Scottish Company, Shanghai Volunteer Corps

[macwilkin]

Here's an interesting wee clip I found online today which shows a review of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps in 1938:

http://www.efootage.com/play-stock-f...r_Corps_Review

I believe the kilted contingent is the Scottish Company of the SVC. The SVC one of the most unique units ever raised in military history. The Scottish Company wore Stewart Hunting tartan.

USMC Historian Benis Frank compiled quite a bit of information and artifacts concerning the SVC, especially the Jewish Company:

http://www.cgu.edu/pages/3396.asp
http://net.lib.byu.edu/estu/wwi/comment/svc.htm

Regards,

T.

[macwilkin]

Another photo of the Scottish Company, Shanghai Volunteer Corps:

http://vcea.ish-lyon.cnrs.fr/VDB/Fil...1933.No.0&Op=O

I will also post this in the vintage kilt photo thread.

T.

[Chas]

Hi Todd,

Are you sure that they are Japanese Officers and not Chinese?

Regards

Chas

[macwilkin]

Hi Todd,

Are you sure that they are Japanese Officers and not Chinese?

Regards

Chas

I'm fairly confident that the two fellows in the dark patrol jackets are Japanese navy:

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japa...mg/hb-11-5.jpg

The other officer on the left appears to be an SVC officer. The cap badge and collar dogs looks like the SVC badge.

T.

[Mike_Oettle]

Hi, Todd – those links about the Jewish units were a most interesting read, but of course of little relevance to X Marks.
Unfortunately the link to the video on the Scottish unit in Shanghai was closed to me (I am not a subscriber). It would be interesting to see it – is it available anywhere else?
Regards,
Mike

[macwilkin]

Hi, Todd – those links about the Jewish units were a most interesting read, but of course of little relevance to X Marks.
Unfortunately the link to the video on the Scottish unit in Shanghai was closed to me (I am not a subscriber). It would be interesting to see it – is it available anywhere else?
Regards,
Mike

I am not a subscriber either, Mike -- I was able to view it with no problems. I believe I saw a screen capture of the Scottish company somewhere that I'll try to post.

The articles I posted do give a good history of the SVC as a whole, as well as the individual companies such as the Scottish & Jewish company. While certainly not the topic of our forum per se, I would hope that the spirit of "academic freedom" would allow those who might be interested in matters military history to "stray" just a bit now and then.

T.

[vinhen2]

It's my understanding that the Shanghai Volunteer Corps was an international corps composed of English, Scottish, American, Italian, Jewish, Chinese, Portuguese, Filipino, and White Russians (persons, not drinks!).

The corps' purpose was to protect the several foreign settlements in Shanghai. After the invasion of Shanghai in 1932 by the Japanese imperial forces, depending on your point of view, either the corps kept the Japanese out of the settlements or the Japanese chose not to invade the settlements. The corps was officially broken up and disbanded by the Japanese in 1942.

Therefore, it is likely that the film clip was actually recorded in 1938.

[macwilkin]

It's my understanding that the Shanghai Volunteer Corps was an international corps composed of English, Scottish, American, Italian, Jewish, Chinese, Portuguese, Filipino, and White Russians (persons, not drinks!).

Yes, that fact was already hinted to in my first post. There were also German and Austrian companies that maintained an uneasy peace with allied companies until China declared war on Germany in 1917.

The corps' purpose was to protect the several foreign settlements in Shanghai. After the invasion of Shanghai in 1932 by the Japanese imperial forces, depending on your point of view, either the corps kept the Japanese out of the settlements or the Japanese chose not to invade the settlements. The corps was officially broken up and disbanded by the Japanese in 1942.

Therefore, it is likely that the film clip was actually recorded in 1938.

I stand corrected; After the "First Shanghai Incident of 1932", the Japanese, as one of the treaty powers that maintained a military and business presence in China, did garrison troops in Shanghai, so yes, the film's date is certainly correct. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

T.

[Bugbear]

Fascinating read and discussion; thanks for posting the links, Todd.

[Mike_Oettle]

Todd, please don’t think I am being critical about the article on Jewish troops. As I said, I found it fascinating.
In fact, I was warding off criticism from others who might feel it should not have been mentioned.
Regards,
Mike