China, Republic. A Superb Shanghai Volunteer Collection To Lance Corporal J. Rogalsky Of "C" Machine Gun Company

eMedals is pleased to present, by order of direct descendant, a rare and desirable grouping to Lance Corporal Jack Rogalsky of "C" Machine Gun Company, Shanghai Volunteer Corps, who would be heavily engaged with the Corps during his long serving career and following his service, would work tirelessly at the International Committee for European Immigrants in China, helping Jewish refugees evacuate pre war Europe to China. This rare and unique grouping includes the following:

 

2. Shanghai Volunteer Corps Long Service Medal (in silver, engraved "L/CPL ROGALSKI J. / 20. 9. 24 - 22. 9. 37" on the reverse, measuring 39 mm in diameter, original ribbon with pinback hanger).

 

3. two Ribbon Bars (one with the Shanghai Municipal Council Emergency Medal 1937 and the Shanghai Volunteer Corps Long Service Medal, measuring 74.8 mm (w) x 11.8 mm (h); the other with the Shanghai Volunteer Corps Long Service Medal, measuring 37.8 mm (w) x 11 mm (h); each with a pinback). 

 

4. Shanghai Municipal Council Emergency Medal Award Document 1937 (inscribed "Shanghai Municipal Council. / 1937 Emergency Medal / This is to certify that the above Medal has been issued to LANCE-CORPORAL J. ROGALSKY, "C" MACHINE GUN COMPANY, for services rendered to the Community during the period August 12 to November 12, 1937.", dated "8th July, 1938.", with the facsimile signature of the Acting Secretary, printed in black ink, with the personalized information in typewritten text, embossed with the Common Seal of the Shanghai Municipal Council, measuring 251 mm (w) x 203 mm (h), folded and enclosed in the medal's cardboard box of issue).

 

5. Cap Badge (in bronze gilt, unmarked, illustrating the initials "SVC" upon an eight-pointed star, with a ribbon banner below inscribed " "4th APRIL 1854" ", measuring 53 mm (w) x 44 mm (h), both lugs intact, each with rings, residue evident in the recessed areas on the star). 

 

6. Two Collar Badges (in bronze, inscribed "S.V.C." on the bomb face, measuring 19.2 mm (w) x 45.5 mm (h) each, one with intact lugs and pin, the other with one lug intact and missing the other lug).

 

[The six badges and the four chevrons {No.'s 5 to 10} in a 110 mm (w) x 73 mm (d) x 57 mm (h) traditional Chinese box, wooden-framed with an ornate purple cloth covering, the opening trimmed in red paper, with a white paper bottom, red cloth tie with a white bone closure.]

 

11. four Photographs ((a) Group of Thirty-One Soldiers Photo (black and white, faded to a slight sepia-toned look, gloss finish, embossed studio stamp "Ah Fong SHANGHAI" {commercial photographer that had studio shops in Shanghai and in Wei-hai-wei (Weihai) and was active in the 1930s} on the lower right, numbered in pencil "29526A" in pencil on the reverse, measuring 286 mm (w) x 216 mm (h); (b) Group of Thirty-Four Soldiers Photo (black and white, measuring 143 mm (w) x 98 mm (h); (c) Group of Soldiers On Review Photo (black and white, measuring 152 mm (w) x 100 mm (h), edge wear); (d) Group of Five Soldiers Photo (black and white, measuring 152 mm (w) x 97 mm (h)). 

 

12. Shanghai Volunteer Corps 85th Anniversary Album (the exterior cover with a reddish-black leather-look patterned design, the front cover voided in the centre and bearing a large multi-colour Shanghai Volunteer Corps insignia under a transparent cover, the outline of the insignia illustrating an eight-pointed star printed in gold-coloured ink, the title page entitled "Eighty Five Years of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps", stating that it was compiled by L.I. Kounin, that the illustrations were by A. Yaron, and that it was published by The Cosmopolitan Press of 131 Museum Road in Shanghai. The album documents the eighty-five year history of the S.V.C. through the use of descriptive text and multiple photographs. It begins with a Table of Contents, followed by a Foreword, a List of Commandants of the S.V.C. 1853-1938; an Introduction ("God-Worshippers"); the first portion of the album dedicated to The History of the S.V.C. {Tai Ping Days; Control of the S.V.C. assumed by the S.M.C.; The Settlement's Jubilee 1843-1943; Boxer Year and Brodie Clarke; The 1914-1918 War Years; Years of Peace and Plenty; Conclusion}; while the second portion of the album covers The Shanghai Russian Regiment; The Battle of Muddy Flat; S.V.C. Companies {listing the twenty-seven various companies that made up the S.V.C. over the years}. The text and photographs throughout the album are printed in orange-red and brown inks, the latter creating a sepia-toned look on the photographs, the title page printed in red, black and gold-coloured inks, with three pages printed in four-colour inks (illustrating the Shanghai Volunteer Corps Badge, its Long Service Medal and the Shanghai Municipal Council Emergency Medal of 1937 on page 119, the Regimental Flag of the Corps on page 121, and the Shanghai Russian Regimental Flag on page 127), the album containing advertisements in select locations, the album containing 298 pages and measuring 310 mm (w) x 235 mm (h) x 25 mm (d)). 

 

13. Shanghai Volunteer Corps, Light Gun Battery, Swedish Challenge Cup Award Trophy 1925 (in silver, maker marked "LW" (Luen Wo of Shanghai), import marked and hallmarked on the bottom, designed as a wide bowl with ornate leafing on both sides, the handles appearing as branches and attached to the leafing, the bowl mounted to a disk-shaped base, engraved "LIGHT GUN BATTERY / S.V.C. / THE SWEDISH CHALLENGE CUP / 1925" on the front, measuring 115 mm in diameter x 144.5 mm in width inclusive of its handles x 65 mm in height, exhibiting moderate denting on its reverse, along with scratches inside the bowl, the trophy resting upon an independent ornate black finished pedestal wooden base with five legs that measures 99.5 mm in diameter x 62.5 mm in height). 

 

14. Shanghai Volunteer Corps, Light Gun Battery Event No. 2 Second Prize Award Trophy 1928 (in silver, maker marked "ZEE SUNG" (Zee Sung of Shanghai), import marked and hallmarked on the edge of the base, designed as a cup with ornate leafing on the handles, the cup mounted to a pedestal base, engraved "LIGHT GUN BATTERY / S.V.C. / 1928 / Event 2. / 2nd Prize" on the front, measuring 60 mm in diameter at the mouth x 115 in width inclusive of the handles x 35 mm in height, very light contact, the trophy resting upon an independent black finished wooden base that measures 71.5 mm in diameter x 30.5 mm in height).

 

15. Shanghai Volunteer Corps, Athletic Meeting, Tug of War, 2nd Prize 1926 (in silver, maker marked, designed as a dish with SVC insignia centre, engraved "S.V.C. ATHLETIC MEETING 1926 2nd Prize Tug of War", "u" having been inverted by engraver, measuring 92 mm in diameter, very light contact).

 

Footnote: 

 

Following his service in the Shanghai Volunteer Corps, Lance Corporal J. Rogalsky would assist Paul Komor, the Honorary Consul General for Hungary in Shanghai, in administering the International Committee for European Immigrants in China. Established and financed by Victor Sassoon in 1938, the ICEI aided fleeing Jewish refugees in Europe, by providing visas to Shanghai. From Shanghai, many Jewish refugees made passage for both Canada and America. Jack Rogalsky would follow suit, immigrating from Shanghai to Toronto, Canada in 1949, subsequently changing his surname. It would only be discovered following death in 1974, that Mr.Rogalsky was Jewish, concealing his origins to better serve the ICEI and to protect his own family. 

 

The Shanghai Volunteer Corps (SVC) (1853-1942) was a multinational, mostly volunteer force controlled by the Shanghai Municipal Council which governed the Shanghai International Settlement. It was created on April 12, 1853 during the Small Swords Society's uprising. It saw action alongside British and American military units in the 1854 "Battle of the Muddy Flat", when Qing imperial troops besieging the rebel-held city ignored foreign demands to move further away from the foreign concessions. Concerned that the Qing forces were drawing rebel fire into the settlements, the foreign consuls and military commanders authorized an attack on the Qing forces to dislodge them. The operation was successful, and the battle was thereafter commemorated as an important event in the history of the SVC. The Corps was disbanded in 1855 but reestablished in 1861. In 1870, the Shanghai Municipal Council took over the running of the SVC . 

The unit was mobilized in 1900 for the Boxer Rebellion and in 1914 for the First World War. In 1916, the British recruited Chinese to serve in the Chinese Labour Corps for service in rear areas on the Western Front to free troops for front line duty. Many members of the SVC served as officers in the CLC. In 1910, the German contingent consisted of one regular company (Prinz Heinrich Kompangie) and one reserve company. When the First World War broke out, at least forty of the German volunteers in Shanghai left to join the 7. Kompagnie of the III. Seebataillon in the defence of Tsingtao.

At various times during its history, the Shanghai Volunteer Corps included Scottish, American, Chinese, Italian, Austro-Hungarian, Danish, German, Filipino, Jewish, Portuguese, Japanese, White Russian, and Eurasian companies, amongst others. The British War Office supplied weapons and a commanding officer. The German and the Austro-Hungarian companies were disbanded in 1917 when China declared war on Germany. Prior to 1914 some of the national contingents wore distinctive parade uniforms at their own expense, modelled on those of their respective armies.

While the uniforms of each company differed in many ways, each made use of the Cap badge of the SVC which consisted of an eight-pointed Brunswick star with the letters "SVC" and the date "4th April 1854" in a scroll underneath. The official seal of the Volunteer Corps was different however and consisted of the Municipal Council seal as approved in 1868 on a gold Brunswick star and was exactly the same except the council title and motto was replaced with "Shanghai Volunteer Corps" and the Prussian flag (representing Germany) was retained even when it was removed from the council flag after 1917.

The insignia of the companies also differed: the German Company, "Prinz Heinrich Kompagnie", wore a crowned "H" monogram on their shoulder straps for Prince Heinrich of Prussia (Kaiser Wilhelm II's younger brother and commander of the German East Asia Squadron, 1899-1903), and the Jewish Company, who wore collar insignia consisting of a Star of David with "SVC" in the centre. The Portuguese Company wore red collar tabs, as worn by the Portuguese Army, and had the distinction of being the only SVC unit to be decorated by any government, when on October 5, 1932, the Portuguese Minister to China presented the Company with the Military Order of Christ.

The SVC reached its maximum strength in the early 1930s where it consisted of the following units: Light Horse (1882, American Troop), Field Artillery Battery, Light Artillery Battery (prior to 1924 it was the Scandinavian Company, Field (Engineers) Company, Armoured Car Company (1928), "A" Company (British), "B" Company (1890, Eurasian), "C" Company (Chinese), American Company (1900), Japanese Company (1907), "H" Company (1932, Jewish Company), Philippine Company (1932, under American Officers), Portuguese Company (1906), Shanghai Scottish (1914), American Machine Gun Company (1932), Transport Company (1932), Signals Company (1932), Interpreter Company (1932), Air Defence Company, Public School Cadet Company, White Russian Regiment (1927), White Russian Regiment (1930's). 

The German Company, founded in 1891 and granted permission to be named the "Prinz Heinrich Kompagnie" in 1898, and the Austro-Hungarian Company, founded in 1912, were both disbanded in 1917 with China's entry into the First World War. The Italian Company, founded in 1914, also later disbanded in 1920. With the exception of the White Russians, the Corps were all unpaid Volunteers with the SVC financed by the Shanghai Municipal Council. On January 16, 1941, the Russian Regiment became the Auxiliary Detachment of the Shanghai Municipal Police.