ENDGAME: The Secret Force 136

During the Second World War, around 150 Chinese Canadians were recruited to serve as guerrilla fighters under a British Special Operations Executive Unit known as Force 136. Their main mission was to sabotage enemy lines in Japanese-occupied Southeast Asia. However, their service and subsequent advocacy ended up changing the fates of all Chinese in Canada after the end of the war.

Catherine Little was almost 50 years old when she learned about Force 136. This led her on a mission to learn more about the Force and the history of Chinese in Canada. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she envisioned a picture book that could help introduce the Force 136 story to more families. In this presentation, she speaks about her immigration story, her research, and the reason she decided to feature xiangqi in ENDGAME: The Secret Force 136.

About ENDGAME: The Secret Force 136:

In Endgame: The Secret Force 136, Alex’s imagination takes him to medieval Chinese battlefields as he learns to play xiangqi (Chinese chess) with his great-grandfather, Tai Gong. In the months that they spend over the chessboard, Alex comes to understand the important strategies that guided Tai Gong and his decisions as he navigated life as a Chinese Canadian in an anti-Asian era in Canada. In the process, Alex learns about the mysterious Force 136 and the sacrifices its members made to show their loyalty to a country that had utterly disregarded them.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025

• Location: Chinese Canadian Museum (51 E Pender St.)

• Time: 6:30 - 8:00 P.M.

• Cost: $5/annual pass holder; $8/general admission visitor; free for youth, student, and senior annual pass holders
  *GST not included
  Register: Registration link here

This event will be conducted primarily in English.

Event Recording:

Available at a future date on our Youtube channel. Visit and subscribe at  @chinesecanadianmuseum for updates!