1. Like other Australians, many Chinese Australians answered the call to arms in 1914 and tried to enlist. Unfortunately, the Defence Act required soldiers to be 'substantially of European origin'. Some Chinese Australians were bewildered and distressed when, despite being born in Australia, they were not allowed to enlist because of this legislation. Some recruiting officers ignored this legislation and allowed Chinese Australians and aboriginal people to enlist.
2. At least 276 Chinese Australians served in World War One.
3. 56 Chinese Australian soldiers gave their lives, and a total of 29 gallantry awards were won by 24 Chinese Australian soldiers. The Distinguish Conduct Medal (DCM), the second highest bravery award after the Victoria Cross, was awarded to 7 Chinese ANZACs.
4. Chinese Australians served in every major campaign and theatre of war that Australian troops served. They fought at Gallipoli, in Palestine and on the Western Front.
5. Billy Sing was a famous sniper at Gallipoli and later served in France. He is known to have shot betwtween 150 and 300 enemy soldiers. He was decorated for gallantry twice, wounded in action three times and gassed. He was known in the Army as 'The Assassin' and 'The Murderer' due to his marksmanship. He died in poverty and obscurity in 1943 and was buried in an un-marked grave (this was rectified in 2009).
6. Chinese Australians served in many capacities during the war. Many were in the infantry, some served in the Light Horse (cavalry) or the artillery. One, who became an officer, was a fighter pilot who flew over the Western Front. Another served with the Royal Australian Navy.
7. The charge against strongly fortified Turkish positions at Beersheba in Palestine by the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments in 1917 proved to be the last great cavalry charge in world military history to achieve strategically worthwhile results. The Australian Light Horsemen galloped for more than five kilometres under artillery, machine gun and rifle fire before entering the Turkish trenches and sometimes fighting hand to hand with the Turkish soldiers before they captured the town. The four Langtip brothers, from Port Albert in Victoria, rode with the 4th Light Horse and were part of this extraordinary event.
8. Chinese Australians in Australia supported the war effort by raising funds to buy comforts for the troops (not just Chinese Australian soldiers) at the front.
9. Chinese Australian families suffered as badly as did other Australian families when their men were killed or wounded in mind and body. Wives and mothers were left to care for the crippled and maimed with very limited government support in the decades after the war.
10. Once Chinese Australians successfully enlisted they were treated like every other soldier in the Army. They trained, lived, fought and died together. They were admired and looked after by their mates. They were all Australians and were treated and honoured as such.