For those interested in the First World War you may be interested in a recent acquisition to the PHSI library.

"The Chinese Labour Corps:
The Forgotten Chinese Labourers of the First World War"
is the fascinating and relatively unknown story told by Mark O’Neill of the contribution of thousands of Chinese labourers who supported the Allies war effort.  Largely illiterate they came to Europe to make a better life for themselves, totally unaware of the conditions under which they were going to have to work in.  Many died or were either injured or traumatised as a result of their experiences in digging trenches, working in factories, mines and repair shops and toiling in the fields and forests.

Mark O’Neill was inspired to write this story after learning that his grandfather the Rev WFS O’Neill was one of the missionaries in China who worked with the Chinese Labour Corps alongside the YMCA who organised for Chinese speaking missionaries and others to provide education, recreation and spiritual comfort to the Chinese labourers.

Also by Mark O'Neill:

"Frederick - The Life of My Missionary Grandfather in Manchuria"
The Rev FWS O’Neill, an Irish Presbyterian Missionary served in Faku, a small town in Manchuria from 1897 to 1942 and witnessed many of the great events that convulsed China including the Boxer Rising, the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. He also served with the Chinese Labour Corps in France in World War 1 for which he was awarded the Order of the Striped Tiger by the Chinese government.

(This book is available from PHSI  - cost £16.00 plus postage of £2.00 within the UK.)

New Book on the life of Irish Presbyterian missionary Very Rev Frederick W S O'Neill - PCI Mission Overseas news (archive).

Interview with Mark O'Neill on RTHK Radio 3 Bookmarks website (archive).

Other publications available from PHSI.