Friends of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch

Lecture and lunch                                                                                         

Saturday, 28^th October

The expulsion of the Chinese Army from Tibet

Speaker:                     Roger Croston, independent researcher

Time:                          2:30 p.m.

Venue:                        Royal Asiatic Society, 14 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD

Cost:                           £8 per member or guest, to include refreshments

Lunch:                        A self-paying lunch will be arranged at 12:30 p.m. at ‘Red and Hot’, 37 Chalton Street, NW1 1JD. Please note on the booking form if you wish to join the lunch.

Booking:                     Paul Bolding at paul@paulbolding.org.uk or tel: 0207 684 5811.

Following the Chinese revolution in 1911, the Tibetans seized their chance for independence and, after fierce fighting in Lhasa, expelled the Chinese Army. Most were dispatched to British India and Willoughby was commanded to ensure their safe passage, by neutral British military assistance, in a humanitarian action. This little known, little researched episode, is well documented in Willoughby’s rare report which he donated to the RSAA. A discovery, in 2013, of a private photograph album of a British Civil Servant based in Sikkim, who assisted with the transport, has led to new research on this episode.