Chinese New Zealanders in World War I

When war was declared in August 1914, keen young men rushed to sign up. Among the first was Norman Low who signed up the next month. Norman was the son of Joseph and Matilda Lo Keong, Matilda being the first known Chinese New Zealand woman.

The couple encouraged all their children into higher education, and since Norman had graduated from Canterbury University’s engineering department, he signed up as a sapper or a combat engineer. His brother Victor also served, going down in history for surveying the giant Bulford Kiwi carved into a chalky hill on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.  

In total, around 36 young men of Chinese descent served during WWI.¹ Like Norman and Victor, many were the children of early Chinese settlers. However, the Low brothers were unusual because both their parents were Chinese. In the mid to late 1800s it was much more common for Chinese men to marry European women, and it was their descendants who formed the majority of enlisted Chinese.

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Perhaps another telling characteristic is that these young men were often brought up away from the main Chinese centres. They came from places like New Plymouth, Masterton and Gisborne. Perhaps these smaller communities were more accepting of those with Chinese and Pākehā heritage, and it would have been taken for granted that they would go to war with the friends they'd grown up with.

By comparison, none of the 286 Chinese living in Wellington served during WWI — although their situation was different. As well as being generally too old to serve, most were born in China which meant that they were exempt from conscription. There were also practical considerations like language barriers, the probability of experiencing institutional racism and family obligations. The majority would have felt reluctant to serve as they were supporting families in China. A loss of their income would affect their whole extended family.

Despite all this, many community members actively supported the war effort and made a point of contributing generously. Sometimes this was acknowledged in local papers like the Pahiatua Herald.

Loyalty of the Chinese

‍That representatives of the Flowery Land are taking a considerable interest in the war and are assisting the various funds, is already well known. One in particular along [the] West Coast being "Charlie” (Lum Kee) of Marton. "Charlie” gives most liberally both in money and kind, and his valuable gifts are much appreciated by the people of Marton. Another interest [sic] of the patriotism of the Chinese was afforded at Palmerston North, where the Manawatu draft of the 19th Reinforcements included a son of Joe Kwong Lee, a well-known Chinese merchant.

‍‍Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5499, 3 August 1916, Page 6

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Active service

Many of the 36 young Chinese who served in WWI saw active combat. The grandson of a Chinese restaurateur from Palmerston North was at Gallipoli on the morning of 25 April 1915. James George Paterson was in the Auckland Infantry when the company fought through fierce enemy fire at Shrapnel Gully.  

Paterson made it out, pushing towards Pope’s Hill. As O E Burton noted in his account of the Auckland Regiment, “All through the afternoon the Turks pressed on the thinning line, creeping up through the scrub, cutting off small parties, sniping, machine-gunning, crawling out on the exposed flanks . . . " ² At some point in the mayhem Private Paterson joined the 16th Waikato Company and their assault on Baby 700. He was killed in action during the assault, along with 35 others of the Waikato Company.

Gerald Chong also saw more than his share of the terrible war. He was originally a chemist’s assistant and was therefore assigned as a stretcher bearer on the Western Front. He spent three years there doing one of the hardest jobs in the war. Eventually he was wounded at Bapaume and was later awarded the Military Medal for bravery under intense German shelling.  In WWII he went on to enlist again.

Explore further
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‍Gerald Chong —the only Chinese New Zealander awarded a WWI medal of gallantry Read their story over at the Auckland Museum site

Victor Low: his Bulford Kiwi is a monument to the NZ Expeditionary Force Read their story over at the Auckland Museum site

James George Paterson — the first known Chinese New Zealander to be killed in action. Read his story at the Online Cenotaph

The four Sing brothers: Herbert, Frank, Arthur and Albert of Grey Lynn. Read their story over at the Auckland Museum site

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Others who served included:

‍Willie Shack Horne
‍Born in Masterton in 1893, Willie Shack Horne 石赤褌 was the only child of Shack Horne (石漢, 新會县, 廣東省) and Hannah O’Neill. In June 1916 he enlisted in the 18th New Zealand Rifle Brigade reinforcements, aged 21. From January 1917 to January 1918 he served with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade in Belgium, taking part in some of the worst fighting of the war, including the battles of Messines and Passchendaele.

At the end of his service, he migrated to the United States where he lived for the rest of his life. Because of Willie Shack Horne’s war service, his father Shack Horne was able to get his three Chinese-born children to New Zealand in 1933, and not have to pay their poll-tax. (Nigel has an image)

Eang King (George) How Chow
Born in Gisborne in 1895, Eang was the youngest child of businessman George How Chow 何就,光海村, 新寧县, 廣東省 and Sarah West. He enlisted in February 1917 at Opotiki, aged 21. At the time he stated he was unmarried, despite having a wife and two children. He served as a rifleman in France and Belgium from November 1917 to July 1919. He was mentioned in despatches by Sir Douglas Haig for “distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty during the period 16 September 1918 to 15 March 1919”. After the war he moved with his wife and children to Pukekohe to become a farmer. He died there in 1971, aged 76.

‍James Arnold Wong Lee
Born in Hastings in 1898, the fifth child of Wong Lee, fruiterer and Chinese doctor, and Alice Thompson. He was underaged when he enlisted aged 18 in September 1916. At this point they were desperate for recruits as the number of volunteers had dropped dramatically.

Arnold, as he was known left New Zealand as part of the 21st Reinforcements. In March 1917 he was transferred to the Otago Regiment and on 8 October 1917 entered the frontline, four days before the disastrous assault on Passchendaele. He survived Passchendaele but was killed in action at Polygon Wood on 24 November 1917. He is buried in the Buttes New British (New Zealand) Cemetery in Belgium, but is remembered closer to home on his parents' grave in Hastings.

Of the 36 young Chinese who served in WWI , five were killed in action:

James George Paterson, 25 April 1915
Herbert Stanley Sing: 3 July 1916
Richard Claude Mee Sang: 13 October 1917
Arnold Wong Lee: 24 November 1917
Andrew Ah Keong: 9 September 1918

Read the service records of all Chinese NZ military personnel at Auckland Museum's Online Cenotaph

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