Weihaiwei Regiment

The 1st Chinese Regiment, or the Weihaiwei Regiment was a British Army Regiment formed and disbanded in British Weihaiwei.

Formation
The 1st Chinese Regiment was created in 1898 from men of Shantung Province led by British officers and Colour Sergeants. Army Order No 2 of 1899 approved the raising of a Chinese regiment of 1,000 men. Major Hamilton Bower of the Indian Staff Corps was given the local rank of Lieutenant Colonel and appointed Commandant of the new regiment. British officers started to arrive in late 1898 and the regiment first appeared in the Army List, preceded by the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, in January 1899.

The Regiment was highly regarded for its drill, military appearance and marksmanship.

By 1900 the Regiment consisted of 420 men organised into seven companies.

Active Service
In its first action in March 1900, 420 men of the regiment led by Lt Col. Bower quelled a failed uprising in Chengfoo without bloodshed.

The Regiment sent 200 men in 4 companies led by Lt Col. Bower to the Boxer Rebellion arriving in Tientsen 24 June 1900 where the men of the regiment fought alongside United States Marines led by Smedley Butler. Two Captains and 21 Chinese NCOs and other ranks were killed, 2 Majors, one Colour Sergeant and 15 Chinese NCOs and other ranks were wounded.

The Regiment was alerted to be deployed to Chemulpo in Korea but the movement did not eventuate.

A party of one British Colour Sergeant and 12 men travelled to London in 1902 to represent the regiment at the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

By 1902 the regiment consisted of over 1200 men organised into 12 companies.

Disbandment
When it was decided to run the territory under civil, rather than military lines at the end of 1901, the first stage of disbandment was begun. The regiment was reduced from 1,200 to 500 men retaining 16 officers and six NCOs organised into four companies.

The regiment was ordered to be totally disbanded on 1 June 1906 by Army Order No.127 of 1906.

Further service from members of the Regiment
Some of the soldiers were retained as a permanent police force with three of the British Colour Sergeants commissioned as police inspectors. In 1910 the police force comprised three European Inspectors, one being Colour Sergeant Purdon who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the Boxer Rebellion, and 55 Chinese Constables, and the others being C/Sgt Alfred Whittaker and C/Sgt Young.

The original 2ic and later commander of the Regiment Colonel Clarence Dalyrymple Bruce became Captain Superintendent commanding the Shanghai Municipal Police from 1907 to 1913.

During the First World War, the Chinese Labour Corps was recruited in Weihaiwei for service in France. The unit's commanding officer was Colonel Bryan Charles Fairfax who had served as a Lieutenant with the Chinese Regiment in the Boxer Rebellion, the unit's 2IC was Major Purdon who was later promoted to Colonel and succeeded Colonel Fairfax.