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The Chinese Labour Corps photographs sub-series contains images of Chinese labourers who were brought from China by the British forces during the First World War to help clear battlefields, unload supplies and dig trenches.

The photographs were taken at William Head, British Columbia where a quarantine station was established to clear international ships entering and leaving Canada’s west coast. This was done to contain the spread of illnesses but sometimes ships were held due to military and transport reasons.
The photographs were taken in 1918 as Chinese labourers passed through William Head Camp on their way to France and in 1920 as they were returning to China. The photographs show life at William Head during this time and feature the over-crowded tent area where labourers slept, as well as some activities they did to help pass the time (such as volleyball, games, visiting the YMCA, cooking etc.). Many photographs also show to embarkation process on the M.S. Dollar and HMS Empress of Asia.

Finally, the photographs also feature the staff and military officials who were in charge of the camp during this time. This includes the camp commandant Major Frank Basil Edwards.