China and Cockett

 

China, at the outbreak of the First World War was finically chaotic, unstable politically and it was military weak.

January 1914, saw Japanese and British military forces eliminated some of the German holdings in China.  The Qing Dynasty leased to Germany Treaty Ports, including Jiaozhou Bay concession (1898 – 1914); Chefoo (1901 – 1918) and Tsingtao (1891 – 1914)

Yuan Shikai
John Jordan

Yuan Shikai, Chines military and Government official offered which was refused the British diplomat John Jordan, 50,000 troops in order to take over the German colony in Qingdao – which was captured by Japan, who went on to occupy portions of the Shandong Province.

China who at the outbreak of the First World War as neutral, by August 1917 declared war on the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires.  However, 140,000 Chinese labourers served with the British Army as Chines Labour Corps.

August to November 1914, Japanese and British undertook the Siege of Tsingtao, and attached the German port of Tsingtao. 

During the siege, a contingent of 1,500 men was commanded by Brigadier-General Nathaniel Walter Barnardiston, which consisted of 1,000 men from the 2nd Battalion, The South Wales Borderers and later a further 500 soldiers from the 36th Sikhs.  Following a friendly fire incident, the British troops were given Japanese raincoats to wear so that they would be easier identifiable by the Japanese.

That friendly fire incident could have been the Swansea solider, Trevor Mabbett.

The Cambria Daily Leader
24th November 1914
"Swansea Men in Action in China"
Trevor Mabbett on the right.
The Cambria Daily Leader
24th November 1914
"Disregard For Wounded
Swansea Soldier's Story of Operation in China"

The Cambria Daily Leader, published on 24th November 1914, a photograph entitled “Swansea Men in Action in China”, one in the group is Trevor Mabbett.  A further article in the same publication, “Disregard For Wounded – Swansea Soldier’s Story of Operations in China”.

The Cambria Daily Leader
14th December 1914
"Wounded in China"
By 14th December 1914, the Cambria Daily Leader, reports in an article “Wounded in China”, that Trevor Mabbett, a private with the 2nd Battalion had written home on board the hospital ship to indicated that he had been wounded and that he was “recovering grandly”.

HMHS Delta
The hospital ship, HMHS Delta  was launched in 1905, was 8,024 tons ship.  it served during the 1914 Tsingtao operation, and then I went on the serve as a hospital in the Dardanelles.

It was able to accommodate 33 officers, 287 cots and further 210 berths, with 6 officers, 12 nurses and 45 others serving.

Netley Hospital,
Southampton




Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder
13th March 1915
"Military Funeral at Swansea"


Once the HMHS Delta returned back to the UK, Mabbett, was transferred to Netley Hospital, Southampton.  Where, Mabbett, died.  His body was conveyed back home to Swansea, where he was given a military funeral and buried at St. Peters, Cockett.  Rev Oscar Snelling officiated at the house, prior to the burial.  The funeral was reported in the Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder


Mabbett family grave
St. Peters church, Cockett, Swansea


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