One of Ours
MAY 31, 2025
Screening of the award-winning documentary One of Ours: The Story of Private Frederick Lee. It was a meaningful way to conclude Asian Heritage Month celebrations with a powerful, moving film — a story of courage, pride, and legacy.
One of Ours tells the true story of Private Fred Lee, a Chinese-Canadian volunteer soldier from Kamloops, British Columbia, who was killed in August 1917 at Hill 70 near Lens, France, during the First World War —at a time when anti-Chinese racism was at its peak. His remarkable story was nearly forgotten until filmmaker Jack Gin uncovered it through extensive research.
We are especially grateful to the New Brunswick Military History Museum for their display of grave goods belonging to Private John "Jack" Thomas of Birch Ridge, NB, who also died at Hill 70. His personal artifacts — including a helmet, bayonet, entrenching tool, pocket knife, buttons, and other metal, leather, and textile items — offered a poignant connection to the past. Unlike Pte. Thomas, Pte. Frederick Lee’s body was never recovered.
We had an engaging conversation with Vancouver-based filmmaker, Jack Gin who joined us in person. Jack, an engineer, also shared his journey as an entrepreneur.