The Dawn of Victory, Thank You China! is based on Jim Maultsaid’s service with the 169 Chinese Labour Corps (CLC) between 1918 – 1919.
There were 96,000 Chinese volunteer in the CLC and their achievements have gone largely unrecognized for 100 years. As Jim Maultsaid’s diaries and drawings vividly testify, they made a stupendous and lasting contribution both during and in the aftermath of The Great War.
He writes ‘Never did I see human beings work as we worked those Chinese boys of ours’. In all weathers, the Chinese turned their hands to every kind of task, initially keeping the wheels of war turning and after the Armistice clearing the debris of war and recovering the tens of thousands of anonymous dead.
Maultsaid’s down-to-earth prose and superb drawings capture the unique nature of the CLC’s efforts. His admiration for their stoic, indeed heroic efforts is obvious and, thanks to the preservation of these unique diaries, the coolies who toiled so tirelessly can at last receive long overdue credit.
The author/artist served for over five years and was there to say goodbye and thank you to all those who served in his unit.
