunkirk with the Head Quarters at Noyelles-sur-Mer. Hospitals were at Noyelles-sur-Mer, Arques, Moulle andCalais, with the Shorncliffe Military Hospital at Folkestone also being used for sick and injured Chinese. " So that looks like your answer. From the website, it sounds as if the Chinese were not used to work in docks on the English side of the Channel, because of trades union restrictions. Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Lee Posted 26 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 26 March , 2008 Angela Many thanks - I had seen Brian Fawcett's article and often wondered about the use of Shorncliffe. We know the Chinese came through Plymouth and certainly some are buried there. Whether Shorncliffe was simply a hospital used for men taken ill on the way to France is not certain. The CLC were not employed in docks in the UK but I have seen a reference to them being at Orford Ness in Suffolk but cannot find confirmation of this. Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 27 March , 2008 Share Posted 27 March , 2008 I took it - perhaps wrongly - from that website that if they were sick enough they would be sent back from France to hospital in England. But I am no expert in the matter! Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkes Lamb Posted 27 March , 2008 Share Posted 27 March , 2008 I have a document at home in France that was produced by the one time Commandant of Shorncliffe Garrison. I have it at hiome in France but I work in Dubai so dont have access to it! It may be worth dropping the Garrison Commandant a line as they are responsible for the Military Cemetery. If in the area pay a visit to the Gurkha Museum-you always get a warm welcome there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Lee Posted 27 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 27 March , 2008 Many thanks will dropp the Garrison Commandant a line. Also thanks Annie for the photographs and text you PMed me. The text confirms that there was a staging camp for the CLC on their way to France. Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shorncliffe Posted 29 March , 2008 Share Posted 29 March , 2008 Many thanks will dropp the Garrison Commandant a line. Also thanks Annie for the photographs and text you PMed me. The text confirms that there was a staging camp for the CLC on their way to France. Ivor ivor The text i sent over to you was taken from FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR 1914 - 1919 BY J C CARLILE Page 71. It looks as if the camp was located at site of the present junction13 of the m20. I have no photos of this but my husband used to go and see an old chap who was a photograher in Cheriton Nr Folkestone and he can remember the chinese men used to go to Sutton the clock and watcher repairers and buy and old fashion type alarm clock and then go and have thier photos taken with the clock. Have never seen a photo of this but just thought it may be of interest. The photographer was H B Green. annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Lee Posted 30 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 30 March , 2008 Annie Many thanks another useful and interesting snippet. Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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