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The Chinese who sailed for Britain
by Yvonne Foley

Liverpool has the longest established Chinese community in Britain. During the Second World War there were about 20,000 Chinese Merchant Seamen based in Liverpool. These men came principally from Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. As with the Merchant Service in general, the casualty rate amongst the Chinese seamen was high.

Government documents of the time show that when the War ended, the Government decided that certain of the Chinese should be deported and the remainder should be repatriated. However, a number of the men had wives or partners and there were approximately 450 children resulting from these unions.

Government officials accepted that the men married to English-born women had the right to remain in the UK. However, instructions were sent out that they should not be told this.

Many of the men found themselves in a situation where they were being prevented from getting shore jobs. Moreover, the sea-going jobs that were available to them were at so-called Asian rates — less than half the rate for a British seaman. Not only that but it was being demanded of them that they sign articles that would have them discharged in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai — away from their families with no means of getting back!

Not surprisingly, few of the men were willing to sign. For the Shanghai men in particular, with a civil war in progress in China, their chances of getting back to Liverpool were scant indeed.

With no income and no right to remain in the country, eventually many were forced to sign. They were shipped out and their families never saw them again. A few managed to get in touch with their families but many of the women spent their lives believing they had been deserted and we, the children of these men grew up never knowing our fathers.

Our aim is to get a plaque placed in Chinatown Liverpool and one at the Liverpool Pier Head in honour of the Chinese seamen who served Britain in two World Wars and in remembrance of this unfortunate episode in our country’s history. We are continuing to research what happened and would be happy to receive any information or expressions of interest.

dragonsofthepool@piczo.com
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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Sue Russell of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ on behalf of Yvonne Foley and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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