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A Royal Engineer officer was posted to the camp to supervise the construction of permanent buildings for the Hospital and he also supervised the construction of an officers' mess. The joining fee was F Fr. 40 and a further F Fr. 2 per day. Friday evening was guest night. Stuckey's cubicle was also well fitted-out, made from timber scrounged by his servant, Wu.
The officers and Chinese were well fed, the latter tending their own vegetable gardens near the Hospital. Sir Sam Fay recounts an amusing episode:
'Some genius reported that special food in the form of cuttle-fish and old time eggs were necessary for health. Three shiploads reached Liverpool, but due to the smell were ordered to be sent to Dieppe, where many Chinese worked in the bakery. Being Northerners, they laughed, as they were grain eaters despising southern China's delicacies. The specialities were quickly dumped in the Channel.'
Another story is told of the deputation to an officer from coolies working in an ammunition factory. They requested extra food as they did not have the same opportunity to steal food as did the dockworkers.
In August the Chinese at the Hospital celebrated the 'Eighth Moon Festival' with races and a football match, won by the white staff, 2-1. Favourite platoon officers were invited to partake of specially prepared food.
In September 1917, Mr O'Neil from Manchuria, a Chinese speaker, planned to run the YMCA hut for the Chinese, being available for white personnel in the evenings. In early November the Chinese staged a Chinese play as an "opening ceremony" for the new YMCA and a collection by them raised a sum of F Fr. 680, saying that they could not take the benefits freely without contributing.
Stuckey remarked that at least two coolies won the Distinguished Service Medal for conspicuous bravery, going through a barrage three times to get food for their company when its supply had been cut off by enemy fire. Occasionally the coolies fought the war their own way and after one German air raid, killing some Chinese, their friends then killed several German prisoners before the sentries were aroused.
70
A Royal Engineer officer was posted to the camp to supervise the construction of permanent buildings for the Hospital and he also supervised the construction of an officers' mess. The joining fee was F Fr. 40 and a further F Fr. 2 per day. Friday evening was guest night. Stuckey's cubicle was also well fitted-out, made from timber scrounged by his servant, Wu.
The officers and Chinese were well fed, the latter tending their own vegetable gardens near the Hospital. Sir Sam Fay recounts an amusing episode :
'Some genius reported that special food in the form of cuttle-fish and old time eggs were necessary for health. Three shiploads reached Liverpool, but due to the smell were ordered to be sent to Dieppe, where many Chinese worked in the bakery. Being Northerners, they laughed, as they were grain eaters despising southern China's delicacies. The specialities were quickly dumped in the Channel.'
Another story is told of the deputation to an officer from coolies working in an ammunition factory. They requested extra food as they did not have the same opportunity to steal food as did the dockworkers.
In August the Chinese at the Hospital celebrated the 'Eighth Moon Festival' with races and a football match, won by the white staff, 2 - 1. Favourite platoon officers were invited to partake of specially prepared food.
In September 1917, Mr O'Neil from Manchuria, a Chinese speaker, planned to run the YMCA hut for the Chinese, being available for white personnel in the evenings. In early November the Chinese staged a Chinese play as an "opening ceremony" for the new YMCA and a collection by them raised a sum of F Fr. 680, saying that they could not take the benefits freely without contributing.
Stuckey remarked that at least two coolies won the Distinguished Service Medal for conspicuous bravery, going through a barrage three times to get food for their company when its supply had been cut off by enemy fire. Occasionally the coolies fought the war their own way and after one German air raid, killing some Chinese, their friends then killed several German prisoners before the sentries were aroused.
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