Background
Mr. Chang was born in Liuyang, Hunan, China in 1891.
Mr. Chang was born in Liuyang, Hunan, China in 1891.
Chang Lai graduated from the Kwangtung Military Officers' College.
General Chang Lai served successively as battalion commander, ranking staff officer, director of Communications Department and chief adjutant of the 11th Revolutionary Army under General Chen Ming-shu. He also was a commander of 76th regiment of the 26th Division of the same Army and shortly after, transferred as Commander of the 16th regiment of the 8th Brigade.
Mr, Chang was promoted Commander of 8th Brigade upon reorganization of the 11th Revolutionary Army as the 19th Route Army, he was appointed commander of 121st Brigade of the 61st Division, in which capacity, he participated in the Sino-Japanese War at Shanghai, Spring, 1932 and fought several pitched battles at Kiangwanchen (Major Kuga of the Japanese 9th Division was taken captive by troops of his Brigade at Kiangwanchen).
He had a long record in the army service and took part in many arduous Revolutionary and Anti-Communist Campaigns. When the 19th Route Army was transferred to Fukien, General Cgang followed the Army to that province.
When the Fukien Independence Movement broke out in the winter of 1933, he was made an army Commander; but after the collapse of the Movement, Chang Lai retired from active military service and travelled abroad on a tour of investigation.