| Foreign Labour Units |
Egyptian Labour Corps
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Initially civilians were recruited in 1915 for the
Gallipoli campaign. They were not a great success refusing
to work when under shellfire and badly affected by sickness
during November and December.
From 1916 onwards the ELC was to serve in Egypt,
Mesopotamia, Salonika and France. The ELC was under the
command of British officers with British and locally
recruited N.C.O.s.
There are no accurate records of how many Egyptians served
in Egypt and Palestine. Numbers vary from about
100,000 to over a million. Similarly there are no accurate
records of how many died. They proved invaluable building
roads and railways, laying water pipes and moving stores.
The ELC served in France from March 1917 until the end of
the year. There were problems with the ELC in France due
primarily to the fact that their contract was only for six
months. They also suffered because of the cold autumn
weather.
Around 8,000 men of the ELC served in Mesopotamia, many
working for the R.E.'s Inland Water Transport department.
In Salonika 70 Company, ELC were employed on railway
construction.
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Jewish Labour Units
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The Zion Mule Corps was recruited in
Egypt and served with distinction on Gallipoli from April to
December 1915. Although technically a transport unit they
were to be important in paving the way for the Jewish Labour
Corps, the Jewish/Russian Companies of the Labour Corps and
the Jewish Battalions of the Royal Fusilieirs.
A Jewish Labour Corps of about 200 men was recruited in
Egypt in April 1915. This unit was disbanded by the end of
May.
In April 1918 the 8th and 9th Labour Battalions were formed
as part of the Labour Corps. The other ranks were
primarily Russian Jews living in the U.K. although the
officers and N.C.O.s came from existing army units.
1001, 1002, 1021 and 1022 Companies, Labour Corps were
formed from these Battalions and served in France.
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Greek, Macedonian & Serbian Labour
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Greek labourers were employed on Gallipoli from April to
December 1915. They were employed on the islands supplying
the Peninsula and at Helles and ANZAC. The
Macedonian Labour Battalions were formed in 1917 from
civilian labourers who had been recruited in Salonika.
Initially the Battalions, commanded by British officers and
N.C.O.s, were made up of Macedonians. Greeks and Serbians.
In April 1918 Captain Malcom Burr formed a Serbian Labour
Battalion from men serving in the Macedonian Battalion.
The Battalion was issued with British uniforms and armed and
used to guard bases and supply depots.
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Chinese Labour Corps
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Recruitment for the CLC began in China
in October 1916 with the first contingent reaching France in
April 1917. Almost 100,000 Chinese were to work for the
British in France.
Although the Officers and N.C.O.s were British their own
Gangers gave instructions to the men and were responsible
for supervising the work.
A number of skilled companies were formed and coolies could
take trade tests, which entitled them to more pay. 51 and 69
Companies, CLC, for example, undertaking skilled work in the
Tank Workshops and almost 2,000 Chinese were employed in
skilled railway companies on Railway maintenance.
Following the Armistice the CLC was to undertake major roles
as crane drivers at the docks and in battlefield clearance.
The Chinese were recruited on a three year contract and this
enabled more continuity than other foreign labour who were
often recruited for a year or less. In March 1918 the
actions of Ganger Liu Dien Chen in rallying his men when
they came under shellfire led to him being recommended for
the award of a Military Medal. At the time the Chinese were
not eligible for any awards but this was changed to allow
them to be awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. As a
result Liu Dien Chen and four other Chinese were awarded
MSMs.
Chinese labourers were also recruited for service in
Mesopotamia and Northern Russia.
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Portuguese Labour
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Portuguese troops arrived in France in
February 1917 and were integrated into the B.E.F. In April
1918 there were mutinies in the Portuguese Brigade and the
2nd Division was over run by the Germans. As a result the
Portuguese were withdrawn from the Front and turned into
labour troops.
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Italian Labour
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In January 1918 Italian soldiers unfit
for front line service were attached to the British forces.
By March there were 12,000 Italian labourers employed in the
British sector. They were not to prove to be effective
labourers and following the German offensive that started on
22 March they were withdrawn to the rear and repatriated on
18 April.
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Prisoners of War
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Until July 1916 German Prisoners of War were sent to prison
camps in the U.K. Following this date PoW Companies
were established in France and used to work on road and
railway maintenance, in forests and quarries and moving
stores. In November 1916 a PoW company of
mechanics was formed to work for the A.S.C. This was to be
followed by the creation of other companies made up of
skilled workers, who were to work at R.E. and A.S.C
workshops and for the Ordnance Department. With
the Armistice German PoWs were used for battlefield
clearance and preparing cemeteries.
In Mesopotamia by November 1918 over 17,000 Turkish PoWs
were being employed on irrigation, canal work and road
building.
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Russian Labour Corps
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Following Russia's withdrawal from the war a Russian
Labour Corps was formed in Salonika in April 1918. Commanded
by a British officer the Corps comprised seven Russian
officers, a Priest, a medical orderly and 515 men. From the
beginning there was discontent in the Corps with men not
wanting to serve under the British and their work of poor
quality.
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