Multi-Ethnic Colonial Forces in China: The Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps Field Ambulance, 1939–1945

Abstract This article examines the experiences of multi-ethnic colonial forces in China during the twentieth century, using the Field Ambulance unit of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps ( HKVDC ) as an example. Formed in the early 1900s, this medical company, comprising mainly expatriate medical professionals and local Chinese, played a crucial role in sustaining the garrison’s medical system during the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in December 1941. Using various sources, this article looks at the wartime experience of its members and discusses the broader implications of their service, challenging simplifications about colonial distrust and showcasing how military necessity and resource constraints, rather than ethnic or cultural considerations, dictated recruitment and deployment. The study contributes to understanding the complex interplay of identity, loyalty, and colonial military structures in East Asia, offering insights into the adaptability of British colonial forces in accommodating diversity and complexity within their ranks.