Shanghai Volunteer Corps

The Shanghai Volunteer Corps (SVC) (Chinese: 萬國商團), was a multinational, mostly volunteer force controlled by the Shanghai Municipal Council which governed the Shanghai International Settlement, and was in existence from 1853 to 1942.

History

It was first created on 12 April 1853 during the Small Swords Society's uprising. It saw action alongside British and American military units in the 1854 'Battle of the Muddy Flat', when Qing imperial troops besieging the rebel-held city had ignored foreign demands to move further away from the foreign concessions. Concerned that the Qing forces were drawing rebel fire into the settlements, the foreign consuls and military commanders authorised an attack on the Qing forces to dislodge them. The operation was successful, and the battle was thereafter commemorated as an important event in the history of the SVC. The Corps was disbanded in 1855 but reestablished in 1861. In 1870 the Shanghai Municipal Council took over the running of the SVC . Prior to 1914 some of the national contingents wore distinctive parade uniforms at their own expense, modelled on those of their respective national armies.

The unit was mobilised in 1900 for the Boxer Rebellion and in 1914 for the First World War. In 1916 the British recruited Chinese to serve in the Chinese Labour Corps for service in rear areas on the Western Front to free troops for front line duty. Many members of the SVC served as officers in the CLC.

At various times during its history the Shanghai Volunteer Corps included Scottish, American, Chinese, Italian, Austro-Hungarian, Danish, German, Filipino, Jewish, Portuguese, Japanese, White Russian and Eurasian companies, amongst others. British War Office supplied weapons and a commanding officer. The German and the Austro-Hungarian companies were disbanded in 1917 when China declared war on Germany.

Units

The SVC reached its maximum strength in the early 1930s where it consisted of the following units-

• Light Horse (American Troop)
• Field Artillery Battery
• Light Artillery Battery (prior to 1924 it was the Scandinavian Company)
• Field (Engineers) Company
• Armoured Car Company
• "A" Company (British)
• "B" Company (Eurasian)
• "C" Company (Chinese)
• American Company
• Japanese Company
• "H" Company (Jewish Company)
• Philippine Company (under American Officers)
• Portuguese Company
• Shanghai Scottish
• American Machine Gun Company
• Transport Company
• Signals Company
• Interpreter Company
• Air Defence Company
• Public School Cadet Company
• White Russian Regiment

With the exception of the White Russians, the Corps were all unpaid Volunteers with the SVC financed by the Shanghai Municipal Council. In 1941 the White Russian Regiment became the Auxiliary Detachment of the Shanghai Municipal Police.

Disbandment

The SVC was disbanded early in 1942 after the International Settlement was taken over by the Japanese. The decision was formally made by the still existing Shanghai Municipal Council who held a reception to mark the placing of the Corps' colours "in a place of dignity and honour" in the Council chambers. A 'Centenary Dinner' was held in Hong Kong on 2 April 1954.

References

• E. M. Krasnousov, Shankhaĭskiĭ russkiĭ polk, 1927–1945 (The Shanghai Russian Regiment, 1927–45) (San Francisco: Izd-vo 'Globus', 1984).
• I. I. Kounin, "'85 Years of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps (Shanghai 1938) .
• Martin Sugarman, "Hagedud Ha-Sini: The Jewish Company of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps, 1932—42', Jewish Historical Studies, Vol. 41, (2007), pp. 183–208.
• The Battle of Muddy Flat":Being an historical sketch of that famous occurrence written specially for the Jubilee Commemoration thereof at Shanghai, April 1904; with some added particulars relating to the Shanghai Volunteer Corps (Shanghai, 1904)

External links

• SVC at Tales of Old China http://www.talesofoldchina.com/shanghai/law/t-volu.htm

See also

• Shanghai Defence Force