Chinese merchant seamen played a crucial role in keeping Britain fed, fueled, and safe during the Second World War. However, from late 1945, hundreds of them who had settled in Liverpool, UK, suddenly vanished without a trace. Many believe that the men were forcibly deported due to the Anti-Chinese sentiment that prevailed at the time. The children of these seafarers are now seeking the truth behind their disappearance.
Research suggests that in Britain, around 20,000 Chinese seamen worked on more than 1,000 British ships during WWII. The Chinese community in the UK grew around the ports, with Liverpool seeing the most significant population increase. However, by the end of the war, the hostile attitude against Chinese immigrants intensified, leading to the passing of the British Nationality Act 1948. This legislation revoked the citizenship of many Chinese living in the UK and allowed the authorities to deport them.
Despite this, much about the deportation of Chinese seamen remains largely unknown, with their families having to piece together the information themselves. Tommy Cheung, whose father was one of the lost seamen, has taken the lead in seeking the truth. Cheung along with many other followers is focused on the plight of the migrants and how they were let down by the state, their own communities, and their fellow seafarers.
Cheung and a group of campaigners are putting pressure on the government to recognize and examine the deportation if they want to restore the dignity of the seamen who fought for the country. They hope that it would lead to a public apology to the families of those who were deported as well as the discovery of what really happened to their loved ones.
The descendants of the lost Chinese seamen hope that their campaign would prompt an investigation into a sad chapter of British history, which has not yet been adequately explored. If achieved, it may address the family’s grief and answer some of their questions while bringing truth to the circumstances of the tragedy
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