Re: Boy Scout goup

alison holmes

Jul 19, 2002 19:30 PDT

No attachment came with this message!

----- Original Message -----

From: Zandy Strangman

To: Internment Camp

Sent: Friday, July 19, 2002 5:28 PM

Subject: Boy Scout goup

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone help identify the individuals in this latest Scout group photo?

It apparently was shot at the same time and location as those previously circulated by Christine. But this time we think we have 7 positive and 2 possible IDs. In my opinion, the abundance of trees suggests the location is camps 'Main Road'.

The photo came to me per courtesy of Janette Pander. (my neighbour in camp)

Joyce......Yvonne thought you would have a 'special' interest in this photo copy I showed her, yesterday, and she intended to 'MAIL' you a photo-stat of it. I convinced her this way would be quicker and clearer but that was before I 'struck a snag' forwarding it on, to the Weihsien site. Rejected for it's size or something to that effect! So, here goes a 2nd time.

Fred.......is your brother Bobby one of the boys on the right hand side?

Thanks for taking the time to look at it..............Zandy Strangman

Re: Boy Scout goup

Fred Dreggs

Jul 20, 2002 00:16 PDT

Hi Zandy,

Can't answer your question as there was no photo attachment. Perhaps it is coming via Mars?

Regards,

Fred

RE: Boy Scout goup

Ron Bridge

Jul 20, 2002 00:58 PDT

The Copy of the photo was missing from msg received by me. I have 12 pictures Scouts/Guides/cubs/brownies but they are small and very faded if you are talking about those with the trees and number on the wall behind the groups they were taken in the grounds near the hospital.

Rgds

Ron Bridge.

Re: Boy Scout goup

Zandy Strangman

Jul 20, 2002 02:35 PDT

Thanks to all of you who came back informing me that 'no attachment 'came thru. but my ' sent box' for my 3rd attempt now shows it with the proverbial 'paper clip' motif. Here's hoping!!!!

Be patient, I'll get it to you some how.!

more jogged memories

Leonard Mostaert

Jul 20, 2002 02:55 PDT

All these little things have become so vivid to me when the subject is mentioned in Topica. Someone mentioned birds.....My father caught a dove, it must have been sick, and kept it in a cage in our room. Soon there was another dove that showed up, they must have been married, and Father placed it in the cage with the other one. These were "Red Burmese" doves as we found out much later. How the doves arrived from Burma I don't know, but there they were, and it is a wonder we did not eat them. When we left the camp, Father took the doves with us and they lived on happily in Tientsin. as they just did not want to leave us, even after a few attempts to let them fly away far from the camp, they still beat us home when we arrived at our block. There must have been a streak of homing pigeon in those birds.

All the newcomers to this site should view www.netzone.com/~adjacobs/compare.htm this is the comparison by Mr. Wagner of the living conditions of Weihsien and Crystal City where the American/Japanese were interned. Makes sobering reading !

Leak Street

Leonard Mostaert

Jul 20, 2002 03:00 PDT

Then there is another one......

There was a bit of a joke around camp on our constant diet of leeks, everyone seems to have become very sick of them, except me and I still like them. Someone put up a sign at block 33 in the form of a street sign....Leak Street. A surprise for all was when a Japanese guard pointed out the correct spelling should have been L E E K ! How embarrassing.

Can U Help

Ron Bridge

Jul 20, 2002 13:25 PDT

I have had an inquiry from Kay Canning in Scotland, she was Katherine Margaret Allan ( B 1942) in Weihsien and was with her 2 brothers William Douglas Allan and Robert Jeremey Allan ( Born 28Jun44 in Weihsien) they were with their parents John and Mat Allan lived in Block 21 Room 5 ( same block as Bobby Simmons) she seems to reacall playing with someone called Oliver who had a slightly deformed hand. Anybody shed any light on this I have seracehd the data base and cannot find a boy named Oliver.

Rgds

Ron Bridge.

RE: Can U Help

Christine Talbot Sancton

Jul 20, 2002 18:17 PDT

Dear Ron: I can't answer your question, but I have been looking for Kay Allan for years as our family was very close and she and I are the same age.

Please can you send me her info so that I can get in touch with her myself.

This is great news for me.

Christine Talbot Sancton

Re: Boy Scout goup

Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)

Jul 20, 2002 18:53 PDT

Thanks Sandy. Yes Yvonne did tell me about the phto and my brother Eddie is thrilled at the thought a getting an old boy scout photo. Unfortunately your transmission to me did not work so I will wait for Yvonne to give it to me. Thanks very much. Regards. Joyce.

More good old days

Zandy Strangman

Jul 21, 2002 02:38 PDT

Hi David,

Your nice email of the 19th stirred up more fond memories of action on the ball field and together with Mary Previte's contribution on Mary Scott and reference to the " Priests Padres ", makes giving you both a brief reply, sort of difficult.

First of all, could you please clear up in my mind, the date the Chefoo kids arrived in camp? You see, I think the Chefoo crowd only arrived sometime after the majority of the Nuns and Priests had departed, and therefore 'unfortunately' you missed out on the best and most spectacular Softball games that were played, particularly in our first 6 months of internment.

It is a well known fact that the Catholic 'Padres' were a 'pretty' good bunch of softball players. With Fr Whellan pitching, Fr Joe Fontana 'catching', handsome Fr Andy Penfold on 1st and the 'flashy' Fr. 'Windy' Kline ( played some 'pro' baseball before joining the priesthood) playing 'short stop' etc., they were almost 'unbeatable'. The biggest attraction, at that time, was the 'Padres' vs the 'Camp', and these games were usually real tight and low scoring affairs.

One of the best, I think was the last one, which was nil all at the bottom of the 9th and with 1 out, we managed to get a man(possibly speedy Aubrey Grandon) on 3rd with a couple of stolen bases.

Up to the 'plate' stepped Jimmy Pyke (our P.E. teacher at old P.A.S. pre 1943.) and slammed the longest' sacrifice drive deep to Center Field, almost to the guard tower, and you guessed it, brought in the winning and only run. What a finish it was, it couldn't have been better scripted. I will never forget it.

Fred.....your room's rear window looked out over that field, do you remember that game?

Mary Scott ....I must admit, I had forgotten the name but with your ( Mary Previte ) account and 'discriptions' , I most certainly can recall the "5-foot ball of fire" 'character'. How could I put it without sounding rude, she was sort of ' 5 x 5' ? (ooops)Let's say she was on the solid side, ok? Have I got the right one?

I also remember watching 'this person' trying to organise a girls game but was a bit short of players. For the fun of it, I put up my hand . Much to my surprise, I was accepted but was made to play left handed. Throwing was a real problem !

That's my 'silly' bit of trivia but it's true.

David, I'll have to defer answering the rest of your email, 'cause I've just been 'paged' .

Bye the way, which email address are you using currently?

Cheers for now............Zandy

Scout group photo

Zandy Strangman

Jul 21, 2002 05:04 PDT

Hi Joyce ,

Everyone must be 'sick to the back teeth' of reading about this photo that stubbornly ' never appears'. I can't see any reason for it not getting thru, as I had no problem sending it to someone else, not on the Weihsien site.

So this is my final attempt to get it thru electronically, I've asked Janette to re-forward it from her end, again.

Zandy

Mary Scott's book

Mary Previte

Jul 21, 2002 15:59 PDT

Mary Scott's book: Kept In Safeguard was published in 1977 by the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City. It was a missionary book...one of six which was published that year and read by Nazarene for credit points in our mission award system for the churches.

The toll free # of the Pub House: 1-800-877-0700

Mary Previte

Chefoo Scool's arrival in Weihsien

Mary Previte

Jul 21, 2002 16:39 PDT

Mary Scott was a stocky five feet tall.

The Chefoo Schools contingent arrived in Weihsien in September 1943 -- about a week before a group of American and Canadian prisoners were released in a prisoner exchange. Among those released were Chefoo students Jack Bell and Grant Hanna. They travelled home on the Gripsholm.

In his book, COURTYARD OF THE HAPPY WAY, Norman Cliff describes the day the Chefoo Schools arrived. I quote a poem about that day directly from Norman's book. By the way, I hope all of you have a copy of Norman's fascinating story. You can order it directly from him. He's a member of our Weihsien Topica network. Norman writes on page 65:

" The story of our arrival in Weihsien as seen by the local inhabitants is recounted in the following poem, entitled 'The Two Hundred and Ninety-seven.'

"Hooray! The Chefooites have all arrived at last!

Right heartily we cheered them as through the gates they passed,

They tredged up Guardhouse Hill, their baggage in the lead,

We 'Servers' nudged each other, 'Great Scott, more mouths to feed!"

That's not a nice expression but our rations were so low

And they had come from what we'd call luxury, you know.

They joined the Tsingtao Kitchen, school-children big and small;

We fed them on bread porridge, and they ate it, one and all!

We felt sorry for them when we filled their cups with bitter tea,

But they said, 'If you can drink it without sugar, so can we.'

Then came the real calamity, the camp ran out of yeast.

Our manager said, 'Doughnuts! Make twelve hundred at least!'

The boys soon took to 'Pumping' and other hard work too;

Some girls became dishwashers, others joined the kitchen crew'

We've grown fond of these school-children who so bravely stood the test

And should they ever need our help, we'll gladly do our best!'

(G. E. Norman)"

Norman remembers that we were served leek soup, cornflour and waster custard (didn't we call that blanc mange?), dry bread and tea that day.

Mary Previte

Re: Notions of Freedom

alison holmes

Jul 21, 2002 16:49 PDT

What a pleasure it is to read people thinking and asking questions. How right Dwight is to speak to the mixed bunch in camp and the significant differences in experiences and what was gleaned from them. I was most touched by Laura's account of her father's painting, a bleak landscape, no way in or out of the house, no nourishment, no light...all good things unattainable. How desolate...and yet how beautiful that she/you and your sister could give him the materials to become more aware of where he was standing at that particular moment of despair.

I think there is a lot to be said about the effect on children of their parents' experience...how could this not be so? It is bound to have a bearing on the field, though of course, need not control the field. You bet I tell children and grandchildren about Christmases when we had no more than a balloon and a cup of cocoa...but that doesn't have much effect on their Christmas preparations!

I suppose what we are all talking about is the cruelty of unnatural limitation........and to a certain extent, that limitation is experienced everywhere. Just as the depression was an example of the extremities of supply and demand, so the war and the camp was an example of taking limitation to the extreme. And we struggled for survival more obviously, more aware, then, than perhaps we are now that the organizing principle of current society is driven by the concept of survival. This is probably not the place to enlarge on the limitation we experience and impose in our unconscious and conditioned way in twenty first century America..........but as for Weihsien, so for now. Healing has to come to all who are scarred by limitation. It has to come on all levels.

On the physical level we will rejoice once again on August 17th. We are doing it on the emotional level as we swap memories. On the mental level we do it when we look at what qualities lead to that limitation, what qualities developed in that situation, what qualities are being utilized now. There are victims, there are survivors, and there are mediators, utilizing everything sent our way in order to build awareness. I'd like to mention once again the value of Victor Frankl's book "Man's Search for Meaning" As a psychiatrist who was a prisoner in a Nazi camp, he was able to discover and formulate the structure of conscious living. He was so very aware of all the different levels, even of the level of the Eric Liddell's in his world ('the best of us did not survive'). I have seen this book work well with those with Post Traumatic Stress. And on books, Joseph Chilton Pearce's "The Biology of Transcendence" show both scientifically and humanly the wondrous equipment we have been endowed with, the actual physiological sequence of circuitry in the body which shows we are designed to handle experience in a particular way. In demonstrating that it also shows that as members of the human race we are handling it in a less than skilful way. Misusing the equipment we have leaves us stuck in the interplay between the mammalian and reptilian brain, in having emotional fixations on a physical focus. He encourages us to use all that we have been given for life abundant.

My very best to all of us who are looking for pattens, potentials, possibilities, who are using that kernel to make bread! Alison

Re: Mary Scott's book

Stan Thomas

Jul 21, 2002 18:03 PDT

A couple of used copies of May Scott's book are available on the internet.

See below.

Stan Thompson

Scott, Mary L. Kept In Safeguard Mary Scott Tells Of Her Experiences In Old China Nazarene Publishing House 1977 paperback with 116 pages and b&w photos. Tipped in author inscription. Fair. Cover has creasing, back cover is soiled, tipped in note sheet and owner's address label. Missionaries, Nazarene, China ISBN 0-8341-0462-8 Bookseller Inventory# 8497 US$ 8.00

SellerPacific Rim Used BooksPhone360 293 9788 and 7919 Address1717 Commercial Anacortes WA 98221 Fax360 293 7824

Email-@fidalgo.net

Terms Credit cards, checks, money orders. Please use e-mail for questions concerning stock & shipping. Shipping for the first book of average weight is $3 for insured 4th class book rate with a delivery time of 5 to 7 days. Priority mail insured shipments for the average book are $5 with a one to 3 day delivery time. International shipments range from $5 for the first book with a 30 to 90 day shipment time to $9 for global priority with a 5 to 7 day shipment time.

Scott, Mary L. Kept in Safeguard Nazarene Pub. House, 1977 Very Good. First. vg, paperback, 116 pgs, shelf wear Book # 1005671 Price: US$5.00 Conco Books, 3421 Geary St. SE, Albany, OR, U.S.A., 97322.

Phone: 1-541-926-0478. Fax: none. Email: concob-@proaxis.comIf you would like to purchase a book: Send check to: Conco Books 3421 Geary St. SE Albany, OR 97322 Allow 10 days for shipping. We accept Visa and Mastercard. We guarantee our books and accept returns within 10 days for any reason. Postage $4.00 First book, $1.00 each additional More in-depth description upon request. All orders are subject to prior sale. On completion of a purchase with a credit card, your order goes directly to the bookseller.

The charge is made to your credit card only when the bookseller ships the book to you. The book should arrive within the time frame that you choose (stated in "business days"). Purchases may be returned to the bookseller within 14 days of receipt for a refund/credit for items that are not as described or that did not arrive. Customer satisfaction is guaranteed by our booksellers.

Re: More good old days

David Birch

Jul 21, 2002 20:34 PDT

Zandy,

Boy, I can see I really missed out by not being better acquainted with you at Weihsien! Do you remember Kenneth Bell? Or Torje Torjeson? They were both my age (I was born in Nov '31) and were really athletic fellows. I was okay when I worked at it. They were "naturals." Torje used to get me away from books--I did a lot of reading--and got me really enthused playing what might be called "sand-lot basketball." That is, we'd chase around bouncing the basketball and trying to get it away from each other and into the basket on that clay court outside Block 61. That of course was by the hospital. And those of us who lived latterly in the hospital building had our roll call twice a day in that location. I'm working on another story which I'm calling, The Night the Stars Began to Fall. It's of my recollection of VE Day and the emergency, middle-of-the-night roll call we had. Definitely one of the more unusual of my boyhood experiences!

Zandy, you are welcome to any of my stories if you'll be patient enough to wait for them to arrive one at a time. And so are any others of you who may be interested. Right now I'm just sending them out to my friends for the asking. I have a friend, however, who is has his degree in creative writing from the University of Victoria (British Columbia) who says he would like to help me get my material published. They are informally copyrighted with me as the copyright owner. But I of course have the liberty to give copies to my friends.

I think you should write up some stories too. From that brief account of that fabulous game that went all the way to the bottom of the ninth inning, I'm very sure you have something that would make a gripping chapter in a book for virtually any age group. Tell you what! Let's trade story for story. I'll polish mine up one at a time. You do the same. And after a while I'm quite certain we'll have at the very least, a highly readable collection of each other's memories of Weihsien compound when we were boys.

Keep the memories flowing. You're really "priming some pumps!"

David

ps I use either e-mail address. But when you send to me at silver-@shaw.ca it will be private. When you send to weihsien@topica it goes out to anyone who wishes to "tune in" as it were. I keep the yahoo e-mail address because so many of my correspondents have it. However, Yahoo carries a lot of advertising, and I get a bit tired of seeing it sometimes.

You can reach me privately at silverbirch or privately at gdavid-@yahoo.com.

That may seem as "clear as mud" but anyway, the main thing is KEEP IN TOUCH. I really enjoy hearing from you. If you send me your mailing address, why not send it to the silverbirch location. It should be reasonably private. And I'll mail some stories out to you. I do not yet have a scanner so cannot send them the easy way.

Re: Jack Graham and the radio tube he smuggled from the Japanese quarters

David Birch

Jul 21, 2002 20:35 PDT

Mary,

Thank you.

I will try to contact Graham. I wonder how many know that he was a third generation Graham in China, his father and grandfather both having served with the CIM as missionaries. Graham's dad and my dad were contemporaries at the Language School around 1928.

Jack, himself, my contemporary at Chefoo and Weihsien, and roommate for a while across the hall from Patrick and Jessie (Cassells) Bruce, had a gentle nature (down deep) and I clearly recall him kneeling beside his bed, earlier on, when our room was across the hall one floor lower. Mr. Stanley Houghton had come in to our room and had said, Boys, if you've never prayed before, pray now. We all- about four to six boys in that room got up and knelt beside our beds and prayed silently but with real feeling for Brian Thompson who lay dying one floor below while the Weihsien medical team kept up artificial respiration until around ten o'clock that night.

Graham also sang with a true alto voice in those days. I sang treble.

I liked Jack Graham and still do. He was fun-loving and a leader of sorts although I did not choose to follow his lead. However, he seems to have engineered one adventure in which I wound up bearing the brunt of it. The last time I heard directly from Jack Graham was in about 1946 or 1947 when he sent me a friendly handwritten letter from Wheaton where he was enrolled in the College along with several other Chefoo alumni including Stanley Thompson and Torje Torjeson. The three of us had been members of the same class all the way from Primary (for at least some of us) to Lower One, some seven or eight years.

Thanks for letting me know where the retired colonel, US Army, now lives. Graham, if you get to read this, please contact me at: silver-@shaw.ca.

Sincerely,

David Birch

Old China Hands Archive and Exhibition

Greg Leck

Jul 22, 2002 11:25 PDT

Is anyone planning to attend the Oct 4 and 5 opening of the Inaugural Exhibition of Old China Hands Archive at the California State University at Northridge?

Greg Leck

Bad Guy

Laura Hope-Gill

Jul 22, 2002 13:25 PDT

Dear Everyone,

I have received an email forwarded by Des Power from a man named Frederick Park. He tells Des that he is working on an oral history of Weihsien internees through Clemson University. However, this individual "stalks" me from a distance and I fear this is just another way he's invented to involve himself in my life. Please, if he contacts you, asking for information about me or my family, kindly withhold. I'm sorry to sour the list with this.

Sincerely, Laura

Re: Bad Guy

Dwight W. Whipple

Jul 22, 2002 13:30 PDT

Thanks for the heads-up, Laura. Will certainly comply with your wishes.

~Dwight Whipple

RE: Bad Guy

Ron Bridge

Jul 22, 2002 13:57 PDT

Sorry to hear Laura is being pestered.

There have been a couple of people usually claiming to represent an obscure research project sometimes UNIV based in the UK who have contacted ex-PoWs/internees asking after doing an oral history and then asking for money usually around US$750 to "take the evidence" so all beware.

Re: Bad Guy

Natasha Petersen

Jul 22, 2002 15:07 PDT

I will be on the look-out for this man. He will get no information from me.

Natasha

Re: Bad Guy

Mary Previte

Jul 22, 2002 17:10 PDT

Please be careful, Laura. These weird-os can be dangerous. He will get no information from me.

I was outraged recently by a letter from a group claiming to represent my interests -- yes, asking for money. The request gave me the uneasy feeling that the group had taken my name and address from one of our Weihsien connections.

Mary Previte

Re: Bad Guy

Laura Hope-Gill

Jul 22, 2002 21:58 PDT

Dear everybody,

Thank you so much for your kindness-- it's terrible to hear of people charging internees money to share their stories.

Freaks are plenty, and it reminds me to be thankful for good kind people like yourselves, which brings me to ask about the acts of kindness you all experienced and witness during the internment. I have my grandmother's story of the tomatoes appearing magically at her door when her children were badly in need of vitamins. And there's Gilkey's account of the monk's pretending to pray while actually gathering eggs under their robes. . . what others?

(if you should hear from bad guy, please forward the msg. to me so I can add it to a file I'm advised to keep--as you know, no action can be taken since there's no physical threat, just eerie behaviour).

Best to you all,

Laura

Re: Boy Scout goup

Fred Dreggs

Jul 24, 2002 00:34 PDT

Hello Zandy.

Received your scout photo OK. It certainly came out clearly. No, my brother Bobby is not in that photo.

As to the ball-game at camp. Yes, I seem to recall that particular game as being very exciting and the talk of the camp for quite a while. As a matter of interest, the window in our "cell" was busted by a softball a couple of times and wooden slats had to be affixed but I have no idea how that was arranged given how hard it was to get wood, also glass was impossible to get so my Mum covered the window with cloth.

Just a bit more Weihsien camp trivia!

Cheers

Fred

"Pineapple"

David Birch

Jul 24, 2002 11:28 PDT

Zandy,

Do you remember the baseball ump known as "Pineapple?"

I recall him as a colourful, rolly-polly little man whom we all turned to to see what he was going to call the play - in those marvelous 'big league' games such as Britain vs America. Pinespple must have known what he was doing because there wasn't a great deal of arguing with him! And yet he always had a friendly, sort of mischievous little smile playing about his lips. He was, I think, a bit of a 'legend' in his time.

David

Re: "Pineapple"

Zandy Strangman

Jul 25, 2002 02:17 PDT

Thanks to ALL who have come back to me with their generous I.D. contribution on the Scout photo which seems to have generated some further interest. To Greg Leck.........Thanks for your 'Email and introduction' and background info. I had not heard of the Lincoln Avenue Camp, before.

Incidentally, Desmond Power 'spent some time' at both Pootung and Lunghwa camps before joining us at Weihsien-----he would be a rich source of info for your project. Getting illustrative material for it, now, might prove difficult I'd imagine. The photo came to me from JANETTE and LEOPOLD, so permission for it's use would have to come from them, I feel. Good luck with it , anyway.

Re.... answering your questions, on "when was it taken?......pre or post Liberation?......anyone having a camera in camp? and the development there of, etc ?

I'd like to call upon JOYCE and RON for some assistance here. Eddie Cooke (Joyce's brother) is one of the scouts in the picture and therefore, the best person to tell us when it was taken .

RON's recent email with attachment ( which I was not able to access ) is probably the same series of photos that Christine Sancton kindly circulated back in March.. If so, I agree they appear to be taken at the same session, and at the same location. But the number 18 in the background certainly looks more like a 13 in the Cub group.

As far as anyone having cameras in camp? That was a distinct possibility, but I don't think they would have been foolish enough to use it. As for developing the film? I think that unlikely, also, as I can't remember any X-rays being processed in camp. Maybe JOYCE or FRED can throw some light on that one.

Last but not least, DAVID......... Yes, I remember the ' rolly polly ' ump. And I think he was one of our Hawaiian band members? I think ? Once again Joyce or Fred or Ron could confirm that .

I've got much more for you David but I've just been called for supper, so will have to get back to you later.

Best regards.............Zandy

Internment Camps in China

Greg Leck

Jul 25, 2002 09:24 PDT

As for photographs of the camps, one of the reasons they are rare is that in 1942, at least in the Shanghai area (and I would presume in Tientsin, Tsingtao, and Peking areas - perhaps you North China hands can confirm this) the Japanese promulgated that all cameras (as well as radios, firearms, binoculars, and other items) be turned in to them. Receipts were issued but for the most part these items were never recovered. I have a copy of receipts issued for a camera and an automobile.

Lincoln Avenue Camp was located in Shanghai on a compound formerly used as housing for Bank of China employees. It was something of a hospital camp with large numbers of ill, elderly, or infirm internees who where not rounded up until very late in 1944.

Desmond Power knew my family in Tientsin when they lived there in the 1920s before moving to Shanghai. He is a rich source of information and has been of the utmost help to me in my project.

There are photographs out there of the camps. Japanese photographers took many photos for propaganda purposes but my efforts at tracking down any information the Japanese hold has been unsuccessful to date. Photographers after the war visited Chapei, Pootung, Lunghwa, Weihsien, Stanley, and Yangchow C, and perhaps more. Photographs of Lincoln Avenue and ASH camp exist as well. In Shanghai, photographers from the Bubbling Well studio of Oskar Seepold took a large series of photographs of Lunghwa and Chapei.

In any event, if anyone can tell me who took the photo and when, I'd appreciate it.

Greg

Re: Internment Camps in China

Dwight W. Whipple

Jul 25, 2002 11:29 PDT

Fascinating! The photos must be in government archives somewhere. Anybody know a government official who could help out?

~Dwight Whipple

RE: Photos.

Ron Bridge

Jul 25, 2002 13:52 PDT

They are all of the same series and I am certain taken in 1944. I believe that the camera issue is solved by them being taken by a Japanese Photographer for an article on are we not doing a lot to keep them live their normal lives. I have a copy orf a Peking Newspaper Article published about that time extolling the virtues of the kind way in which the Japanese were keeping those interned. The Numbers were on the walls on the south wall near the tennis courts by the hospital.

Rgds

Ron

Re: Photos.

Zandy Strangman

Jul 26, 2002 00:57 PDT

Ron.....It's obvious the only ones in a position to answer the questions of when, where and by whom the pictures were taken, would be Fr. Hanquet, Eddie Cooke or yourself, who were actually at the scene.(And facing the cameraman.)

Upon closer scrutiny of the cub photo, the space and type of surface seems to confirm the tennis court area but what is the reason for the number 13 or 18, being on a perimeter wall??? How many more numbers were there?

I can't recall any numbers anywhere, not even on the ends of our blocks, so I've got no argument on that point.

Your theory of a Jap photographer taking the series of photos for propaganda purposes sounds feasible but how did the photos get distributed amongst some internees ???

Regards,

Zandy

Re: "Pineapple"

Fred Dreggs

Jul 26, 2002 02:43 PDT

Zandy,

I hadn't given the person nicknamed "Pineapple" any thought whatsoever for

50 odd years when now, suddenly, the name emerges and brings back memories.

Yes, as I recall, he was a member of the band which played for our dances.

Very enjoyable indeed. Do you remember Aubrey Grandon singing his favourite song "South of the Border" accompanied by this band? In 1944 Aubrey caught up with Des Power, Tony Lambert, Brian Clark and myself when we(Des,Tony and I) were sharing a flat at Notting Hill Gate, London, and we all had a fantastic, unbelievable time reminiscing for hours and hours. Nostalgia is certainly a wonderful thing!

Cheers

Fred

Fw: photo Hanquet

leopold pander

Jul 26, 2002 04:22 PDT

Hello,

A short message I've just received from Janette,

We will keep you informed --- as soon as we've seen Father Hanquet

Best regards,

Leopold

----- Original Message -----

From: LEY Pierre

To: PANDER LEOPOLD

Sent: Friday, July 26, 2002 12:22 PM

Subject: photo Hanquet

Could you send word to "topica" that we are now asking Father Hanquet for all the details concerning his photo, and any others,also if he remembers anything about Japanese photographers in camp (?!)

As for Father Verhoeven, we'll ask him too, and we are trying elsewhere...

In his book "The Enemy Within" F. de Jaegher tells about Japanese propaganda photographers active and very present when the Allies were waiting at Peking railway station (chapter 8, 3rd. paragraph)

Till next!.... Janette

RE: photo Hanquet

Greg Leck

Jul 26, 2002 06:16 PDT

I have photographs of Allied internees at the huge Santo Tomas internment centre in Manila, Philippines, but have yet to uncover any from China. In Shanghai the photographers climbed trees to get better shots as internees were marched from the Anglican Cathedral to the Bund.

Greg

correction

Fred Dreggs

Jul 26, 2002 22:56 PDT

In my message toZandy, the date catching up with Aubrey Grandon should have read 1947 and not 1944.

Fred

Re: "Pineapple"

Zandy Strangman

Jul 28, 2002 03:47 PDT

David and Fred,

I had also forgotten all about ' that character ' called "Pineapple" until David mentioned him, the other day, as a ' no nonsense ' type of umpire. And I've since been 'wracking' my brains trying to recall the name of ' The daddy of all NO NONSENSE umpires ' we had in camp (until the US repatriation in '43.). He was a real 'rough and tough' ol' US Marine from the Peking legation detachment, who also played a 'wicked game 'of Ice hockey on the same 'interport team' my father played in, in the 30's. ( Those of our age group would remember the 'interport' series between the 3 main Chinese cities, but Tientsin and Peking seemed to figure in it the most.) Carl or Karl RUMF (no relation to Hazzie Rumph.)is the closest I can get.

He would have been aged about 50, then.

Well, the big game I can recall, was not a softball game but a true baseball game. Yes, ' a few' went over the wall, but solid 'hits' were few and far between, that afternoon.

I was just 14 and managed to look inconspicuous up against the centerfield guard tower. And even from that distance his piercing ' sstttrrikke' or 'baaalll' and accompanying actions, is something I have never forgotten.

David ....those 'big league' games you mentioned were actually referred to as the 'major league' with teams that were most prominent, being known as 'the Stokers' , the 'Cooks' and the 'Bakers', 3 that come to mind. And earlier in our internment we had the 3 Kitchen teams. But when the Peking kitchen was vacated to accommodate the Italian contingent, we were reduced to the Kitchen 1 playing Kitchen 2, as the 'main game in town'.

Of course I must mention we had the 'minor league' as well and also the junior games, where I started .

You are not the only ones to enjoy a bit of reminiscing! And more than enough from me.

Oh! By the way Mary.... 'TOUCHAY' " stocky' WAS the word I was looking for!

David......

I haven't forgotten about finishing that email reply to you. It's just that I've go to get SOME 'shut eye'.

Cheers......Zandy

Boyscouts photo

Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)

Jul 28, 2002 20:35 PDT

Zandy,

The boy next to John de Zutter was called "Porky" and the boy next to Father Hanquet is "Sotolongo". My brother does not know their real names, nor does he know the date of the photograph. Also, he said the baseball umpire was in fact Huzzi Rumph's father. The other umpire "Pineapple" was so-named because the Weihsien band was called "The Pineapples" .

All this info comes from my brother Eddie.

regards to all

Joyce

Re: Boyscouts photo

Zandy Strangman

Jul 29, 2002 00:45 PDT

Joyce,

Thanks for that bit of info. I thought that was 'Porky', as well. But without his trademark ' slouch cap ' , I wasn't sure.

Many-is-the-time he demanded, "Don't call me Porky, my name is George Watts! " So he kept getting Porky to the end.

Never heard of Sotolongo!

Besides Haazi's immediate family of 4, there were 2 other Rumpfs. I presume a couple. (she was W. Russian.)

Neither of them was the baseball umpire, I mentioned . As I said I wasn't sure of his surname. It was something like Rolf or Ralph. It could have been Karl Roulf and closer to 40 than 50 in age. And definitely one who was repatriated in '43.

After nearly 60 years, I guess we can expect to be some what ' foggy' in our recalling powers.

Cheers.........Zandy

Re: Weihsien internee sketches

alison holmes

Jul 31, 2002 08:12 PDT

Is there anyway that you can scan the sketches for us? I have checked in via the Internet to issue no 20 of the Bamboo Wireless and found no pictures. We are getting a wonderful collection of visual reminders together. Tremendous! Thank you. Alison

RE: Weihsien internee sketches

Greg Leck

Jul 31, 2002 08:27 PDT

I think that photographic material often disappears from web pages that are designed to be temporary, such as a newsletter issue.

I do have a copy of the issue which has the sketches - they are all children if I recall correctly. I don't have a scanner but could try to take a digital photograph of it and send as a jpeg to those who are interested.

(You can't send attachments via Topica, can you?)

However, Ron Bridge, editor of The Bamboo Wireless, may have an easier way to post them. What say you Ron?

Greg

Re: Weihsien internee sketches

Dwight W. Whipple

Jul 31, 2002 08:36 PDT

If you find a way, I would love to have copies sent. These are marvellous reminders of camp and are ringing so many memory bells. Last night I showed the ones I have to my 97 year old father who could identify them readily.

Keep them coming!

~Dwight Whipple

RE: Weihsien internee sketches

Ron Bridge

Jul 31, 2002 12:48 PDT

There is no problem re scanning except time and that is in very short supply at the monet due to the Court Case in the UK High Court over those that HMG have denied being Brtiish. I do no plan to fall off my perch fpor a while so I will get to it but I fear that the tpica site may not handle the size of sketches as problems over Leopold panders paintings.

Rgds

Ron

RE: Weihsien internee sketches

Ron Bridge

Jul 31, 2002 12:48 PDT

Further to my previous having read Greg's letter due to ABCIFER Site limitation we take out the pictures after three issues.

Simplest thing is for anyone intersted to sedn me their mailing address by e-mail and I will photocopy what I have and send it to you they are all of children and not have been properly identified thus I do not think that they would help too much. I do not think that they are children who were at Chefoo School.

Rgds

Ron

Re: Weihsien internee sketches

alison holmes

Jul 31, 2002 13:01 PDT

Are photos and sketches the same thing? I am interested in sketches, in any artistic representations that came out of the camp. If they can come now or later that's just fine...we Brits are so grateful for the work you, Ron, have done for us and are doing for others. So don't let this turn into the last straw that knocks you off your perch. Best, Alison

Re: Weihsien internee sketches

Dwight W. Whipple

Jul 31, 2002 16:30 PDT

No hurry, Ron, but I am one that would like photocopies of what you have.

~Dwight

Re: Weihsien internee sketches

leopold pander

Aug 01, 2002 23:48 PDT

Hello Ron,

Janette is very interested in getting the pictures ... So am I ---

Thanks in advance,

Leopold

Re: Story about Weihsien rescuer posted on JapaneseAmerican Vet website

Dwight W. Whipple

Aug 02, 2002 20:54 PDT

Thank you for the great story and pictures!

~dwight whipple

Re: Story about Weihsien rescuer posted on JapaneseAmerican Vet website

leopold pander

Aug 03, 2002 00:23 PDT

Thanks for the tip. We got it "loud and clear" !

Leopold

---

(c) 1996 Corel Corporation Limited

TAD NAGAKI: Japanese-American Hero Behind Japanese Lines in World War II

by Mary Taylor Previte

Tad Nagaki was full of memories when I tracked him down fifty-two years later. I cupped the long distance phone to my ear and listened to his voice. Wave after wave of memories blurred my eyes. I was a wide-eyed 12 year-old again listening to the drone of the airplane far above the concentration camp. Racing to the window, I watched it sweep lower, slowly lower.

It was a giant plane, emblazoned with an American star. Weihsien went mad. I raced for the entry gates and was swept off my feet by the pandemonium. Grown men ripped off their shirts and waved them at the sky to flag down the low-flying plane. Prisoners ran in circles and punched the skies with their fists. They wept, cursed, hugged, danced as the B-24 circled back, its belly open. Americans were spilling from the skies, drifting into the fields tall with ripening gaoliang grain beyond the barrier walls of the Weihsien Concentration Camp in China. The Americans had come. 1945, I was a child prisoner in that concentration camp. Weihsien Civilian Assembly Center. That's what the Japanese guards called it. Tad Nagaki was an American hero in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), one of the seven-man Duck Mission that liberated 1,400 Allied civilian prisoners there. For five and a half years, my brother and sister and I had not seen our missionary parents. August 17, 1945. I shall never forget that day. Tad Nagaki was the Japanese-American interpreter on the rescue team. In a cross country search I tracked him down -- I found them all -- in 1997, fifty-two years later. By then, Tad was a widower, 78 years old and farming corn and beans and sugar beets in Alliance, Nebraska. I had to pull. Tad is comfortable with the solitude of his tractor and his fields. These OSS men were trained to keep secrets. I was not. I was a woman from New Jersey-- full of questions. So I pulled -- with half a continent between us -- trying to be polite,but tumbling the questions like a breathless child. Today, I call that rescue a suicide mission -- six Americans and one Chinese interpreter against how many armed Japanese guards in 1945. Slowly, slowly, Tad Nagaki talked about that windy day, the low-flying drop using British parachutes so the Japanese would have less space and time to shoot the rescue team. It was only his second parachute jump, he said. I remembered out loud the crowds of child prisoners. Oh, yes, we trailed these gorgeous liberators around, begged for their insignia, begged for buttons, begged them to sing the songs of America.

They were sun bronzed American gods with meat on their bones. My 12-year-old heart turned somersaults over every one of them. We followed them day and night like children following the Pied Piper. What did it feel like? I asked Tad Nagaki. Like being put on a pedestal, he said. That was the understatement of the century. We made them gods. Tad remembered a girl cutting off a chunk of his hair so she'd have a souvenir. What Tad Nagaki didn't say -- that's what surprised me. Didn't he know that as an ethnic Japanese, if the Japanese caught him in 1945, he'd be the first they would torture and would kill? Didn't he know their most ghastly interrogation techniques would come first? Didn't he know -- of course, he did -- the ritual executions of Americans, would follow -- oh, yes by the Japanese warriors code of Bushido, which prescribed execution by beheading? I shudder still to think of it. And in Burma or in China, what if American soldiers thought you were the Japanese enemy? I asked. I never gave it any thought, he said. I was American. He made it sound so simple. I was American. I kept prodding. In war, he said, if you Àre going to think about that, you Àre not going to make a very good soldier.

So how did a Japanese-American soldier -- mistrusted as a Nisei and limited to pruning trees and landscaping the grounds on a wartime military base in World War II -- arrive in an elite team of Japanese Americans serving in the China-Burma-India theater? How did he becomepart of the first espionage unit the United States used behind Japanese lines? Minoseke Nagaki, Tads father, emigrated from Japan to Hawaii in theearly 1900's when American employers were recruiting Japanese to work inthe mines, forests, and canneries.

Tads father worked first on plantations in Hawaii then moved to the mainland to work on the railroad. By 1906, 13,000 Japanese were working on the railroad. Pay was 95 cents to one dollar a day. The Central Pacific Railroad climbed the High Sierras, wound through the Donner Pass and stretched through Nevada. Along the way, small groups of Japanese remained inland to open restaurants, laundries, and slaughterhouses, to mine coal and copper, and to farm. Minoseke Nagaki settled in a valley with forty or fifty Japanese families near Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and, like many Japanese men, he sent to Japan for a picture bride. The law then said Japanese were not permitted to become American citizens. But he started farming. He grew a family. Tad and other Japanese-American children started speaking English when they went to the two and three-room schools around Scottsbluff, but someone started a Japanese language school in the summers so Nisei native U. S. citizens born of immigrant Japanese parents -- would also read and write Japanese. This gift of two languages would shape his future. War was brewing across the ocean. Tad Nagaki was drafted into the Army in November, 1941, the first of the Nagaki brothers to go. Born in Nebraska, he was America. His Japanese-born parents considered it Tad's duty to go. Tad was 21. Men of the Scottsbluff Elks Lodge sent him off and the other 18 draftees from the valley with a buffet supper. The Nagakis celebrated with a good by get together. Tad would defend America. It was a simple equation: You love your country, you must be willing to fight for it.

But for Japanese-American soldiers it was more than that. Military service would prove their patriotism. It would show America. Tad Nagaki's mother posted a proud sticker in the farmhouse window, boasting that her boy was serving his country.

Pearl Harbor Any American who was alive on December 7, 1941,can tell you where he was when he heard the news. Joseph Harsch of The Christian Science Monitor wrote from Honolulu, Planes with red balls under their wings came in through the morning mist today and attacked America's great mid-Pacific naval base and island fortress here.

If Japan's sneak attack at Pearl Harbor shook America with anger and shock, Japanese-Americans felt instant terror. Many smashed their Japanese recordings and burned or buried letters from kin folks, books, ceremonial dolls, Buddhist family shrines, and Japanese flags. Japanese had killed or wounded 4,612 Americans, many of them buried under the waters of Pearl Harbor. REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR -- the slogan fanned the flames. In the war hysteria, the Rose Bowl football game was moved out of Pasadena for fear of an air raid. Burma Shave signs sprouted along highways: SLAP THE JAP. Some Asian-Americans began wearing I am Chinese or I am Filipino pins; they would differentiate us from them. When a nation is attacked, how does it judge loyalty? Before long, the Selective Service System classified Nisei -- enemy aliens not subject to military service. Some were mustered out of the Army and sent home.

Some were disarmed and assigned to menial labor.¹ Tad Nagaki didn't notice any change of people's attitude towards him at first-- not until his training buddies in the signal corps were all shipped out -- and Tad was not.

Like everyone else, Tad was itching for action. He had always dreamed of flying. He passed his physical and collected recommendations to become an air cadet. Then came the personal letter from his commander: They could not accept him because he was Japanese American. Shipped to Ft. Thomas, Kentucky, he now was assigned to a barracks with about forty Japanese-Americans. Other American boys were doing important stuff -- going to war, fighting for America. Tad and his buddies were pruning trees and landscaping the post, loading food onto troop trains. But what kind of job was that for a gung-ho American soldier when a war was going on?

February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order, evacuating people of Japanese descent from coastal areas. Just before the war started, a tiny handful of Army Intelligence specialists was alerting superiors of the importance of training Japanese language interpreters to master the incredibly complex Japanese language. But could youth of an alien race -- only one generation removed from the land of their ancestors -- be trusted in battle or in top secret intelligence work? While one hand of the Army was removing Japanese-Americans from the west coast, another was searching for qualified Nisei for its language and intelligence effort. In San Francisco, the Army opened a small-scale language school in a converted hangar at Crissy Field, The Presidio. It hand picked fifty-eight Nisei for its first class -- sitting on apple boxes and orange crates. When the top brass finally saw its value, the school was transferred to Camp Savage, Minnesota, where it was reorganized as the Military Intelligence Service Language School.

In 1943, as Tad Nagaki and Nisei volunteers from the relocation camps were increasingly frustrated to spend the war trimming trees and loading food onto troop trains -- two years of menial labor -- the War Department posted an announcement on the camp bulletin board. It was a plan to accept volunteers for a special Nisei combat unit. Every chance we got, we had tried to get into a combat unit, he says. They kept saying, No. Now Nisei from Hawaii and across the mainland rushed to volunteer. Half of the mainland men volunteered from America relocation camps. Absolutely, yes! Duty, honor, and country. They would fight for America. At Camp Shelby, Mississippi, the Nisei formed the 442nd Regimental (Go for Broke) Combat Team. The average I.Q. of the entire 442nd was 119, nine points higher than that required for Officer Candidate School.

The 442nd's shoulder patch sported a hand holding high a torch of liberty against blue sky. Deployed mainly in Europe, they would earn that patch. The 442nd would become the most highly decorated American unit in World War II, receiving 18,143 individual awards, not including Purple Hearts which are estimated at 3,600.

Skeets Nagaki, Tad's older brother, served in the 442nd. Just as Tad Nagaki was joining the 442nd in July, 1943, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) asked for Nisei volunteers for highly secret intelligence work. More hazardous than combat, some of them were told, a one-way ticket. Ó À At a height of 5'5", Tad wasn't thinking about being a hero, but this choice was better than pruning trees.

He enrolled and found himself selected for an elite team of Nisei in OSS Detachment 101. Of the twenty-three men who started, only fourteen made it. Some people dubbed the OSS Oh So Social -- because so many came from the Ivy League. There was nothing Ivy League about the Nisei group. Tad Nagaki was a farm boy from Nebraska. Three were from California and the rest, from Hawaii.

Oh So Secret was a better nickname. The assignment was hush-hush from the start. Rule Number One: You didn't ask questions. You didn't write home to Mom about what you were doing or what you had seen. The team was bound for no-one-knew-where.

Whatever was going on involved more than one service. If you asked an insider, he might tell you the OSS was a crazy mix of the FBI and the Office of Naval Intelligence rolled together, plus Errol Flynn in one of those war movies where he parachuted behind enemy lines and took on the whole enemy army by himself.

The OSS trained the Nisei team first in radio school in Naperville, Illinois, then the Military Intelligence Service Language School in Fort Savage, MN, then six weeks of survival and demolition at Toyon Bay on Catalina Island. They toughened up with fitness training in the mountains, exercised with water drills from LST boats. They could survive by fishing or shooting mountain goats. Catalina Island was ideal for coastal surveillance and commando training. It was 1944. After begging for action since 1942, the Nisei were about to get their chance.

In December, 1941, Japan had moved to protect its gains in Southeast Asia, cut off Allied supply routes to China, and gain additional rice and oil by invading the British colony of Burma. It took them only three months to capture Burma, a country about the size of Texas. War in this China-Burma--India theater would be fought over control of supply routes to China. In Burma, troops fought Guts War. You melted with intense heat. You slogged through monsoon rains and jungle rot. Your gut gushed and your body melted with tropical diseases. Your feet blistered with long marches. You fought off -- slapped off -- leeches, poisonous snakes, and biting insects. Supplies often came only through parachute drops.

Burma churned out an unpredictable mix of jungle war, mountain war, desert war, and naval war. It was a death match of hand-to-hand combat appropriate for the Stone Age and air transportation, whole divisions and their artillery and vehicles flying through the sky, a marvel even for the 20th Century. Soldiers landed by glider on remote jungle strips. Troops inched through acres of muddy paddy-fields under solid sheets of monsoon rain that rotted their boots as they moved. Boats probed mangrove swamps.

Dropping into Northern Burma in January 1943, OSS Detachment101 was the first espionage unit the United States used behind Japanese lines. Deployed in China, Burma, and India, it had 250 officers and 750 enlisted men trained in parachuting, radio operations, infiltration, survival training, hand to-hand combat, cryptography and guerrilla tactics. An American-led intelligence outfit with unconventional methods, it was led by Carl Eifler and William Ray Peers. But what an inhospitable place for Allied soldiers who were inexperienced in jungle warfare! Repelled as they were by the tribal practice of collecting ears of the dead, Detachment 101 needed native talent. To recruit the local Kachin tribesmen and gain their trust, they slept in villages and took part in village festivals, watched Kachin musical processions, joined their games, foot races and feasts. They lead 10,000 Kachin tribesmen -- Kachin Raiders -- from villages, mountains, and jungle hideouts against the Japanese in Burma. With support of the Kachins, U. S. troops could feel the jungle was on their side. They used the jungle grapevine. They pinpointed enemy targets for Allied bombers. By late 1943, Detachment 101 had eleven radio stations reporting regularly from Japanese controlled areas. In 1943, when the Japanese announced that captured flyers would be given one way tickets to hell, Detachment 101 and their Kachin Raiders began rescuing downed crews. Morale of Allied airmen in the Tenth Air Force many of them flying over The Hump improved. Detachment 101 rescued some 400 Allied flyers. If Detachment team was glued together with the unparalleled brotherhood that men find in battle, they were also bonded as blood brotherhood hell-bent on proving their patriotism. Every one of them knew when he volunteered that it was much more dangerous for him as a Japanese-American than for others.

Late in 1944, Tad Nagaki arrived in Myitkyina (pronounced mich-chi naw), Burma, at a bend in the Irrawadi River. Myitkyina was the strategic key to the entire plan in the north. It had the only hard-surface, all-weather airstrip in Burma north of Mandalay. This was the airfield the legendary Merrill Marauders had seized. From there, Nagaki helped establish headquarters in Bhamo. Burma was his introduction to living in straw thatched huts (bashas), riding bare back on cargo-bearing elephants, slathering insect repellant, and eating K-rations, C-rations and native rice and chicken curry. The Nisei plunged into the work of sabotage, guerrilla warfare, hit and-run harassment operations, translating Japanese documents, preparing propaganda leaflets, interrogating prisoners, and building air fields. Calvin Tottori, a member of the Nisei team, documents their exploits in a fascinating collection of unpublished memories, The O.S.S. Niseis in the China-Burma-India Theater. Dick Hamada attached to 2nd Battalion in Central Burma. He recalls: Second Battalion was constantly on the move, setting up ambush, using punji (smoke-hardened bamboo spikes) set on both sides of the trail to impale the enemy. The punji were crude, but very effective.

After one skirmish with the enemy, the Kachin Rangers brought some clothing and captured weapons. I inquired, How many enemy soldiers were killed? Twenty, said the soldiers. When doubt spread across my face, they quickly took 20 ears from their pouch. From that day on, I never doubted their claims.

The team was supposed to interrogate Japanese prisoners. I never had the chance, Tad Nagaki says. They resisted capture with fanatical zeal. Surrender would bring shame to their family and country. The Japanese always committed suicide, he recalls, blew themselves up with grenades.

Being mistaken for the enemy was always a possibility. Nisei Lt. Ralph Yempuku was assigned to the 1st Battalion Kachin Rangers under Captain Joe Lazarsky. The Kachins hated the Japanese. Japanese had tied villagers to trees and bayoneted them to death. The Kachins were initially very wary about me because I was a Japanese-American, Yempuku recalls. On the first day, Captain Lazarsky paraded me in front of the whole battalion introducing me as an American and ordering them to study my face so that I would not be mistaken for and shot as an enemy Japanese.

I told them Lt. Yempuku was, like the rest of us white men, Lazarsky says. Lt. Yempuku lead his own company of Kachin guerrillas in ambushing and attacking Japanese-held villages behind enemy lines near Lashio and along the Burma Road.

Every Nisei knew, death would be better than capture. Cal Tottori's first mission was to gather intelligence on Japanese troop movements in the area north of Maymyo. Since there were only two of us, we were expected to protect each other. I recalled what we had been told over and over during our training -- always save the last bullet for ourselves. Combat bred its superstitions. After the first recruit was wounded, Tottori's team felt very strongly that a tattoo on one's body had some mystical power of protection. In a moment of sheer madness, we had a Burmese priest (pongyi) do the tattooing on us, Tottori recalls. Mine was a Burmese tiger on my left forearm and is a constant reminder of what I went through in that country.

Nagaki plunged into his assignment of training two platoons, Kachin tribesmen in the north and Shan in Central Burma. It was a breathtaking mix of combat danger, Red Cross coffee, and colossal boredom. In the field, he parachuted behind Japanese lines to monitor Japanese troop movements and gather information. At headquarters in Bhamo, he processed reports.

As the war wound down in Burma in the summer of 1945, Detachment 101 Niseis, battle-hardened in India and Burma, were deployed to China, to report to OSS Detachment 202 headquarters in Kunming. Tad Nagaki, who had been driving tractors on the farm in Nebraska since he was twelve years old, drove an Army 6x6 truck in the

truck convoy over the Hump to China on the Burma Road.

Mercy Missions

As America closed in on Japan in late summer, 1945, reports reached American headquarters in China that Japan planned to kill its prisoners. Rescue became a top priority. American commander, General Albert Wedemeyer, directed agencies under his control to locate and evacuate POWs in China, Manchuria, and Korea. He pulled together seven-man rescue teams, including medical, communications specialists, and interpreters. OSS had two assignments: rescue prisoners and gather intelligence.

OSS organized eight rescue missions, all under code names of birds: Magpie (heading to Peiping), Duck (Weihsien), Flamingo (Harbin), Cardinal (Mukden), Sparrow (Shanghai), Quail (Hanoi), Pigeon (Hainan Island), and Raven (Vientiane, Laos). The 4th Air Force was ordered to provide the necessary staging areas. The teams took off from Sian (today called Xian).

Nisei Dick Hamada was a member of the team that parachuted into Peiping (Beijing) to liberate 624 Allied prisoners including survivors of the Doolittle raids on Tokyo. Ã Nisei Fumio Kido parachuted with the team that rescued American General Jonathan Wainwright, hero of Bataan, and 1,600 other Allied POWs in Mukden. Cal Tottori was a member of the OSS mercy mission that flew to Taiwan to seek release of Allied POWs there. Ralph Yempuku parachuted into Hainan Island with the team that evacuated 400 starving prisoners there. On August 17, 1945, Tad Nagaki parachuted from a B-24, named The Armored Angel, with five other American heroes to rescue me and 1,400 other prisoners from the Weihsien Concentration Camp in China Shantung Province.

Tad Nagaki and members of these rescue teams were honored with the Soldier's Medal for heroism. He was one of about 25,000 Japanese-American men and women who served in U.S. Armed forces during World War II.

The Nisei bought an awful big hunk of America with their Üblood, said American General Joseph Stilwell, who commanded U.S. forces in the China-Burma-India theater. You're damn right those Nisei boys have a place in the American heart for ever.

Post script: Tad Nagaki says he's not a hero. He says he did what any American would have done. After helping to establish an OSS base in Tsingtao, China, he returned to America in 1946 and married his Nisei fiancé, Butch. He had met her on a blind date while he was attending Military Intelligence Service Language School in Minnesota. Butch and her Issei parents had been imprisoned in the Poston relocation camp in Arizona. After America changed its laws in 1950, Tad Nagaki's parents became American citizens. They never returned to Japan. Today, Tad Nagaki farms corn and beans in Alliance, Nebraska, not far from where he grew up. He is 82.

Members of OSS 101 Nisei team were: 1st Lt. Richard Betsui, 1st Lt. Junichi Buto, 1st Lt. Chiyoki Ikeda, 1st Lt. Ralph Yempuku, Tech 4 Thomas T. Baba, Cpl. Dick Hamada, S/Sgt. Susumu Kazahaya, Pvt. Fumio Kido, Pvt. Wilbert Kishinami, S/Sgt. George Kobayashi, Tech. 5 Shoichi Kurahashi, Pvt. Tadashi Nagaki, Pvt. Takao Tanabe, Cpl. Calvin Tottori.

3840 words

February 21, 2002

Dwight O. King, EditorÜ

1800 Park Newport, #203

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Dear Editor King:

I offer you the enclosed article for Ex-CBI ROUNDUP. It is the story of Tad Nagaki, a Japanese-American soldier who fought behind Japanese lines in Burma with OSS Detachment 101 during World War II. He was one of a team of six Americans who liberated the Weihsien Concentration Camp in China in 1945. I was a prisoner in that camp.

Photographs are available. Thank you for your alert against fanning the controversy about the Japanese internment camps in the American West. I have avoided fanning those flames. Please let me know if you'd like me to modify the length or emphasis. The story contains 3,840 words. May I send you the manuscsript by e-mail or disc to facilitate your printing?

Sincerely,

Mary T. Previte

856-374-6100 (w)

856-428-4909 (h)

mtprevite@aol.com

351 Kings Highway East

Haddonfield, NJ 08033

March 3, 2002

Dwight O. King, Editor

Ex-CBI Roundup

1800 Park Newport, #203

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Re: Photographs to illustrate story about Japanese-American hero

Dear Editor King:

I have enclosed three photographs to illustrate my story about Tad Nagaki, one of OSS detachment 101's Nisei team in Burma and China, a story scheduled for your June 2002 issue. I am hoping to get from one of this Nisei team -- and am waiting for -- one more dramatic photograph of starving Australian prisoners liberated from the Japanese concentration camp at Hainan Island by members of one of USA's humanitarian rescue teams.

Group picture: OSS Detachment 101 Nisei team. Names are noted on the picture.

SOLDIER: Sgt. Tadash Nagaki interpreter, and T/4 Raymond N. Hanchulak, medic, are awarded the Soldier's medal for heroism in Shanghai, 1945, for their part in liberating 1,400 Allied prisoners from the Weihsien Civilian Assembly Center in China's "ÌShantung province, August 1945.

FOUR HEROES OF DUCK MISSION: After liberating the Weihsien Civilian Assembly Center, August, 1945, Ensign James T. Moore, Sgt. Tadash Nagaki, Major Stanley A. Staiger, and Raymond N. Hanchulak helped establish an OSS base in Tsingtao, China. Thank you for honoring these heroes by printing their story. Please return these photographs.

Sincerely,

Mary T. Previte

h:856-428-4909, w:856-374-6100

Please add to end of story, MARY PREVITE is an Assemblywoman in the New Jersey Legislature.

351 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, NJ 08033

Thanks for your diligence in this whole project!

David Birch

Aug 04, 2002 12:20 PDT

Thank you Mary.

David Birch

To JAVA Members and Friends:

Wish to point out a very interesting article

on JAVA website about

Tad Nagaki, an OSS operative, written by Mary

Previte, a NJ

Congresswoman,who was rescued from a Japanese POW

camp in China by this OSS

team .

It is a feature article for the month of August 2002

on JAVA website ,

www.javadc.org.

Grant Ichikawa

Re: Story about Weihsien rescuer posted on JapaneseAmerican Vet website

Gladys Swift

Aug 04, 2002 18:11 PDT

There are three messages "Story about Weihsien rescuer posted on Japanese American Vet website" sent to my email. Why? Unfortunately I can't read the story because my macintosh computer doesn't do it. Please explain to me. What is the "tip"? Gladys

If you'd like to write to or phone our liberators to celebrate August 17...

Mary Previte

Aug 06, 2002 19:22 PDT

Hello, Everybody,

Remember fifty-seven years ago? If you'd like to write to or telephone the brave men who liberated Weihsien, August 17, 1945, here are their current addresses and telephone numbers. I know they will enjoy hearing from you. Tell them briefly what you remember, just the way you post these wonderful memories on our Topica bulletin board.

WEIHSIEN RESCUE TEAM (DUCK MISSION) --

current addresses

Mrs. Raymond Hanchulak (Helen)

Phone: 717-472-3520

P.O. Box 4

243 Laurie Lane

Bear Creek Village, PA 18602

James J. Hannon Birthday: November 12, 1919

Phone: 760-364-4580

P. O Box 1376,

Yucca Valley, CA 92286

James W. Moore Birthday: October 5, 1919

Phone: 214-341-8695

9605 Robin Song Street

Dallas, Texas 75243

Tad Nagaki Birthday: January 25, 1920

Phone: 308-762-2968

5851 Logan Road, Alliance, NE 69301

Mrs. Peter Orlich (Carol)

Phone: 718-746-8122

15727 20th Road

Whiteston, N.Y. 11357

Stanley A. Staiger Birthday: December 30, 1917

Phone: 775-825-3766

Village of the Pines

700 E. Peckam Lane, Apartment 259

Reno, NV 89502

Mary Previte

No news from Topica.

Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)

Aug 14, 2002 23:40 PDT

I have not received anything at all from Weihsien Topica for about two weeks. Have I been inadvertently deleted from this network? Am I missing something? Please help. Joyce Bradbury.

Re: No news from Topica.

Mary Previte

Aug 15, 2002 00:17 PDT

I haven't had any Topica messages either. Is everyone on vacation?

Mary Previte

messages

Natasha Petersen

Aug 15, 2002 05:54 PDT

Hello everyone,

Joyce B. and Mary P. wrote on 14th and 15th resp. in regard to "no messages". Mary Previte, yours from the 6th was the last message on Topica. All names are on "ON".

Natasha

Re: messages

David Birch

Aug 15, 2002 11:40 PDT

Hullo Natasha,

Hope you receive this. Hope everyone else does too!

Zandy Strangman sent me an e-mail not long ago to my other e-mail address: (silver-@shaw.ca ) and mentioned that our weihsien folk seemed rather 'quiet'

lately.

Maybe everyone's 'out in the sun' enjoying summer holidays. Who knows?

Thank you Natasha, for keeping this important connection open. I feel certain that many others of us are as grateful as I am for what you are doing.

Thanks again, Natasha. And blessings to you!

Sincerely,

David Birch

(gdavid-@yahoo.com), and

(silver-@shaw.ca).

Re:Re: messages

Theresa Granger (M. Sharp)

Aug 15, 2002 11:57 PDT

I was curious about the gap in the e-mail chain, too. Although I was no there, I enjoy reading the history behind it. My mother, aunt, and grandfather were internees. My two uncles and grandmother went underground during this time (my grandfather was American, grandmother was Japanese - but moved to China during WWI) to escape the Japanese Army, who wanted my uncles to join.

Besides the wonderful conversations I read, I am learning a history that is better provided than from the books. I am also learning about my mother as well as all of you.

thank you all for sharing!

Theresa Granger

Re:Re: messages

David Birch

Aug 15, 2002 12:24 PDT

You're welcome, Theresa!

And thank you, too, for letting us hear from you.

Looks as though we are getting through. Warmest blessings to you and your loved ones.

David Birch

(gdavid-@yahoo.com), and

(silver-@shaw.ca).

Re: Re:Re: messages

alison holmes

Aug 15, 2002 12:51 PDT

It always seems to go in fits and starts...a long hiatus followed by somebody wonderful coming in with something new....and I for one am grateful for the 'down times' as emails can mount up! It's good there are archives so that we can look back for information and not have to repeat ourselves.

I have particularly enjoyed the art work that has come our way. Thank you , thank you. And I am sure we will all pause on Saturday and relive our memories.

My Liberation Day commentary for newspapers around New Jersey

Mary Previte

Aug 15, 2002 19:33 PDT

Hello, Everybody:

Here's one variation of an article that several major newspapers in New Jersey have published this week. On Saturday, I hope you all take time to remember that miracle day, August 17, 1945. Mary Previte

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO SAY THANK YOU

by Mary T. Previte

If I could pick one month to wrap my arms around America, it would be August.

I fell in love with America fifty-six years ago. Americans were spilling from this low-flying B-24 bomber, dangling from parachutes that looked like giant poppies. They were dropping into the fields outside the barrier walls.

I dashed to the barracks window in time to see the American star emblazoned on its belly. God's rescuing angels had come. Six gorgeous American men, sunbronzed, with meat on their bones. It was August, 1945.

"Weihsien Civilian Assembly Center," the Japanese called our concentration camp in China. I was twelve years old. For three years my two brothers and sister and I had been captives of the Japanese. For five and a half years warring armies had separated us from our missionary parents.

But now the Americans had come.

Weihsien went mad. I raced for the entrance gate and was swept off my feet by the pandemonium. Men ripped off their shirts and waved at the bomber circling above. Prisoners ran in circles and pounded the skies with their fists. They wept, hugged, cursed, danced. Wave after wave of prisoners swept me past the guards into the fields beyond the camp.

A mile away we found them -- six young Americans, all in their twenties -- standing with their weapons ready, surrounded by fields of ripening broom corn. Advancing towards them, intoxicated with joy, came a tidal wave of prisoners. We were free in the open fields.

Back in the camp, we trailed our angels everywhere. My heart flipped somersaults over every one of them. We wanted their insignias. We wanted their signatures. We wanted their buttons. We wanted snips of their hair. We wanted souvenir pieces of parachutes. They gave us our first taste of Juicy Fruit gum. We children chewed it and passed the sticky wads from mouth to mouth.

We made them sing to us the songs of America. They taught us "You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine." Fifty-six years later, I can sing it still.

As the decades passed, I could never understand why six Americans would parachute in a suicide mission to rescue 1,400 people they didn't even know. It was beyond my imagination. I wanted to know these men. I wanted to know what makes an American hero.

Four years ago, in a string of miracles I tracked them down: Major Stanley A. Staiger; Ensign James W. Moore; 1st Lt. James J Hannon; T/5 Peter C. Orlich, radio operator; Sgt. Tadash Nagaki, interpreter; T/4 Raymond N. Hanchulak, medic. Imagine it! After more than 50 years! Four heroes and two widows, all in their 80s now -- in Pennsylvania, New York, Nebraska, Texas, Nevada, and California.

What words would ever be enough to thank a man who risked his life to give me freedom, to give me all the opportunities America gives its children?

Talking to them by telephone, sending them cards, didn't feel like thanks enough.

So I started my pilgrimage -- crisscrossing America to visit each one of them face-to-face to honor them. From New York to California, I went looking for the soul of America. And it is beautiful!

Each one is different: Tad Nagaki, a Japanese-American farm boy who didn't speak English until he went to school. Jim Moore, a former FBI agent and the son of missionaries to China. Jim Hannon, an adventurer who prospected for gold in Alaska. Major Stanley Staiger, an ROTC student snatched from his third year at the University of Oregon. Raymond Hanchulak, a boy from the coal mines and ethnic enclaves of Pennsylvania. The youngest of the team -- Pete Orlich, a kid with a scholarship to college whose family needed him to work, not go to school -- who memorized the eye chart so he wouldn't be excluded from the rescue team because he wore glasses. Pete taped his glasses to his head when he parachuted down to liberate the camp that day.

Some folk tell me America has no heroes. I know they're wrong. I see the face of heroes in the weathered faces of these six men and the thousands of American men and women who look like them. These are the heroes who saved the world.

(Mary T. Previte is a New Jersey Assemblywoman. She keeps in constant touch with her six World War II heroes.)

Fw:

alison holmes

Aug 16, 2002 09:51 PDT

----- Original Message -----

From: Alison Holmes

To: weih-@topica.com

Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 9:20 AM

Dear Joyce, I have cleaned up my inbox by putting all the pictures into a file but I seem to have lost one of them in the transfer....the little one of the view outside the camp walls with a dog?donkey? standing by the road. Could you possibly resend that one to me? Thank you so much. Alison

Re: My Liberation Day commentary for newspapers around New Jersey(question)

Peter Talbot

Aug 16, 2002 13:30 PDT

Mary, As I was only five at the time I can not remember, but I do believe that one of our saviours broke his leg. Is this true?? Peter Talbot.

Christine Sancton and Gay Stratford were my sisters.

Re: My Liberation Day commentary for newspapers around New Jersey(question)

Gay Talbot Stratford

Aug 16, 2002 17:19 PDT

Peter dear, He fractured his collar bone. Your loving sister. G

Re: My Liberation Day commentary for newspapers around New Jersey(question)

Mary Previte

Aug 16, 2002 19:34 PDT

Dear Peter,

Lt. Jim Hannon was injured in the parachute drop -- an injured shoulder, I think. Hannon tells me that he had to push Eddie Wang, the young Chinese interpreter, out of the B-24 when Wang froze with fright. Hannon was well trained as a parachute jumper, but pushing Wang out ruined the start of Hannon's jump. They tell me the start of a jump is everything. August 17 was a windy day and the team jumped at only 400 feet in order to give the Japanese less time and space to shoot at them as the rescue team floated to the ground.

Mary Previte

Re: Re:Re: messages

leopold pander

Aug 17, 2002 00:05 PDT

Hello,

This e-mail system is fabulous !

Thank-you Theresa for your message. In a very few words, you explained what could be written in a book of (at least) 501 pages!! Your family history seems to be more than interesting. I am certain that I'm not the only one who would like to "understand" more about our recent history.

à bientôt,

Leopold

Re:

Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)

Aug 18, 2002 00:11 PDT

Dear Alison.I cannot think of one of my pictures depicting an animal.The only one I can think of is one done by Father Verhoven of farmland outside the walls with a little dog with a curly tail on the right hand foreground. They were sent by Leopold Pander. It is picture No.X. I do not have it on computer so I cannot scan it to you. I am sure Leo would happily oblige. Regards. Joyce.

Re: Re:

leopold pander

Aug 18, 2002 01:23 PDT

With pleasure .... ... a nice day too you all ! Best regards, Léopold.

Re: Re:Re: messages

Mary Previte

Aug 18, 2002 17:11 PDT

Leopold, your letters to our liberators left them ABSOLUTELY THRILLED!

Bless you! Actually, when I phoned everyone on the liberation team this week, they told me several of have written to them. Sakes alive! Carol Orlich, widow of Peter Orlich, even described to me the parchment-like paper you wrote on, Leopold.

She told me "It's so thrilling to get these letters." She tells me she shows them to her children and grandchildren and her "girl friends," with whom she lunches now and then. She keeps and treasures every one of these letters and articles.

All of them seem to keep these in memento boxes.

I chatted with all but one of the liberators to say thank you this week and to reminisce. This time I quizzed them about what they remember now -- 57 years later. Here's what they told me:

JIM MOORE in Dallas, Texas:

"After all these years, it's a pleasant blurr. The jump itself was hairy -- a bit of a windy day and all the people rushing at us. Once in the camp the first person I wanted to see was PA Bruce (the head master of the Chefoo School)." Jim Moore had attended the Chefoo Schools in the 1930s and had been taught by several Chefoo teachers who were at Weihsien. Jim speaks often to me with deep affection for Chefoo teachers, Gordon Martin and PA Bruce.

TAD NAGAKI in Alliance, Nebraska:

"My memories are vague now. I remember coming down in the corn field and all the people running out there. I remember the air drops of supplies and trying to keep the people out of the way from getting hit."

JIM HANNON in Yucca Valley, California:

"I remember my amazement. We didn't know what was in the camp. I expected (P.O.W.) soldiers. What we found in the camp -- civilians and children."

You may know that Americans hastily assembled these rescue teams when they got information that Japan might try to kill its prisoners or use them for bargaining. They assembled 7-man "humanitarian" teams in Kunming, each with a Chinese interpreter, a Japanese-American interpreter, a medic, a radio operator and a couple of leaders. The book, The Defeat of Japan, gives fascinating details about these teams. Men of one of these American rescue teams were roughed up and came within moments of being executed by the Japanese at one of the camps they went to liberate.

Another of these teams "chickened out" of its rescue assignment. If I hear the story right from our Weihsien liberators, that team then flew back briefly to Weihsien and tried to say they were to be in charge of Weihsien. Major Stanley Staiger would have none of it. Staiger headed our team, the "DUCK MISSION."

I was unable to reach Major Staiger by telephone this week. I'm worried because a recorded message said his phone is no longer in service. I'll definitely check this out further. Since I found him in 1997, he has been alone and in very fragile health.

By the way, a couple of the team or widows want to join our Weihsien bulletin board.

Mary Previte

The Fall of Japan by William Craig

Mary Previte

Aug 20, 2002 19:40 PDT

Hello, Everybody:

Greg asked me for more information about the book, THE FALL OF JAPAN. (Sorry, I got the name wrong in my earlier communication.) Others of you may also be interested in the account of the 7-man American rescue teams that liberated internment and P.O.W. camps throughout Asia the same day the DUCK MISSION liberated Weihsien.

The author is William Craig. Publisher is The Dial Press, New York. Publication date 1967. The library call number here is 952.033 Cra

I read the book several years ago. If my memory is correct, the story of the "humanitarian" rescue missions of the internment camps is woven throughout the narrative. Pages 262 and 263 describe the reception of several of these rescue teams. Weihsien (misspelled Weischien) earns only this paragraph: " At Weischien, parachutists found their biggest problem the civilian internees. Overjoyed by the sight of healthy-looking civilian internees, some of the women proved almost unmanageable in their affection."

The page also mentions the team that returned without liberating the P.O.W. camp in Keijo, Korea. From talking to our American liberators, I believe this team flew back to Weihsien and tried to take command there. Major Stanley Staiger of the DUCK MISSION would have none of it. The commanding officer of that team was promptly relieved of his duties by angered American superiors.

The photos in this book -- including beheading of prisoners and prisoners trapping rats to eat -- remind me once again how blessed we were in Weihsien.

Mary Previte

Re: The Fall of Japan by William Craig

leopold pander

Aug 21, 2002 22:53 PDT

Hello,

Many thanks for the info.

Looking on the "Internet", I found the book. I also ordered a publication about Hirohito writen by Herbert P. Bix.(816-pages). I still have much to learn !!

Best regards,

Leopold

Re: The Fall of Japan by William Craig

Gladys Swift

Aug 25, 2002 16:57 PDT

Comment from Gladys - Your following letter confuses me at the point of rescue of the Weihsien camp. I read it several times- " At Weischien, parachutists found their biggest problem the civilian internees. Overjoyed by the sight of healthy-looking civilian internees, some of the women proved almost unmanageable in their affection."

Does this mean that women in the camp were unmanageable in their affection toward the RESCUERS - in which case the rescuers must have been "healthy-looking civilian internees" (hardly likely). Or were the rescuers WOMEN who proved unmanageable toward the Weihsien internees? (hardly likely) Since my mother, Mabel Hubbard, was one of the women in the camp, I would like to know the answer.

I remember coming from the United States back to China in August of 1937, with my mother on a steamer. As we docked and the gangplank went down she saw my father waiting on the pier. She broke through the restraining arms of the boat crew and dashed down the gangplank yelling "Hugh, Hugh". She had to be dragged back, to the amusement of the crew. So she could have been one of the "unmanageable women" in the Weihsien camp.

Re: The Fall of Japan by William Craig

Mary Previte

Aug 25, 2002 18:30 PDT

The Fall of Japan devotes only one paragraph to Weihsien. Here it is: " At Weischien, parachutists found their biggest problem the civilian internees. Overjoyed by the sight of healthy-looking Americans, some of the women proved almost unmanageable in their affection."

I have asked the men who liberated us about this. After more than 50 years, none of them remembers anything like that. However, Franciscan Sister M. Servatia writes about the liberation of Weihsien in her book, A Cross in China: The Story of My Mission, "Major Staiger asked someone to free him from the Russian women because he had work to do." (See page 293 of her account.)

Langdon Gilkey also hints at it in his book, Shantung Compound, and his chapter about the liberation of the camp. (See page 212.) "It was, however, the women of the camp who most instinctively recognized their divine status. Of all ages, whether from high society or low, married or single, proper or not so proper, all wanted nothing better from life than to adore. They followed the pleasantly surprised soldiers everywhere, staring at them in rapture, edging up to get a word from them, fighting for the chance to wait on them, and pushing their equally adoring children aside so as to be able to touch or stroke them. As always, it was wonderful to have gods in your midst -- unless, like the writer and a few others, you lost a girl friend in the process!"

A year or so ago, Langdon Gilkey told me about that -- the name of the rescuer who stole his girl friend from him.

I was only twelve years old, yet I can still remember trailing these heroes. I didn't want to let them out of my sight. We little kids got the boring mementos like buttons and pieces of parachute. Our older sisters got treasures like the men's insignia. Rescuer Tad Nagaki told me that one woman cut off a chunk of his hair for a souvenir.

Come on, ladies. I'd like other women in our Topic group to tell how they responded to these rescuers.

Mary Previte

Liberation Day in Weihsien

Natasha Petersen

Aug 26, 2002 10:59 PDT

I remember some women running onto the fields and wrapping themselves around the men who were landing. We were all beside ourselves with joy at the appearance of the men from the skies. We were also greatly surprised that we were not stopped by the guards at the gate. They moved aside and later, I believe, disappeared from view. I do not remember grownups following the soldiers in camp. The soldiers did not know where the Jap soldiers were, and what they were going to do, and naturally were most anxious not to be "bound" by loving arms.

I also remember that I along with several others was asked to serve the men "breakfast". We served what we normally had for breakfast, tea or ersatz (?) coffee. One of them turned to me and asked for cream and sugar. I reminded him that this was a concentration camp, that we had not had cream and sugar for a long period of time. I remember his unthinking remark to this day, and the feeling that it brought about in me.

We, the internees of Weihsien, were indeed blessed. We may have been hungry, but we were not starving, nor did we have to resort to eating rats etc. We were cold, but we did not freeze. We did have medical assistance.

Does Langdon Gilkey live in Charlottesville, VA. If yes, next time I am there, I will give him a call.

Natasha

new subscriber

Natasha Petersen

Aug 29, 2002 11:38 PDT

We have a new subscriber, Sid Fisher fishe-@mchsi.com ; I am sending you a copy of the message from Sid.

My name is Sid Fisher. My interest in the web site was in the discovery of a long lost relative posting to the site. Her mother is a person I've been trying to find during my genealogical research. Hugh Hubbard and his wife Mabel were internees in the camp. Mabel (deceased) and I are cousins as are her daughter, Gladys Swift and I.

However, I've a historical interest in WWII and would like to learn more about the camp and, in particular, Hugh and Mabel Hubbard's activity during the duration of the camp.

Natasha

Father Hanquet,

leopold pander

Aug 31, 2002 10:15 PDT

Hello everybody,

We will be seeing Father Hanquet next week for a cup of Chinese tea and some of our famous cheese pies ... " la tarte au fromage de Chaumont-Gistoux" ... a speciality of our neighbourhood.

We have so much to ask him.

The names of the boy scout group photograph ... also the names of the cubs !! Will he remember ... after such a long time ?

After the last time we saw him, I regularly slip in his letter-box, a print of all the "Topica" news. He does not have a computer and very much appreciates reading all of your writings.

By the way ---

If you have questions you would like to ask Father Hanquet, I'll be happy to print them and serve as a relay to give you the answers by return-mail! I personally always have so much to ask, and when he is there I forget everything !

Best regards,

Janette and Leopold

Re: Father Hanquet,

Donald Menzi

Aug 31, 2002 13:10 PDT

Tell him I appreciate his response to my question about the location of the Trappist monastery. He said it was located between two railway stations. Does he remember which station was closest to it, and is there any other village near by that would help us find it if we were travelling by car?

Questions for Father Hanquet,

Mary Previte

Aug 31, 2002 15:24 PDT

Hello, Father Hanquet,

How lovely to have this opportunity to chat with you after all these years!

When you think of Weihsien, what memory first comes to your mind after all these years?

What part of the Weihsien experience made you afraid? Did you ever fear that you'd never get out alive? What tested your faith the most?

I think often of the grown ups who anchored us children in Weihsien. I call then "the spirit team." You were a grown up. You may have looked at people very differently from a child. Whom would you put in the category of Weihsien's "spirit team"?

I'd love to get your recollections of Liberation Day, August 17, 1945.

Every grown up was assigned a job in Weihsien. Would you tell us what work you were assigned to do in the camp?

Thank you so much. Mary Taylor Previte

Re: Father Hanquet,

Gay Talbot Stratford

Sep 01, 2002 10:40 PDT

Salut Leopold,

Please greet pere Hanquet for me. My parents were Ida and Sid Talbot. Unfortunately they are both dead, but i remember father's visit to our place in block 6. Bset wishes to you and yours.

Gay Stratford nee Talbot

Re: Liberation Day in Weihsien

Gladys Swift

Sep 02, 2002 18:14 PDT

Just finished "Little Foreign Devil" by Desmond Power and think it is excellent reading and excellent historical record, including the liberation of Weihsien. I think Langdon Gilkey lives or lived in Chicago the last I knew.

Other POWs.

Christine Talbot Sancton

Sep 10, 2002 09:17 PDT

Dear Ron: Kay Allan and I are delighted to be back in touch with each other again, after more that 50 years! Thank you.

I am just reading "Behind the Fence" life of a POW in Japan 1942-45 by Les Chater. He lives in Ontario and co-wrote the book with Elizabeth Hamid. It is interesting, of camp life so different from ours. They were all military personnel, of course.

He kept a diary all through camp days and kept meticulous records of those who died. But perhaps you already know of it. I am trying to get in touch with him as I don't know if he is linked up with ABCIFER.

My son is just leaving for a yer in UK. I hope that he will be able to go to the Imperial War Museum and see the art work of Weihsien. Who were the artists?

I haven't forgotten your requestr for names from Camp. I have typed up all my mother's diaries now, so have to go through for correction and name collection.

Hope that you have had a good summer. Sincerely, Christine Talbot Sancton

Re: Father Hanquet

Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)

Sep 11, 2002 21:53 PDT

Dear Leopold. Yes please I would like photos and any reminiscences you are able to give regarding father Hanquet. Regards Joyce Bradbury.

----- Original Message -----

From: leopold pander

To: weih-@topica.com

Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 11:00 PM

Subject: Fw: Father Hanquet

Hello again,

... it is correct, that the Topica site has limited memory space ! -- sorry --

----- Transcript of session follows -----

... while talking to inmta001.topica.com.:

>>> DATA

<<< 552 sorry, that message size exceeds my databytes limit (#5.3.4)

554 5.0.0 Service unavailable

Whoever I have forgotten on my address-book-list can send me his e-mail coordinates. I will send him the pictures asap.

à bientôt,

Leopold

photographs

Natasha Petersen

Sep 12, 2002 06:19 PDT

Dear Leopold and other subscribers,

I was able to download and print four photographs. Were there more?

Natasha

RE: photographs

Greg Leck

Sep 12, 2002 06:47 PDT

I received four (4) photos

Greg

Re: photographs

Dwight W. Whipple

Sep 12, 2002 08:25 PDT

I also received four photos and am wondering if there are more, or if there is also some commentary? Thanks so much!

~Dwight W. Whipple

Pictures

leopold pander

Sep 12, 2002 14:40 PDT

Hello,

Six more pictures ...

Hope you get them all with a good printable definition.

On the first picture of my yesterday's mail -- from left to right -- is Catherine, (Jannet's daughter), Nicky (my wife), my chair (empty), Father Hanquet and Janette (6 years old in 1945). On the second picture, Father Hanquet is showing the location of "where" the boy scouts picture was taken and where all the group photos were shot. In Langdon Gilkey's book, there is a map of the Weihsien compound. The location, is: "South Field" with the many trees. The wall with the numbers "12" and "13" is the boundary wall of the camp. Father Hanquet told us that we used to play basket ball on the south field.

On the question: who took the photos ? It is a person of the Cheefoo School staff who had the camera (well hidden during our internment) and who managed getting the films from our American saviours and took as much pictures as he could. Those we have are still available on http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/sancton/index.html . I printed every one of them, enlarged on A4-paper and gave them to Father Hanquet for further examination.

Every picture has a story and I really hope he will help us to remember ..

I think that all the other pictures speak for themselves. Next time we meet, I'll try to take a better portrait of Father Hanquet to send on the e-mail for you.

We spent more than three hours, listening and didn't even notice the sun going down and the temperature getting chilly!

It was with regret that we saw him drive away. Yes, yes, --- at 87 he drives his own car!

Leopold

P.S. Janette took notes during our conversation and we will be sending more stories shortly.

Boy scout group photo

leopold pander

Sep 14, 2002 09:10 PDT

Hello

About the boy scout's photograph !

Of course we asked Father Hanquet --- who was who !?

From left to right ---

The standing row; ----------

Eddy Cooke,

David ?,

Richard Jones,

George Watts (Porky),

John de Zutter,

Gui Chan,

Mickey Marquès,

Johnny Beaten-Georgiles,

The sitting row; -----------

Peter Turner,

Alby de Zutter,

Father Palmer,

Cockburn,

Father E. Hanquet,

?,

?,

Front row; -----------

Jacky Campbell,

Michael Turner,

?,

Eddy Chan,

Vova Bonner.

The picture was taken on the South Field and the wall in the background, is the camp's boundary wall.

The photographer was somebody of the Cheefoo School staff. Who? Father Hanquet could not remember.

The motto was --- "All for one, and one for all"

The emblem was, a lily flower on a clover embroided by the boys' mothers and sisters. Father Hanquet explained that the Japanese forbade us to use the emblems of the Royal Families. The "fleur de Lys" is the emblem of the Kings of France and that is why the clover was used. But what the Japanese did not know, was that the "clover" was the emblem of the Scouts of France. !! The scarf, was a white handkerchief dipped into blue ink.

Father Hanquet writes ;

"The very beginning of the Scout patrol was constituted by 7 or 8 boys. Junior Chan, a Canadian-Chinese, catholic of 14 years old who could be the patrol leader, Sandy, an Eurasian, the de Zutter brothers, Belgians of 14 and 12 years, and also 3 to 4 Britons. There was a good mixture of Catholics and Protestants and there even was an Orthodox boy. With A. Palmers, we decided to give the responsibility of the group to Cockburn and we accepted to work more as assistants than as priests. "

Best regards,

Leopold

Janette, --- first contact ---

leopold pander

Sep 14, 2002 09:34 PDT

----- Original Message -----

From: Pierre Ley

To: PANDER LEOPOLD

Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2002 2:57 PM

Subject: for topica

Hello, I'd like to thank all of you topica friends,you helped me pull Weihsien out of the storage box I had hid away in the farthest corner of my mind.

As Leopold said, Fr. Hanquet has read all of the topica letters as well as others post-sent, and would love to answer personally... he is a wonderful person with a lovely sense of humour... he will also perhaps write for topica, with Leopold and I as translators!

Conversation was non stop, questions and answers fusing, well we did take the time to eat the "tartes au fromage" !...

Fr. Hanquet very affectionately remembers Eddie and Joyce Cooke and Zandy, and yes, he did chuckle when he thought about masses beginning at 6.30am and the necessity of finding boys to help, so all the different services could finish in time for lunch! The Japanese willingly permitted all the religious ceremonies, a catholic priest (of German nationality) came regularly (with Swiss consul Eggar) bearing a communion wafer box. This box had a double drawer in which messages were able to be transmitted. The Japanese never found out.

Sadly, in this manner, Fr. H. learnt of his father's passing away.

As regard to the "Russian women..." he bristled slightly saying that no person more than another was "unmanageable in their affection" towards the parachutists, we were all and each one overjoyed. As a child of six, I remembered following them around too, but from afar and very awed!

Answering the question of the exact location of the Trappist monastery, he really cannot help more as he had never been there himself.

Leopold has already sent the annotated scout photos, Fr. H. doesn't remember the cub master's name, only that he was one of two brothers.

I hope Sid Fisher will get a personal answer, Hugh Hubbard was remembered as a very admirable person.

Father Hanquet's task in camp was to work in kitchen no.1 with him as team leader. Zimmerman, as his assistant, had a Russian wife who loved cooking and gave them full of good ideas, so very creative work was done with just beets (and all!...) and they ended up as real "chefs"! Their arms turning around with long wooden paddles in huge pots,they sometimes sang cheeky songs to tease the protestant missionaries, Fr. H. said he'd write down the words for us! The kitchen team also left meat to simmer, so they could scoop out the top layer of fat and use it as butter. A chemist who worked for Kailan invented a way to make yeast from sweet potatoes, and the bread was the best in the world!

In answer to Mary's queries, he spoke of staying on with other catholic priests (Frs. de Jaegher and Unden from Ankuo, Keymolen and Wenders who taught in Suanha seminary, Gilson procurator in Peking, Palmers and himself from the SAM missionaries, also four nuns....) When the rest of the congregation was sent back to stay interned in two convents in Peking, -so as to leave more space in Weihsien- "our" catholic priests with permission from their superiours, opted to stay on. Young, healthy and bachelors, they felt they could best serve their faith in camp.

We spoke a lot about the "spirit team". Before Chefoo arrived, the camp organisation was well under way and Fr. Hanquet took to heart to try and get the young teen-age kids out of the "mischiefs" of their age, they balked at school work, so he kept minds occupied with card games, music,(later scouts and sports) An adult, a baptist called Hubener was wonderful with his guitar... Fr. H. with Fr. Palmers and British teachers Cockburn and Mac Chesney Clarck, all ex-scouts started a scout troop... cf. Leopold!...

Father Hanquet was very happy when Chefoo arrived, the school was remarquably organised, everyone then shared the educational work, catholics and protestants, teachers of Chefoo and from Tientsin Grammar School... I personally feel that Weihsien camp was in a state of permanent grace thanks to the Chefoo missionaries and the catholic fathers. Their generosity worked wonders throughout all the difficulties, I remember being sensitive to this very tangible "spirit" feeling, and very much aware of the loss of it when camp necessarily dislocated. Weihsien was unique, compared to other family camps, like Lunghua and Stanley (our family later met with friends who had been interned there) the children were so marvellously cared for...

Towards the end of the war a resistance group was formed, bachelors only with among others Roy Choo and Wade, they were "armed", Roy with an ax... and wore their red nationality armbands (from just before camp). When the Duck Mission parachuted, all precautions were taken as no one knew in advance if the Japanese would surrender. Father Hanquet was one of the few first to greet them in the fields high with chinese maize. Staiger,walking towards the gates, then said the team had searched somewhat before they knew it was "us" because we were wearing clothes in all kinds of colours: there was nothing else to distinguish our camp from any other chinese walled village, but the Chinese only wore black or blue clothes! Well, I hope we'll get more details yet from Father Hanquet, he's still needed down here!!!

My love to all

Janette

Re: Boy scout group photo

Dwight W. Whipple

Sep 14, 2002 09:36 PDT

Thanks for the identification and information about the scout picture.

~Dwight W. Whipple

pander pictures

Stan Thompson

Sep 16, 2002 08:22 PDT

Thanks once more for the pictures.

Re picture no. 11 (the boy scout group in the second picture on page 1 of the sancton pages (at http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/sancton/index.html ), I have the following names to offer (after consulting with my brother Paul; and indirectly with Norman Cliff):

BACK ROW (viewer's L>R) / ??? / David Birch / Paul Thompson / Alec

Luxon / Stanley Thompson / Torje Torjesen / ? Kerry /

MIDDLE ROW / Hakon Torjesen / James Taylor / George Bell / Mr

Stanley ("Stan Man") Houghton / Murray Sadler / Stephen

Houghton / Peter Bazire /

FRONT ROW (squatting) / Robin Hoyte / ? Warren / ??? /

Perhaps David Birch can fill in some of the blanks.

If indeed Eric Liddell had been our scoutmaster, and Stanman had taken over the job, that would confirm the date of the photo as "Summer 1945". (or did Liddell serve as a sort of 'Assistant Scoutmaster for Sports' for several of the troupes ?)

Stanley Thompson

Father_Hanquet

leopold pander

Sep 17, 2002 09:52 PDT

Hello,

Here is the first letter written by Father Hanquet in English.

---

"First of all, I want to thank Leopold Pander and all the friends who, with him, brought their news and comments to "Topica" in order to communicate and give fun to all of us, readers of this "chat".

Personally, I am an old "china hand", since I went to China in 1938. I was 23 years old, and remained there till 1948. Hence my sojourn in Weihsien camp from March '43 till October '45.

At that time, I was working as a catholic missionary and parish priest in Hong Dong, Shanxi, as the only foreigner working in the diocese.

In the beginning of March '43, I was told by a Japanese police officer that I had to leave my work for a few days in order to participate in a meeting of foreigners in Taiyuan (the capital of Shanxi province). When I asked the police officer how long it would last, he answered evasively. I knew one thing only: I could take but one suitcase with me.

Although watched by the Japanese police and although I had already been a prisoner in Hong Dong for 4 months --- from December '41 till April '42 ---, I was free to go in and around town. So, I prepared a suitcase with a minimum of clothing for the 3 seasons to come, plus a few books.

Accompanied by a Japanese police man, I was taken by train to Taiyuan, a one-day trip, and led to a hotel with flimsy walls and full of noise made by the clients. To my surprise, those noisy visitors were Dutch missionaries, Franciscan fathers from the same province and a few Belgian Scheutists from Tatung.

About the trip to Peking, I refer to the book of Langdon Gilkey, "Shantung Compound" who explained very well their first encounter when we arrived at the Peking railway station after two days of travelling. After that, it took another 36 hours to reach Weihsien. We were exhausted but in good humour and, as most of you, in the total ignorance of what would happen to all of us. Behind the walls, we were given 2 rooms for seven of us in Bloc 46. For the next 4 months, I had to sleep on two wooden boxes since I had no bed.

In spite of our trouble, I had the good fortune to be with 6 other priests of our society (SAM: Society of Auxiliary Missionaries) working in Northern China. That was our first meeting. Needless to say that we were very pleased and very keen on cooperating to relieve the situation.

That was around the 21st of March. We were in total confusion. No one knew what to do or what was going to happen.

During the day, much of the "chat" was done around the church (assembly hall), since there were a few benches to sit on and it was close to the main gate. It took us a few days to find out how everything would be gradually organised. We were told to give our qualifications and our preferences for certain jobs to be assumed in the camp.

In our little group of priests, most spoke good Chinese and since we intended to keep in touch with the Chinese people outside, we chose to take care of the toilets. You may remember that the toilets were the only place visited by the Chinese coolies with their wooden buckets. They came everyday to empty the cesspools. Therefore, for us fathers, the toilets were a special place to meet the Chinese and talk with them. Our purpose was to get a good contact for a possible evasion.

Although I worked there for a few weeks, I soon left that arduous task to Fathers de Jaegher, Keymolen, Gilson and Wenders.

Father Palmers and Unden decided to work in the bakery. That helped our group a lot, since every three days, we could bring back a big loaf of bread that was issued as a premium to us heavy workers, going to work at 5 in the morning.

I myself chose to work in kitchen number one and got a job as the 5th "roast-about". Every third day, I had to work hard there, beginning at 6 a.m., and learned the job as much as possible. So much that, after ascending every rank in the team, I was finally assigned the job of "chef-cook". We were a happy team of 7, joyful and cooperating. My assistant was an American named Zimmerman who had a Russian wife who knew a lot about cooking and helped us to create and prepare new dishes. At the beginning, in that kitchen, there were no ladles, spoons and special utensils to ditch the food out, so, we had to ask the repair shop to make new instruments out of tins. The same for the covers of the "kuo". There were 5 of them, large kettles of which the bigger one contained twelve buckets of water.

We even had a team song, that was taught to us by a young British from Tsingtao and we sung our song every now and then, especially when we saw some protestant reverend passing alongside the small windows above our kettles. We sang it with a certain smile and even a point of derision for the Holy Book --- it goes; (like a nursery rime)

" The best book to read is the Bi-i-i-i-ble (bis)

" If you read it every day

" It will make you on the way

" While turning in our kettles, (at this point, we yelled) "OUPS!"

" The best book to read is the Bi-i-i-i-ble

" ---- and so on ----

I worked in the kitchen for almost a year. After that, I was assigned to make noodles with two new friends, Langdon Gilkey and Robin Strong. Somebody had discovered in the attic of the old mission a machine that looked like a wringer for drying the laundry. The machine was made of two cylinders turning in opposite directions and closed together. After many trials of mixing flour with the right proportion of water --- neither too much nor too little --- and by feeding the device with the good mixture between the two cylinders turning slowly, we obtained noodles that could be boiled as such for a few minutes and were a regal for all of us.

It did not last long for me and I switched to "woodcutter", chopping wood for the stoves of the hospital. I was alone on the work that I did on a place very close to our Block 56. At the beginning, I was given an axe with a wooden handle, but we had to replace it with an iron pipe since there were no more logs to be cut. They were replaced by roots. Fortunately the sewing shop and the good Miss Scott provided me with strong gloves.

During the last summer in camp, I was asked to work as butcher for our kitchen. There was work whenever the Japanese issued meat, brought in their quarters by the Chinese coolies. That was another occasion to get some news from them during the rare moments the Japs were not there. The meat distribution was done in their quarters and then brought to the meat-room of kitchen number one. The quota assigned for 600 mouths to feed was miserable.

One morning, in early August, I got the news from a Chinese cart man as I was asking about the behaviour of the Japanese merchants in town. The answer was clear and comforting for us: "They are all packing". So, on my way back to Block 56, I spread the news amongst my friends. One of them stopped me: "Let us celebrate", and we went to his room to get a few small glasses and a small bottle of whiskey, cheerfully adding: "If it's not true, you will have to give it back".

Fortunately, a few days later, the parachutists arrived.

About their arrival, I must precise some details, as I was one of the first to leave the camp through the Main gate, running in the fields to reach the grave mound that Major Staiger, the head of the team, had chosen as an observatory to give his orders. "We are six parachutists and we dropped 20 parcels. Help us gather everything here". When all was assembled, after almost one hour, we started a big procession with Major Staiger on our shoulders going through the fields of Kaoliang. But, as we approached the walls of the camp, the Major told us to stay behind and let them go in first, since they had special orders for meeting with the Commandant of our camp ----

As we approached, I was very surprised to see Roy Chu and some other internees, patrolling inside the camp with axe and knife. They had already taken position to defend the internees as a secret "corps franc" prepared by the strongest men of the compound. . Fortunately, nothing wrong happened, and the Japanese authority rendered their weapons without difficulty --- but since the communists around the camp threatened to take us as hostages, the Japanese guards continued to stay on duty during the nights until the final closing of the camp.

"

--- Father Hanquet ---

Re: Janette, --- first contact ---

Donald Menzi

Sep 17, 2002 14:49 PDT

Please ask father Hanquet if he has any memory of an American Board missionary named George Wilder, my grandfather. He job was sharpening knives for kitchen No. 1. He left with others on the Gripsholm, a prisoner-exchange ship, after only 6 months in the camp so it would be understandable if he had no memory of him.

Thank you, Father Hanquet, for your wonderful letter!

Mary Previte

Sep 17, 2002 15:57 PDT

What a WONDERUL letter from Faqther Hanquet full of details we children would never have known! Father Hanquet, I do hope you'll continue writing your memories for us.

This week, I reread Mary Scott's book, Kept In Safeguard. She also chose duty of cleaning the latrines. Here's a bit of her desription: "A latrine which we called the "cow shed" was assigned to the ladies. Each of the six "stalls" consisted of two narrow cement platforms on the sides on which to stand, a cement hole for the solids and a slanted front which carried the urine to a trough. In the morning a Chinese "night soil" coolie came to scoop out the solids (it was valuable to him as a fertilizer). Sometimes the odors were so pungent that our noses literally burned when we came near, especialy in the summer.

But there were very profitable lessons to be learned, even as a latrine cleaner. My godly, sanctified ralroader father, brought up a Canadian Presbyterian, had taught us around the family altar that a Christian can to anything that is right to glorify God. I shall never forget one Wednesday morning ...I was on "latrine duty" and in the midst of that unpleasant task, I looked up and said, "Now, Lord, help me to clean these latrines in a manner that will glorify You."

And I felt that the Lord himself came down. Her took hold of the bails of those two big, five-gallon gasoline cans that had been made into water pails. He helped me carry them to the latrine. He took hold of that little, stubby brush and together we dug into the corners and the crevices trying to get every place as clean as we could. He got down on His knees when I got down on my knees; and with a little old cloth, no disinfectant or soap, just plain cold water, we got every place as sanitary as we could.

When I finished, I looked back and said, "Now, Lord, does it please You?" I couldn't see a place where I could have done a better job. I wasn't cleaning latrines because I'd been assigned it, or because that particular week I'd volunteered to do it. I was cleaning latrines for my Lord. That was one of the sweetest and one of the most real experiences I've had with the Lord in all my Christian life.

But even this task was not without its physical and material rewards. As one of the "dirty workers," latrine cleaners were allowed to take a shower every day even during those times when others were limited to one shower a week! "

Mary Scott, a missionary with the Church of the Nazarene, ranks in the top tier of my Weihsien "spirit team." In Weihsien, though we were complete strangers to her, she taught us Chefoo school girls how to play softball.

Mary Previte

Re: The Old Book Room

Gladys Swift

Sep 17, 2002 16:02 PDT

Reply from Gladys - I'm holding this letter with all its information for future use. Thanks.

Death of Major Stanley Staiger

Mary Previte

Sep 22, 2002 19:08 PDT

Hello, everybody:

I am sorry to report the death of Stanley Staiger, the major who lead the American rescue mission that liberated Weihsien in 1945. His daughter reports that Major Staiger died in March. He was 84. Major Staiger served in China as a member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) that later became the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Jim Moore will celebrate his 83rd birthday, October 5. Jim (James W. Moore) was one of the American rescuers who liberated the Weihsien Concentration Camp. His is one of the astonishing stories of World War II. Jim, the son of Southern Baptist missionaries to China, had attended the Chefoo Schools and had graduated in 1936 and returned to the USA to attend college in Texas. When Pearl Harbor was attacked Jim was in the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI -- and didn't have to go to war. But he read in the Chefoo School's alumni magazine that the schools has been captured by the Japanese and marched into concentration camp.

Jim joined the Navy, went to China (because he could speak Chinese), and because he knew Chefoo teachers (Mr. Bruce, Mr. Martin, Mr. Welch) and brothers and sisters of his classmates were interned there, he volunteered for the rescue mission that liberated Weihsien. He has told me many times -- when he got inside the camp that August day, the first person he asked to see was "PA" Bruce, the headmaster of the Chefoo Schools.

If you'd like to send Jim Moore a birthday card, his address is:

9605 Robin Song Street

Dallas, TX,

75243 USA

Mary Previte

Re: Death of Major Stanley Staiger

Dwight W. Whipple

Sep 22, 2002 20:23 PDT

Thank you, Mary, for the sad news about Stanley Staiger and the interesting data regarding Jim Moore. I have forwarded your message to my brother and sister and cousin who were all Chefoo students.

~Dwight W. Whipple

Father Hanquet - 02

leopold pander

Sep 23, 2002 01:38 PDT

Hello to all,

I've just finished recopying this letter from Father Hanquet, dated September 19th

when Mary's sad message came in. I will print it and get it in his letter box today. He's got all the latest news from the Topica chat-list and has a magnificent time reading the "Wehisien Gazette", as we call it. Best Regards, Leopold.

---

Father Hanquet writes :

" I would like to give an answer to Mary Previte about my role in the "spirit" group of the camp. I'll reply by the affirmative.

Yes! With Father Palmers we were the first to contact the "Education Committee" about the perversion of the young people by certain internees. Before we did anything, some parents had created a system of "proctors" going around the alleys of the camp during the long winter evenings.

The "discipline committee" had already taken some very afflicting but necessary measures, to protect the morality of the young people of the camp. One alley of 12 rooms was decreed "out-of-bounds" for the youngsters, since in one of the rooms, a woman was inducing the boys to visit her and --- have dishonest manners with her.

We recommended to the responsible people of the "Education and Discipline Committee", to organise study hours in one of our kitchens, after 6 in the evening for the youngsters aged 12 to 18. The study time lasted 2 hours and was compulsory. It worked out well although some of the adolescents complained, but they never knew who were the authors of such a measure.

Another activity that we also promoted, was a leisure club open twice a week to all the boys and girls from 12 and more. We met in the evenings, and, with one of the Sisters, we had much fun teaching them how to play cards or other games. We also started discussion groups.

At that time, we occasionally met with Mr. Hubbard and another Reverend from the British community whose names, alas, I cannot remember. Both were excellent advisors on educational matters.

About the place where the boy-scouts photo was taken. It was in the south field during the month of September'45. It was also there that we managed to plant a tent and had a real camping time with some of our boy-scouts.

I must also thank Ron Bridge (Cillies Oast, Rowborough) for his good letter of July 31st. Thanks for the details about the cubs' photo.

I just received a postcard today, September 18th from Dr. Norman Cliff, "nearing the completition of 9 weeks in China. Visiting Changzhe and Taiyuan, Shanxi and Chefoo (Yantai) in Shantung".

Father Hanquet.

Re: Father Hanquet - 02

Dwight W. Whipple

Sep 23, 2002 09:32 PDT

Interesting to learn of some behind the scenes efforts. Thanks for all you have done, Father Hanquet, in making Weihsien a better place. Does anyone remember the "Five C" club? Perhaps it was in our Tsingtao camp but I think, rather, it was Weihsien. The five c's stood for "Concentration Camp Children's Courtesy Club," obviously an effort to help the younger children with manners.

I was six and seven years old celebrating my seventh birthday in July of 1943. My parents recorded my presents as follows: "tooth brush, soap box, cake of Toilet soap (Jap.), rubber ball, belt (Daddy made from brief-case strap!), bottle of ink, dark glasses, 3 bottles of pop. Guests (with gifts) included Aunty Lois (small box of candy); Mrs. Mungeam (small towel & 6 candies); Astrid Danielsen (pencil & candies); Scovil family (box of colored pencils); McNeil children (rubber ball); Aunty Lillian (12 cookies); Uncle Ralph (10 candies). Favours at the party -- palm-leaf fans. Home-made ice-cream -- the first in 4 months! (Fish was served for supper, so Daddy got ice and made ice-cream in the Connely's freezer. It was all unexpected.)"

This information is in my "baby book" under the heading: July 16, 1943, Dwight's 7th Birthday at Weihsien Concentration Camp (Civil Assembly Center), Shantung, China -- written in our (step)mother's handwriting. She, herself, had celebrated her 39th birthday the day we arrived at Weihsien, March 20, 1943. She died in 1986 in Laguna Hills, California. Our father is still living in a retirement center having celebrated his 97th birthday last May. He gave up driving his car a year ago, stating that he had had his driver's license for 80 years and that was long enough! Dad was an accomplished pianist and played for a lot of the events in Weihsien. He still plays for "the old people" (to use his words) in the nursing home section at his retirement place. Our birth mother died in the U.S., February, 1940 and dad packed up the four of us children (ages 9, 6, 4, 1) and went back to China to continue his work. One of my sisters and I were born in Kuling (Lushan), Kiangsi, China in 1934 and 1936. My wife and I plan to visit that beautiful place in November of this year.

Didn't mean to go "on and on" but these bits of information trigger a lot of memories!

~Dwight W. Whipple

Re: Father Hanquet - 02

Mary Previte

Sep 23, 2002 15:08 PDT

Father Hanquet:

What a fascinating letter! I shall keep asking you questions because you answer with such fascinating information.

Reading in my grown up years informed me of prostitutes in the Weihsien Civil Assembly Center, but, believe me, as a child in the camp, I would have had no idea what a prostitute is.

To keep teenagers out of trouble, Eric Liddell organized evening activities in Weihsien. Now, after reading your letter, I'm guessing that he was occupying their time -- among other things -- to divert them from sex.

Father Palmer used to stroll with one of our Chefoo girls -- I think it was during roll call -- teaching her conversational French.

What do you remember about the dramas put on in the church? I recall the play, Androclese and the Lion, and another play about a shoemaker. Who masterminded these miracle performances?

What made you afraid during your time in the camp?

I wish our Topica memory board had more members who were adults in Weihsien who could provide the insights of adults who lived through the experience.

Mary Previte

Re: Father Hanquet - 02

leopold pander

Sep 24, 2002 02:32 PDT

It is wonderful to read all these messages coming out of all our memories. I remember Janette telling me something about "coloured pencils" also. I had my first "ice-cream" in camp after the Americans came with the B-29s' droppings. The 4-year old boy I was, said I preferred it hot. They all laughed. Ice-cream became my favourite. When we left China in 1948 on board the S/S President Cleveland bound for San-Francisco I still remember having ice cream every day and almost at every meal! And, when we arrived in San Francisco, I met with the first bottles of milk packed in waxed paper cubes. I got drunk with milk. I still love ice-cream though nowadays, I must not abuse of it !!

Leopold

Fw: Father Hanquet - 02

leopold pander

Sep 25, 2002 08:51 PDT

Hello,

When Janette read the message, she said I'd got all mixed-up with the ice-cream dream. It wasn't in camp, but in Shanghai!!

Anyway, it is a nice dream and I'll hold to it. I still remember that wooden keg and all those gears we had to put in movement with a big handle on the side. And then, that small cylindrical container with the divine mixture in it, turning and turning and turning. And all the ice water cubes dancing and bouncing between the wooden bucket and the metal cylinder and after what seemed to be a long wait, the ice-cream was religiously served by the master of the house. My Dad! --- who loved ice-cream too!

Leopold

Lois Walton

Dwight W. Whipple

Sep 25, 2002 09:02 PDT

Hi everyone

Just to let you all know that one of our Weihsien internees died this morning, Lois Whipple Walton, age 95, following a fall and broken hip some days before. Her brother (my father), Elden Whipple, age 97, lives nearby and is in good health.

~dwight whipple

The Death Today of Weihsienite Lois Whipple Walton

David Birch

Sep 25, 2002 19:46 PDT

Dear Dwight,

Thank you for letting us know of the death of your Aunt, Lois Walton.

When I was a little child, she was 'Aunty Lois' to me. Your late uncle, Lois's husband, Nathan Walton, was my father's best man at my parents' wedding on September the nineteenth, nineteen-thirty, in Shanghai. I was born on November the twenty-fifth, nineteen-thirty-one, at the Methodist hospital in the city of Wuhu, Anhwei province. My parents deeply valued the friendship of your parents and your aunt Lois and Uncle Nathan.

All I can say is, earth is poorer for the loss of a truly beautiful Christian woman; but heaven is richer.

Dwight, I'm so glad your father, Elden Whipple, Sr., is in good health. He and your Uncle Grant Whipple, are truly great men. Outstanding Christians and leaders of very high caliber. Please convey my sincere condolences to them as well as to your brother, Elden Jr., and your sisters, Lorna and Judy.

With love from

David

gdavid-@yahoo.com

silver-@shaw.net

ps. "We sorrow, not as others who have no hope."

Re: The Death Today of Weihsienite Lois Whipple Walton

Dwight W. Whipple

Sep 25, 2002 22:12 PDT

Thanks, David, for your wonderful words of comfort and remembrance. Tom & Bobbie Walton were also born in Wuhu. It would be great to see you sometime. The family is thinking of a memorial service at The Firs sometime in the first two weeks of October. I'll let you know in case you can come. Thanks again for your message.

~Dwight

Father Hanquet Re(s) :

leopold pander

Sep 26, 2002 01:36 PDT

Hello,

Here are the first series of replies to the various questions asked by the Topica participants. Best regards, Leopold.

Father Hanquet writes :

"

RE: for Mary Previte,

Thanks for the news of the death of Major Staiger . As you have often mentioned in your e-mails on Topica, for me also, he was one of my heroes of my life in Weihsien camp. What a wonderful image of the American soldier he was.

I am writing to Jim Moore today and am sending my best wishes for his 83rd birthday. Thanks to you for sending the necessary details. Cheers. Fr. Hanquet.

RE: for Léonard Motsaert

I well remember that little boy passing with his mother next to our house (Bloc-56), on her way to the hospital. He was a nice looking little boy with blond hair. His father also sometimes passed alongside Bocc-56 but he looked rather older than his wife. Bye. Léonard. Fr. Hanquet.

RE: for Grace and Donald Hope-Gill,

I read with great interest their very moving message about their grand parents, but I deeply regret that I do not have any memory about their life in the camp. Don't forget that we were almost 2000 imprisoned there.

Best regards, Fr. Hanquet.

RE: for Leopold Pander.

About the picture taken with the two escapees. Father Tchang was not living in the camp. He helped Tipton and Hummel after they left camp and the picture was taken with them, after we were liberated by Staiger and his boys.

Cenotaph. Message for Ron Bridges.

Christine Talbot Sancton

Oct 13, 2002 07:24 PDT

Dear Ron:

is there going to be a special representation at the Cenotaph in London this year? I heard from Brenda Garton Herrick that she was trying to get down to London for it so wondered if this was a special celebration for POWs. My son, Rob has just gone to Bradford to do his Masters in Peace Studies and could represent the family if necessary.

Thanks, Christine Talbot Sancton

We are celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. So happy thanksgiving

to all and your families.I am certainly thankful for this site.

Archives ...

leopold pander

Oct 14, 2002 03:35 PDT

Hello, TOPICA friends

On the topica front, all is quiet. --- All is well in the best of worlds.

The first thing I do in the morning is to look in the message box for the many messages a day coming from the Topica Weihsien list. Nothing !

Nietchevo! (never mind) --- so, I went into the past.

I'm doing this specially for Father Hanquet who, at 87, does not have a computer and never will. Printing all the messages in pica-12 - with the photos -so that he can easily read you. He has a great time doing so.

Then, ., and beginning by message number one, I transferred all your e-mails one by one in a "word" document. It is very amusing to read. The year 2000 holds in 85 pages and I'm still busy at it.

What I'm doing for Father Hanquet should profit to others.

He is certainly not the only one who is computer repulsive. Many of our seniors, if they could read us on paper without looking at a horrible blinking computer screen, might enter the game and tell us stories about Weihsien. We could write them down for Topica . and for the benefit of all.

To be practical,

The year 2000 is in a zip file of 811 Ko. and my computer uses the version 2000 of MSword.

If anybody wants this file, give me the version of word processor you have and I will e-mail it to you.

There are other solutions, with the photos and press articles:

A web site (I'm not competent) or by sending a CD by ordinary mail !!

What do you think ?

Best regards, Léopold.

Re: Archives ...

Donald Menzi

Oct 14, 2002 12:42 PDT

You have saved me a lot of work, as I had planned to go back and do just what you have already done! My intention is to select from them the most interesting ones and attach them as an epilogue to my grandfather's diary.

Thank you.

Please send me the Word document as an attachment to an email sent to my email address. I think that Topica may accept attachments, but only small ones.

Once again, thanks for your extra efforts for all of our benefit.

Birthday of Jim Hannon, Weihsien rescuer

Mary Previte

Oct 14, 2002 16:36 PDT

Hello, Everybody,

The death of Major Stanley Staiger sent me the message that we don't have unlimited time and opportunity to thank the heroes who risked their lives to liberate us from Weihsien.

One of our liberators, James J. Hannon, will celebrate his 83rd birthday on November 12. If you'd like to send him a card or letter, his address is

James J. Hannon

P. O. Box 1376,

Yucca Valley, CA 92286

After the rest of the rescue team left for Tsingtao in August 1945, Lt. Hannon stayed in Weihsien to help arrange evacuation of internees. Hannon was the only American team member who was not a member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). He was in the Air Ground Aid Service (AGAS), a unit that specialized in rescuing downed airmen.

Lt. Hannon, you may recall, injured his shoulder when he landed from the parachute jump from the B-24 bomber on August 17, 1945. The men tell me that a successful parachute jump depends almost entirely on a successful start. Hannon -- unlike some of the others on the rescue team -- had trained extensively in jumping by parachute in the USA when he joined the America Army. But Hannon says that he got a bad start on that fateful August 17 jump because Eddie Wang, the Chinese interpreter on the mission, hesitated. Hannon says he pushed Eddie Wang out before starting his own jump.

The men have reminded me that August 17 was a windy day-- not good for parachute jumping -- and that they decided to have the pilot descend to only 400 feet so that the Japanese would have less time and space to shoot at them as they drifted to the ground. Can you imagine jumping at 400 feet?! (Major Staiger told me they used British parachutes, which, he said, open more quickly than American 'chutes.)

Jim Hannon tells me that he had advised the team against jumping heavily armed. He says he believed that too many weapons would send the wrong message to the Japanese. So when they jumped. the team carried only one side arm apiece.

In 1944, Lt. Hannon had himself been a POW, after having been captured by the Germans in Europe. He was held in a Prisoner Of War camp there before escaping and walking across a chunk of Europe until he met up with American forces. He tells me he has written a still-unpublished book and screenplay about that experience.

In California's high desert, Jim and his wife work non-stop these days on writing and editing Jim's books and screenplays. You may find one of his books, THE SAVAGE AMERICAN, listed on Amazon.com. As far as I know, he has not yet published his controversial book about Weihsien. He publishes by the name James Jess Hannon.

Mary Previte

Re: Archives ...

Dwight W. Whipple

Oct 15, 2002 08:04 PDT

I, too, would like a Word document of your work. Thanks for all you are doing.

~Dwight W. Whipple

Re: Archives ...

leopold pander

Oct 15, 2002 23:25 PDT

Hello Dwight, Hello Donald,

The historic of the year 2000 is "on the way". Tell me how you got it? I just finished the histo-2001. It takes less memory space and will pass thru much faster. Of course, critics and suggestions are welcome. What I miss most, are the photos! --- of the today Weihsien.

Do you think we could make CD exchanges by ordinary post?

Best regards, Léopold.

Re: Archives ...

Dwight W. Whipple

Oct 16, 2002 08:05 PDT

I wasn't able to open "2000" but it may be my inability to unzip. I'll check with my son who is more knowledgeable than I. Thanks for what you are doing. I agree about the photos. CDs can be sent by ordinary post, so far as I know.

~Dwight

Re: Archives ...

alison holmes

Oct 16, 2002 15:42 PDT

Dear Leopold, Please send me the year 2000. I have printed out quite a lot of the messages, but all at different times, and to have them in order without all the headers and footers would be just wonderful. Thank you so much! Alison Martin Holmes

Re: Archives ...

Laura Hope-Gill

Oct 17, 2002 06:32 PDT

Dear Leopold,

I have photos of today Weihsien! I will scan them and send them to you presently.

Sincerely,

Laura

Re: Archives ...

leopold pander

Oct 17, 2002 09:16 PDT

Dear Laura,

Fantastic. I'll be waiting for them .... as well as Father Hanquet and Janette of course. If you get them on a CD, my address is:

Sentier du Berger, 15

1325 Corroy-le-Grand

Belgium.

Give me your address also, if ever you want me to send you what I could gather about Weihsien ... all on a CD.

A bientôt

Leopold.

Re: Archives ...

Dwight W. Whipple

Oct 17, 2002 09:24 PDT

Laura

I'd like the photos, too, of Weihsien today, if it is not too much trouble. Thanks!

~Dwight Whipple

Re: Archives ...

Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)

Oct 17, 2002 22:18 PDT

Laura. I too would like to see latest photos of Wei-Hsien please. Particularly if they are captioned or identified. We were there in 1986 but had a little difficulty identifying some areas. Joyce Bradbury

Weihsien photos

Natasha Petersen

Oct 18, 2002 07:14 PDT

Please let me know whether the photos are the same photos that were available to us several months ago. I am not sure who was going to scan them in for us.

Thank you,

Natasha

Re: Weihsien photos

Laura Hope-Gill

Oct 18, 2002 07:28 PDT

Dear all,

I have not scanned the photos yet. I took them in July. I'll need some assistance from my more techy friends on this. As soon as I've got them, I'll upload--and I'll look into getting a website.

Best to all,

Laura

Info All- JUdicial review at High Court London

Ron Bridge

Oct 18, 2002 09:21 PDT

ABCIFER v MoD

I learnt last night that judgement was to be given this morning and I was in the High Court at 10 am The Judge, Mr Justice Scott Baker ruled today that he could not change the MoD decision to require at least a Grand Parent Link. He effectively severely criticised the Minister saying that the announcement was messy and that expectations had been raised. However the Court was not trying to decide if it was Unjust only Unlawful. He did not consider it unlawful in that the Legislature decided how they wanted to spend money and that they had albeit taken some time to do so but they had not acted irrationally. Whilst the Judge would not grant leave to Appeal he did say that it would be up to the Appeal Court and that ABCIFER would have to approach the Appeal Court. He added that he had great sympathy with the ex-internees.

ABCIFER Committee are now deciding what to do next -I will keep you informed.

Ron Bridge

Chairman

Assoc British Civilian Internees Fare East Region.

Re: Archives ...

Zandy Strangman

Oct 18, 2002 18:20 PDT

Dear Laura,

I would also appreciate a copy of your photos, of Weihsien today, if it is not putting you out, too much.

Many thanks...........Zandy Strangman

Weihsien scouts

John de Zutter

Oct 20, 2002 07:57 PDT

Hello everyone! I recently tuned in to the Topica Weihsien site after a very long absence. In the recent e-mail exchanges I recognize the names of two people I knew in the camp, Fr. Hanquet and Joyce Bradbury(Cook).

My name is John de Zutter. My brother, Albert, our parents and I were part of the Tsingtao contingent in the Weihsien camp. I was a couple of months from my 16th bithday when we left the camp in September, 1945.

We lived in block 2 (Gilkey's map, the bottom of the "L") just above Joyce and Eddie Cook and their parents. It was, I believe, the only 2nd floor single family quarters in the camp. The room was surrounded by glass windows. It was cold in the winter and hot in the summer, although we could open the windows to catch whatever breeze there was.

After the war we spent two more years in Tsingtao. In late 1947 my brother and I went to the U.S. to attend school while our mother went on to Belgium. Father stayed in China to try to wind up his business affairs. In 1949 he left on the last ship from Tsingtao with the U.S. Navy before the communists moved into the city, and eventually wound up in Belgium. We were all reunited in Belgium and a year later emigrated to the U.S. My brother is in Missouri and I live in New Jersey, about 50 miles from New York City.

I have been reading the recent correspondence on the website and am delighted to hear that Fr. Hanquet is doing well and has been active in the recent exchanges. I have fond memories of Fr. Hanquet, both as a scout leader and a friend who took interest in us and made our lives in the camp better

The discussion about the scouts brought back pleasant memories about the scouting activities in Weihsien. I still have the green hexagonal cloth scout badge with the fleur de lis embroidered in gold (yellow) and "WEIHSIEN" directly below the symbol. The edges are stitched in yellow also.

Some other scouting treasures I have are a Bookbinders Proficiency Certificate signed by McChesney-Clark and J. Wilfred Cockburn.. Another certificate for the Athlete Badge is signed by Cockburn and Martin(?). I also have the Weihsien Tenderfoot Test signed by Emmanuel Hanquet on May 25, 1943. The heading on this certificate is "AMICALE DES JEUNES" below which are the words " Un pour tous, tous pour un." I was a member of the Eagle patrol and with the guidance and encouragement of Fr. Hanquet and Mr. Cockburn eventually became patrol leader.

My scout logbook from that period describes some little tasks or "good deeds" that we, as scouts, were asked to perform as a service to the community: Sifted coal and carried water for man at boiler. Carried 3 garbage boxes to dump. Carry parcels for Post Office. Carried and dumped 2 boxes of ashes for bakery. Shovel and carry coal for man at boiler.

As scouts we had to know where all the doctors lived and the logbook lists the doctors and their locations. Dr. Corkey, Block 6/1; Chan, 5/3; Robinson, 1/2; Grice, 42/5; Prentice, 50/D and Hopegill,?.

In some of the Topica e-mails mention was made of a picture of the scouts that included Fr. Hanquet and a number of the scouts. I have not been able to find this picture and wonder if the person who has it could send me a copy at jj-@optonline.net.

I also would like to accept the very kind offer from Leopold Pander for the archives in Word format. Many thanks, in advance

Before signing off, I'd like to say hello to Joyce who appears to be a frequent contributor to this group.

John de Zutter

Re: Weihsien scouts

Laura Hope-Gill

Oct 20, 2002 10:15 PDT

In a message dated 10/20/2002 12:50:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jj-@optonline.net writes:

As scouts we had to know where all the doctors lived and the logbook lists the doctors and their locations. Dr. Corkey, Block 6/1; Chan, 5/3; Robinson, 1/2; Grice, 42/5; Prentice, 50/D and Hopegill,?.

Dear John,

Great to hear from you. Dr. Donald Hope-Gill was my grandfather.

Welcome back to memory lane.

Sincerely,

Laura Hope-Gill

Laura Hope Gill.

Norman Cliff

Oct 20, 2002 13:19 PDT

20 Oct. 02,

Dear Laura,

Back in July I sent you by post some info. on your grandparents and great granparents. Did you receive this?

Greetings, NORMAN

RE: Weihsien scouts

Ron Bridge

Oct 20, 2002 14:08 PDT

Just for the Record Dr Hope-Gill and family were in Block 32 Room 7.

I have Dr Robinson in Block 6 Room 4

Dr ( Mrs) Corkey Block 1 Room 2

I agree the other addresses and for info

Block 6 Room 1 was occupied by Syd Talbot and family.

Weihsien CAC

Greg Leck

Oct 20, 2002 14:22 PDT

Dear John,

I'd like to know if I could send by email a questionaire about your time in camp. There are about 32 questions (some easy, others requiring more thought) which are designed to help you recall memories. You can reply to them and answer them piecemeal, sending them as you finish, or all at once.

Or, you can look them over and we can discuss them during our visit.

I have a digital camera and wonder if I could take some photos of some of your scouting mementos from camp?

I would be more than happy to travel to your home from Pennsylvania to meet with you. Or, I would be happy to host you or meet you anywhere in between.

I leave it entirely up to you. However, I am currently getting ready for my two week research trip to the UK November 01- 16 so it would have to be sometime after that.

Sincerely,

Greg

Re: Laura Hope Gill.

Laura Hope-Gill

Oct 20, 2002 14:26 PDT

In a message dated 10/20/2002 4:19:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, norman-@amserve.com writes:

20 Oct. 02,

Dear Laura,

Back in July I sent you by post some info. on your grandparents and great granparents. Did you receive this?

Greetings, NORMAN

--

Dear Norman,

Welcome back!

Yes, I did receive the writings by my great grandfather Cecil and was completely dumbfounded to read of his accomplishments. For some reason, my father never spoke of his grandfather's time in China, and my grandfather died when I was only four or so. Thank you so much for filling in another blank.

Please tell us about your trip!

Sincerely,

Laura

Re: Weihsien scouts

Donald Menzi

Oct 20, 2002 15:54 PDT

Here's another thread for you.

Several weeks ago Jane and I attended the annual re-union of graduates and friends of the North China American School, where a few of the 50 or so people there also had a Weihsien connection. One of them was Carolyn Corkey, whose father appears on the list of doctors that you sent us. I'm going to contact her by phone, get her email address, and suggest that she join the group.

Re: Weihsien scouts

Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)

Oct 20, 2002 16:10 PDT

Dear John. It is lovely to hear from you and to read your reminiscences. Do you remember being my first boy friend in school? We were about 9 or 10 then and we used to write "billet doux's" to each other? Those were the days. Eddie has told me he met up with you at the re-union. He will not be going to the forthcoming re-union. I will pass your message on to him. Eddie still has his scout book which is similar to yours. Leopold Pander has a copy of the scout photograph I think. Good luck. Joyce Bradbury nee Cooke.

Re: Weihsien scouts

Gay Talbot Stratford

Oct 21, 2002 08:26 PDT

The reason that you have two different locations for the Robinsons is, that at some point, the Robinsons and the Talbots moved to no1block into three rooms. The location was better for the clandestine traffic over the wall that mother, Ida Talbot and Robbie carried out. We children all slept in the middle room, and the packets of sugar etc was stored under our beds until distributed. One day when mother and Robbie were away, there was the dreaded knock on the outside wall, the Chinese had been sighted by the guard, who was on his way to our compound. The contrabrand was tossed over the wall to my father,Sid, who was caught redhanded and marched off to the guardhouse.

He spent two weeks in solitary confinement. At the time he had dysentary, so Robbie obtained permission to take him food and visit him. On his first visit, my father found a book tucked under the food. The title? 'My First thirty years in Singsing.' Sid had a very good sense of humour, but I wonder if it was good enough.

Regards to all.

Gay Talbot Stratford

RE: Weihsien CAC

John de Zutter

Oct 21, 2002 17:15 PDT

Greg

Go ahead and send me the questionnaire. I make no promises yet about how quickly I will respond. But I will give it a try.

When you get back from the UK we can decide what to do next.

Bon voyage

John

Father Hanquet

leopold pander

Oct 22, 2002 01:29 PDT

Hello everybody,

I received a letter from Father Hanquet yesterday morning, dated October 17th.

Translation in English :

" Many thanks for your letter of October 10th, and for the two "big" files of the Weihsien Gazette for the years 2000 and 2001. I am now "up to date".

I took the time to read all the messages with great attention. I very much appreciated the huge amount of memories coming from Mary Previte, written with journalistic skill.

I was very happy to find the prose of Albert de Zutter, a Belgian, journalist in the USA in Kansas City. I remember him very well because I gave him French lessons in camp as well as to his brother John. Both of them were scouts. I met with them again in Belgium in 1948 at their house, on the "avenue Albert" in Uccle - Brussels.

Also, I have kept good memories of Doctor Chan's family (Sino-Canadians), and of his sons, Gui and Eugène who both, were scouts and Catholics. I got news from the Chan family from time to time, thanks to Father de Jaegher who, visited them when he went to the USA or in Canada. I must say that Father de Jaegher was an excellent "communicator" for he took many photographs and wrote post cards to all the people he went to see. It is really a pity that he isn't there anymore because I am sure he would have taken the privilege of using the Internet without moderation.

Father Palmers, who died about ten years ago has had a very occupied life. First in China in Nankin where he was Archbishop Yupin's secretary, then, in Hong Kong (New Territories) where he helped at the creation of a Chinese refugee village on a rocky mountain slope. I went to Hong Kong in 1979 and, with him, visited an entire network of Catholic schools he helped to set up. There even is a "Palmers avenue" named after him. Later, in Taipei, he was a priest in the town's neighbourhood not far away from the Catholic University of FUJEN, where he created a parish centre. He regularly visited the sick people in hospital and has also written a booklet in Chinese to help the local people with the hospital's rules and help them during their stay in the institution.

These are the few memories that come back to my mind while I finish the reading of the Weihsien gazette.

Bien amicalement, Father Hanquet.

Bonne lecture, and

Best regards, Leopold.

Re: Weihsien scouts

Dwight W. Whipple

Oct 22, 2002 08:49 PDT

So interesting to read after all these years. Our two families, Whipples and Waltons, occupied Block One next to the wall from March to September, 1943. The wall provided many black market opportunities for our parents. On one occasion my father, Elden Whipple, was keeping watch while my uncle, Nate Walton, was receiving about a hundred eggs over the wall. They were caught red-handed by a solitary guard who took them into our quarters and reprimanded them severely while he was counting out the number of eggs. At the same time, my mother, Marian, and aunt, Lois (who incidentally just died last month at the age of ninety-five) were clandestinely taking a few eggs for the families unbeknownst to the Japanese guard. We ended up with about a dozen eggs on that occasion. Apparently, the guard never reported the incident because we heard nothing about it after that. The only penalty was a lecture on the spot from the guard with the help of a Japanese/English dictionary!

~Dwight W. Whipple

Re: Father Hanquet

Albert Dezutter

Oct 22, 2002 11:01 PDT

Dear Mr. Pander,

Thank you so much for sending me your translation of Father Hanquet's letter. I read it with great excitement and interest. Father Hanquet had a great effect on my spiritual life in addition to giving me French lessons in the concentration camp.

Can you give me his address? And could I see his letter in the original French?

Once again, thanks so much for what you have already done.

Albert de Zutter

7514 Locust St.

Kansas City, Missouri 64131

USA

Phone: 816-523-6972

Re: Weihsien scouts

Albert Dezutter

Oct 22, 2002 14:48 PDT

In response to Dwight Whipple's account of his family's black market operation in block 1 at Weihsien, I remember Dwight from our first place of imprisonment in Tsingtao. I also remember Barbara Walton. I thought her name was Whipple at the time, but I saw a picture some time ago in which she was identified as Barbara Walton). Anyway, I had a very brief friendship with her in the Tsingtao compound, as one day she told me her parents told her she couldn't play with me any more because I was a Catholic. We were both 10 years old. I believe Dwight was a little younger. Actually, Dwight, I thought she was your sister.

Albert de Zutter

Re: Weihsien scouts

Dwight W. Whipple

Oct 22, 2002 15:11 PDT

Yes, Albert, I am younger than Bobbie (Barbara Walton). Barbara's mother was my father's sister and the two families (Waltons and Whipples) were together for the whole time we were interned which is fortunate considering what happened to many families during the war. Thank goodness times have changed and the protestant/catholic relationship is very different now. Where are you now? Our families are all scattered. I and my wife, Judy, live in Olympia, Washington, USA. Have been retired for a year. So much fun to keep in touch with Weihsien friends.

~Dwight

thanks again, and again ---

leopold pander

Oct 24, 2002 00:37 PDT

It has not been written often enough.

Thank you, Natasha for getting it started.

Thank you Mary for all that dynamite you manage to find to get everybody together.

I see it --- like a train.

Prestigious.

Like the Orient Express ----

Natasha showing the way by laying the tracks and organising it all.

Mary, the "locomotive", pulling all the wagons with power and dignity and all of us the "deluxe" wagons of the Orient Express with so many memories.

Merci encore. Vous êtes tous formidables.

Best regards,

Leopold

Re: Father Hanquet

leopold pander

Oct 24, 2002 08:27 PDT

Dear Albert,

We were really very happy to receive your e-mail yesterday with the many messages from the topica site. Though I don't remember anything of Weihsien (or so little).

I just phoned Father Hanquet to tell him that we got your message and also to give him your address in Kansas City. He said that he would write to you, in French (of course). He is very busy and his days are overloaded, and, as we say in French: "il déborde d'énergie". Whenever he speaks of China, time stops, ----- and we all listen.

Here is his personal address:

Monsieur l'Abbé Emmanuel HANQUET

Rue des Buissons, 1-201

1348 - LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE

Belgium

Best regards, Leopold

to Dwight Whipple

Albert Dezutter

Oct 24, 2002 12:23 PDT

Dear Dwight,

I quite agree with you that the climate between Protestants and Catholics has changed substantially -- thank God!

I'm glad to read in one of your prior messages that your father, Elden Whipple, is still alive. I remember playing chess with him in a tournament at the Tsingtao compound.

You ask where I am. I live in Kansas City, Missouri. I am editor of The Catholic Key, weekly newspaper for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

Now a general question. Can you or anyone tell me how to post an e-mail to the topica site without replying to a previous e-mail?

Albert de Zutter

POST

Dwight W. Whipple

Oct 24, 2002 12:52 PDT

Hi Albert

Just go the Topica List page and up in the right hand corner there is a

box with the word "Post" Just click on that and a New Message to "w

internees" page will appear. Write your message, as I am doing now and

it will be posted on the Topica List. Hope this helps!

~dwight whipple

Re: to Dwight Whipple

Dwight W. Whipple

Oct 24, 2002 12:56 PDT

I will be sure to tell my father about your playing chess with him. As a matter of fact, my brother, Elden Whipple, Jr. is coming to our house later this afternoon and I will tell him as well. Maybe it was he you played chess with, although I remember that both of them played in those days. I learned to play chess while I was in a high chair, taught by one of the older missionaries in our parents' mission, the China Inland Mission. Isn't this fun to reminisce after all these years?

~Dwight

Re: to Dwight Whipple

Albert Dezutter

Oct 24, 2002 13:54 PDT

Dwight -- unless your brother was a full-grown man, bald on top, in the Tsingtao camp, I'm pretty sure it was Mr. Elden Whipple. I was 10 years old at the time. As I remember, I ambushed him by forking his king and his rook with my knight, taking his rook and going on to win the game.

Albert

Re: to Dwight Whipple

Dwight W. Whipple

Oct 24, 2002 14:17 PDT

Yup, it was my Dad! Still bald on top but at 97 still keen of mind, body and soul. I don't think he plays chess anymore. But I have a great tutorial in my computer that references all the masters and critiques my moves. I have often said that if I was marooned on a desert island with another person I would want to have a chess game with me.

~Dwight

Fw: Post

alison holmes

Oct 24, 2002 15:24 PDT

----- Original Message -----

From: Alison Holmes

To: weih-@topica.com

Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 2:21 PM

Subject: Post

I just tried to follow your instructions and did not find "Post" on the page. Whenever I want to send a message, I just do it on email with the weih-@topica.com address...as I am doing now....and all is well!

Alison Martin Holmes

De: "Albert Dezutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Father Hanquet

Date: mardi 22 octobre 2002 20:02

Dear Mr. Pander,

Thank you so much for sending me your translation of Father Hanquet's letter. I read it with great excitement and interest. Father Hanquet had a great effect on my spiritual life in addition to giving me French lessons in the concentration camp.

Can you give me his address? And could I see his letter in the original French?

Once again, thanks so much for what you have already done.

Albert de Zutter

7514 Locust St.

Kansas City, Missouri 64131

USA

Phone: 816-523-6972

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien scouts

Date: mardi 22 octobre 2002 21:23

So interesting to read after all these years. Our two families, Whipples and Waltons, occupied Block One next to the wall from March to September, 1943. The wall provided many black market opportunities for our parents. On one occasion my father, Elden Whipple, was keeping watch while my uncle, Nate Walton, was receiving about a hundred eggs over the wall. They were caught red-handed by a solitary guard who took them into our quarters and reprimanded them severely while he was counting out the number of eggs. At the same time, my mother, Marian, and aunt, Lois (who incidentally just died last month at the age of ninety-five) were clandestinely taking a few eggs for the families unbeknownst to the Japanese guard. We ended up with about a dozen eggs on that occasion. Apparently, the guard never reported the incident because we heard nothing about it after that. The only penalty was a lecture on the spot from the guard with the help of a Japanese/English dictionary!

~Dwight W. Whipple

De: "Albert Dezutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien scouts

Date: mardi 22 octobre 2002 23:48

In response to Dwight Whipple's account of his family's black market operation in block 1 at Weihsien, I remember Dwight from our first place of imprisonment in Tsingtao. I also remember Barbara Walton. I thought her name was Whipple at the time, but I saw a picture some time ago in which she was identified as Barbara Walton). Anyway, I had a very brief friendship with her in the Tsingtao compound, as one day she told me her parents told her she couldn't play with me any more because I was a Catholic. We were both 10 years old. I believe Dwight was a little younger. Actually, Dwight, I thought she was your sister.

Albert de Zutter

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien scouts

Date: mercredi 23 octobre 2002 0:11

Yes, Albert, I am younger than Bobbie (Barbara Walton). Barbara's mother was my father's sister and the two families (Waltons and Whipples) were together for the whole time we were interned which is fortunate considering what happened to many families during the war. Thank goodness times have changed and the protestant/catholic relationship is very different now. Where are you now? Our families are all scattered. I and my wife, Judy, live in Olympia, Washington, USA. Have been retired for a year. So much fun to keep in touch with Weihsien friends.

~Dwight

De: "John de Zutter" <jjdz@optonline.net>

À: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: RE: scout photo

Date: mercredi 23 octobre 2002 3:42

Greetings Leopold,

Thank you very much for the archive files and the picture. They all came through well. I appreciate all the work you have done to all the e-mails in order into manageable files. It will make it so much easier to catch up with the prior correspondence.

I have no record of a Doctor Neve. I am not at all sure that my list was complete or entirely accurate. It was, after all, the work of a 14 year old at that time.

My French, after so many years of not using it, is terrible. But I can still read and understand a fair amount. But I would not attempt to try to write anything for fear of making too many mistakes.

When you see Fr. Hanquet again, please give him my regards.

John de Zutter

De: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: "Albert Dezutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

Cc: "Janette et Pierre" <pierre.ley@pandora.be>; "John de Zutter" <jjdz@optonline.net>

Objet: Weihsien

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 9:37

Dear Albert,

We were really very happy to receive your e-mail yesterday with the many messages from the topica site. Though I don't remember anything of Weihsien (or so little), Janette, who was 6 years old in 1945, has a very accurate memory of what she experienced there during the 2 ½ years we survived in camp. ---

I just phoned Father Hanquet to tell him that we got your message and also to give him your address in Kansas City. He said that he would write to you, in French (of course). He is very busy and his days are overloaded, and, as we say in French: "il déborde d'énergie". Whenever he speaks of China, time stops, ----- and we all listen.

Here is his personal address:

Monsieur l'Abbé Emmanuel HANQUET

Rue des Buissons, 1-201

1348 - LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE

Belgium

telephone : 010-455-849

---

I still remember our Dad, pronouncing your name - de Zutter - many years ago. We were kids then, and never made the connexion as to who and where you were. From time to time, we met with Father de Jaegher who came to see us whenever he came to Belgium as many other of our Dad's friends from China. Our Dad was a banker and very confidential about things. That is maybe why he said so little about "Weihsien". I think he simply didn't want to talk about it!

---

Our little sister, Marylou, born in camp (1944) died two years ago. Janette is married with three grown up kids now (she's not yet a grandma) and her husband is a gynaecologist in a well known Brussels Hospital. I was officer in the Belgian merchant navy and, after that, did business in a wholesaling company in Brussels. I got married, no kids. Now, I'm pre-retired and live on the edge of a forest, less than 10 kilometres away from Louvain-la-Neuve.

---

Enclosed with this message, 2 photos:

You will certainly recognise the piece of parachute we received before leaving Weihsien. Janette is on one side and I'm on the other. Do you still have your piece of parachute?

The other photo, is one of a series I took when Father Hanquet came to visit us this year. From left to right, is Catherine - Janette's daughter, Nicky - my wife, Father Hanquet and Janette. It was a very pleasant afternoon and we all enjoyed listening to all the stories from China, Father Hanquet had to tell us.

---

Just a question,

With nearly sixty years in between, do you remember the Pander family when you were in Weihsien prison camp ?

Tell us more about you ?

Best regards,

Leopold

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: thanks again, and again ---

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 9:38

It has not been written often enough.

Thank you, Natasha for getting it started.

Thank you Mary for all that dynamite you manage to find to get everybody together.

I see it --- like a train.

Prestigious.

Like the Orient Express ----

Natasha showing the way by laying the tracks and organising it all.

Mary, the "locomotive", pulling all the wagons with power and dignity and all of us the "deluxe" wagons of the Orient Express with so many memories.

Merci encore. Vous êtes tous formidables.

Best regards,

Leopold

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Father Hanquet

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 17:28

Dear Albert,

We were really very happy to receive your e-mail yesterday with the many messages from the topica site. Though I don't remember anything of Weihsien (or so little).

I just phoned Father Hanquet to tell him that we got your message and also to give him your address in Kansas City. He said that he would write to you, in French (of course). He is very busy and his days are overloaded, and, as we say in French: "il déborde d'énergie". Whenever he speaks of China, time stops, ----- and we all listen.

Here is his personal address:

Monsieur l'Abbé Emmanuel HANQUET

Rue des Buissons, 1-201

1348 - LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE

Belgium

Best regards, Leopold

De: "Albert Dezutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: to Dwight Whipple

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 21:24

Dear Dwight,

I quite agree with you that the climate between Protestants and Catholics has changed substantially -- thank God!

I'm glad to read in one of your prior messages that your father, Elden Whipple, is still alive. I remember playing chess with him in a tournament at the Tsingtao compound.

You ask where I am. I live in Kansas City, Missouri. I am editor of The Catholic Key, weekly newspaper for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

Now a general question. Can you or anyone tell me how to post an e-mail to the topica site without replying to a previous e-mail?

Albert de Zutter

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: POST

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 22:17

Hi Albert

Just go the Topica List page and up in the right hand corner there is a box with the word "Post" Just click on that and a New Message to "w internees" page will appear. Write your message, as I am doing now and it will be posted on the Topica List. Hope this helps!

~dwight whipple

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: to Dwight Whipple

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 22:22

I will be sure to tell my father about your playing chess with him. As a matter of fact, my brother, Elden Whipple, Jr. is coming to our house later this afternoon and I will tell him as well. Maybe it was he you played chess with, although I remember that both of them played in those days. I learned to play chess while I was in a high chair, taught by one of the older missionaries in our parents' mission, the China Inland Mission. Isn't this fun to reminisce after all these years?

~Dwight

De: "natasha petersen" <natasha@infi.net>

À: <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: Thank YOU

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 22:51

Dear Leopold,

Thank you for your kind words. This site has been extremely interesting and educational. I find that there is much that I do not remember about Weihsien, although I was almost eighteen at the end of our internment. My friend who is a counselor (psychologist) says that I blocked out good and bad events.

My thanks to all subscribers and writers.

Natasha

De: "Albert Dezutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: to Dwight Whipple

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 22:57

Dwight -- unless your brother was a full-grown man, bald on top, in the Tsingtao camp, I'm pretty sure it was Mr. Elden Whipple. I was 10 years old at the time. As I remember, I ambushed him by forking his king and his rook with my knight, taking his rook and going on to win the game.

Albert

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: to Dwight Whipple

Date: jeudi 24 octobre 2002 23:27

Yup, it was my Dad! Still bald on top but at 97 still keen of mind, body and soul. I don't think he plays chess anymore. But I have a great tutorial in my computer that references all the masters and critiques my moves. I have often said that if I was marooned on a desert island with another person I would want to have a chess game with me.

~Dwight

De: "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Fw: Post

Date: vendredi 25 octobre 2002 0:24

----- Original Message -----

From: Alison Holmes

To: weihsien@topica.com

Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 2:21 PM

Subject: Post

I just tried to follow your instructions and did not find "Post" on the page. Whenever I want to send a message, I just do it on email with the weihsien@topica.com address...as I am doing now....and all is well! Alison Martin Holmes

De: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: "sancton" <sancton@nbnet.nb.ca>; "Albert de Zutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>; "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>; "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>; "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>; "John de Zutter" <jjdz@optonline.net>; "Stan Thompson" <books@ginniff.com>

Objet: Archives, up-to-date

Date: dimanche 27 octobre 2002 17:10

Hello,

The archives are now "up to date".

I do hope you enjoy the reading of it.

The "zip-files" are easy to transfer to whoever else would like to read them comfortably seated in a sofa next to a nice warm fire. (It is almost winter out here!)

Best regards, Leopold.

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: Re: Histo-2002>message 675

Date: samedi 26 octobre 2002 18:46

Please keep on doing it. It's a great service;.

At 07:16 PM 10/25/02 +0200, you wrote:

>Hello,

>Enclosed, the messages up to number 675 on the topica list. That is about 100 pages to read.

>Question:

>Do you want me to continue the system? It is quite enjoyable to read all >this during the long winter evenings. I can go on - up to the most recent >messages and send the final "histo" at the end of the year 2002.

>Best regards,

>Leopold

De: "John de Zutter" <jjdz@optonline.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: RE: Weihsien scouts

Date: samedi 26 octobre 2002 20:26

It was great to hear from you too, Joyce.

I must have been a lucky fellah, having you for a girlfriend. Was that in Holy Ghost Convent school or had we already moved on to St. Joseph, down the street? I can't remember.

Talking about "those days" here is something else from that era. It’s a picture of a group of children at my brother Albert's birthday party in our back yard at 3 Wu Sheng Kuan Rd. I think I gave a copy of this to Eddie at the TAS reunion 2/3 years ago, but I am not sure.

Unfortunately, we did not make a record of all who were at the party. Maybe you can help. On the left front is Paqui Barbera. Next, I think, is Irene ?, Unknown, John de Zutter. On the right is Katie Belov, I think, you, Eddie and another unknown. My brother is peeking over the cake.

I think we kids all lived pretty well in the years before the war.

With fond memories of a time long ago, my best wishes to you.

John

De: "Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien scouts

Date: dimanche 27 octobre 2002 0:28

I have not seen that photograph but I will check with Eddie and let you know. Maybe you can scan a copy of it if Eddie doesn’t have one. "those days" were in the Holy Ghost Convent. I probably did not have a boy friend at St. Joseph's as that was supposed to be a girls' only school. Only 'little boys' (like you and Eddie) were allowed there. As a matter of fact we were only at St Joseph's a short time as the Holy Ghost Convent complained to the bishop that they were losing all their students and we all had to return to the H.G. Convent. My parents were not happy because the St Joseph teachers were American and better teachers. Some of these teachers were interned with us as you know. Joyce ----

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Archives, up to date ---

Date: lundi 28 octobre 2002 4:12

> Reply from Gladys - I don't get http messages on my Macintosh. Please

>send snail mail if you don't want to type on email for me. Thanks.

De: "Albert de Zutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

À: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: Re: Aquarelles

Date: lundi 28 octobre 2002 16:13

Leopold:

Thanks for the Verhoeven paintings. They stir memories. Yes, they do fit on the screen. "Aquarelles" are water colours, no?

Albert

De: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: "Albert de Zutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

Objet: Re: Aquarelles

Date: mercredi 30 octobre 2002 11:39

Hello,

That is correct.

If my computer did what I asked it to send, --- you should have 10 paintings in all.

Best regards, Léopold.

De: "Laura Hope-Gill" <laurahopegill@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Archives, up to date ---

Date: lundi 28 octobre 2002 18:54

Dear Leopold,

I would love a copy!

Sincerely, Laura Hope-Gill

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Archives, up to date ---

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 1:21

Another reply from Gladys - Everything is easy if you know how. I don't know how to transfer the "zip-files" which you say are "easy to transfer..." Please explain.

De: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Cc: "Ariane & Vivitch" <yves.ley@chello.be>

Objet: Re: Archives, up to date ---

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 8:41

Hello Gladys,

I asked my nephew, who is in the computer business.

So he said : the Mac Intosh can unzip compressed files with a program called "Stuffit Expander". Once the file is unzipped (or expanded) it can be read by the "word processor" used by "your" computer. What I have to know, is the name of your word processor: WordPerfect5.1? Works? or any other.

Once that is established, I can save the document in "my" computer so it can be recognised by "your" computer.

Shall we try?

---

Have a nice day,

Best regards, Leopold

De: "Leonard Mostaert" <mostaert@hinet.net.au>

À: "TOPICA" weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Life's little mysteries

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 7:41

from Len Mostaert camp no. 248

I was 9 when I left the camp, but certain things have never been made clear to me.

There has always been the problem of not knowing how certain actions were performed, and how certain supplies reached the camp. Take, for example the slates that we used in school. how were they supplied, and by whom ? As well as coloured pencils, and other stationery items.

How did our raw products for food preparation reach the camp ?

How did the hospital get medical supplies and from whom? I remember getting the wrong eye medication for a problem, and my Mother yelled and screamed to someone until I received the correct medication. Who were the people concerned ?

How did the inmates get tools and building supplies ? I remember that a very kind gentleman came to our room and built a small stove from bricks, with an empty kerosene tin as an oven. How did he get the supplies ? I also remember my father, together with George Cox, cutting down a tree at the South Field, then carrying it (with others) and hiding (?)it along the back of Block 84, where it remained for a time, with the Japs not noticing it because it was too obvious. How did the boys get saws and other supplies?

All these things could not have been brought into the camp through peoples hand luggage, or, there must have been a trick to it all.

De: "Laura Hope-Gill" <laurahopegill@aol.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Re: Life's little mysteries

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 14:05

Dear Len,

To my understanding, my grandparents were permitted to bring one pillow case filled with items when they were "arrested". My grandfather, a doctor, filled most of the space of 4 pillowcases with medical supplies. He also packed a deflated football which Eric Liddell inflated later on (one of the family stories). A black market was also established with people outside the gates; through this more supplies could be brought in. There are fascinating accounts of how the black market operated in Gilkey's book, Shantung Compound.

As for the trees, my grandmother told me that "prisoners were not allowed to touch the trees" and that is probably why the tree had to be hidden. She used coal balls, dirt, and ashes to build fires. When I was there this past summer, I touched the trees.

Laura

De: "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Fw: Camp numbers

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 16:05

----- Original Message -----

From: Alison Holmes

To: weihsien@topica.com

Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 7:57 AM

Subject: Camp numbers

I guess this one is really for Ron Bridges, that source of all detailed knowledge about camp. Len Mostaert says his number is 248. What was mine? Was it based on where we were living? Did each member have a number, or were there family numbers? Just a tiny question. Thanks Alison Martin Holmes

De: "Ron Bridge" <rwbridge@freeuk.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: RE: Camp numbers

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 18:28

Alison,

You pose a question re Camp Numbers. Weihsien was different to the rest of the Japanese Camps where inmates kept their number, and in the case of Shanghai kept them as they were moved from one camp to another.

In Weihsien their were three sets of numbers always based on the Family in sequence

To quote my own case I was No 296 on entry when we lived in Blk 42 Rm 6 It was then changed to 1079 at the same address

Then after the US Evacuation in Sept43 when we moved to Blk 13 room 10/11 it became 2-104. The first digit being the Roll Call area. I still have the entire families Name Tags.

My parents and younger brother Lionel Roger were 294/295/297 then 1077/1078/1080 and finally 2-102, 2-103, 2-105

If readers let me have their numbers we might be able to work them all out but I suspect Chefoo School might be a problem.

Rgds

Ron

If any former British readers want their own or their parents passport numbers I should have them and where they were issued.

De: "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Re: Camp numbers

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 18:50

You truly are a marvel, Ron! How old were you? Have you always been a repository of detailed information? Do we (the Martins) count as Chefoo school complications when we were a whole family, living in block 15 rooms 5 and 6? I wish we had our name tags...but I think we lost a lot of those concrete souvenirs when we had to leave China again from Kuling. I would love it if we could work out what all our numbers were. Thanks for your input, Ron. Alison

De: "Norman Cliff" <normancliff@amserve.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Info. on Weihsien

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 21:28

29 Oct. 02.

>From Norman Cliff:

I want to share two matters which will answer questions which have been raised in this correspondence:

1. Schools in the Camp. There were the Chefoo School and a Catholic one. In about 1944 Pryor, head of Education, approached three Chefoo to resuscitate the Tientsin Grammar School, which had fizzled out. The three were Reg Bazire & Gordon Welch, both Chefoo teachers, and myself the senior Chefoo boy.

We met in various wings of the church and outside, and kept it up until Liberation.

2. Info. on the Catholic school is in A CROSS IN CHINA by Sr. Servatia. This can be obtained from Sister Mary Lea Schneider, Cardinal Stith Univ., 6801 Yates Road, Milwaukee, Wisc 53217-3986.

NORMAN CLIFF

--

De: "Albert Dezutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com >

Objet: Re:Schools in Weihsien

Date: mardi 29 octobre 2002 22:43

I remember being in a grade school class taught by a Sister Bede. Later, I completed my first year of high school with Mrs. Moore from the Peking American School, and Sister Hiltrudis and others. Our classroom was in Building 23. I did not have the impression that the school was particularly a Catholic school, although I was (and am) Catholic, and certainly Catholic nuns taught in the school, but I believe my freshman transcript was from the Peking American School.

After the war, when the Tsingtao American School was revived in the fall of 1946 (we did not have school in Tsingtao from 1945 to 1946), Sister Hiltrudis was again part of the faculty.

Albert de Zutter

>

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet:

Shandong delegates visiting US wants to meet former Weihsien interneesnts to mee

Date: dimanche 10 novembre 2002 22:18

Hello, Everybody,

I have received the following e-mail from a five-person Shandong delegation that will shortly arrive in the United States and hope to explore the extent of information available about Weihsien for making a documentary film about the camp. If you are interested in talking to them and live near one of the cities on their tour of the USA, please contact Mr. Yuanfen Zhao at his e-mail address noted below. The dates and cities they will visit is listed below. I believe quite a few of us live near the cities on their itinerary.

Mary Previte

Dear Mary Previte:

Please excuse my disturbing

I am a producer & writer of Shandong Movie & TV Producing Center, I happened learn the story of Weihsein Camp in Shandong Province in China during the Second World War and I was deeply moved. Since then I have been keeping great interest in it and collecting the information on it. I made great effort to find the survivors the men, women and children. Where they are and how they are getting along? A few days before I specially visited the site where have been the Camp and took some picture of the existing old buildings.

Fortunately I saw some old photo picture and books.

Time is flowing, while the most of the adults locked there has passed away, and the children have become old. Should it be covered by the years and forgotten by the people? So I have a dream to make a documentary to tell people the story happened yesterday.

Our crew is making another documentary which tells the story of the Chinese victims’ lawsuits against Japanese Government. We 5 persons will visit US during Nov. 14 to Cec 1. When we were planning our travel, we hope to find some people who had been in the camp living in the cities we are going to visit.

We are pleased to get your E-mail by Mr. Grant in Torontor and are trying to get in touch with you.

Dear madam, at present the Documentary about the Weihsein Camp is only a primary plan and our travel plan is tied up. So this time we are not able to find and interview a lot of people.

Could you help us with these matters:

1. 1. Attached is our schedule. Is there any of your schoolfellow in the cities we are visiting? We’d like to interview 3 or 4 persons.

2. Could you inform us the name list of your Alumni Association by E-mail or mail? It includes names, address, telephone or fax, and profession too for us to get in touch with them and to prepare potential interview. If it is not convenient, could you just inform us the their names and their professions, then contact some of them by you.

3. Could you give us some reference material such as old picture, news paper, the articles written by the schoolfellows in memory, tapes as well as other concerned.

When we back form US, if we could collect some material, I’ll write a feasible plan for your reference and for our leader to make decision. That is why I took the liberty of writing you for your help.

Anyway I hope we could make some efforts together to tell the story to our children.

We are looking forward to your answer.

Schadule

Nov. 14-15 Los Angeles

Nov. 16-17 San Diego

Nov. 20-22 Washinton

Nov. 24-25 New York

NOv. 26 St. Louis

Nov. 27 Shepherd Mic.

NOv. 29-30 San Francisco

YUANFEN ZHAO yuanfenzhao@yahoo.com

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Re: Shandong delegates visiting US wants to meet former Weihsien interneesnts Date: lundi 11 novembre 2002 3:01

My mother and father were interned at Weihsien Camp the whole time to the end in 1945 but I personally was not there. They are no longer living. I live within driving time of Washington DC and could meet you there on 11-20. Gladys Hubbard Swift

De: "ÕÔ¶¬Üß" <wlzs001@163.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: =?gb2312?B?UmU6IFNoYW5nZG9uZyBkZWxnYXRlcyB2aXNpdGluZyBVUyB3YW50cyB0byBtZWV0IGZvc

Date: lundi 11 novembre 2002 14:18

Hi Gladys Swift£¬

Thanks for your kindly reply and we are very glad to meet you at US if possible. Pleased inform us your contact method to wlzs001@163.com. Thanks and best wishes,

Dongling ZHao

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Re: Shandong delegates visiting US wants to meet former Weihsien interneesnts

Date: mercredi 13 novembre 2002 3:36

Gladys:

Please e-mail yuanfenzhao@hahoo.com and give the Shandong delegation a telephone number for them to contact you. They have e-mailed me for information on how to contact you.

Mary Previte

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Fwd: CBI MESSAGE CENTER (HONOR OUR CURRENT SERVICE PERSONNEL)

Date: mercredi 13 novembre 2002 3:47

Here is your chance to tell our current service personnel you care.  Please go to the following site and sign your name to thousands of other Americans who care.

Click Here.
SEND YOUR MESSAGE

Which is;
Hyperlink = http://www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html

Best Regards,
CBI Veterans are Unique
Tom Miller
CBI Message Center

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet:

Fwd: Re: Shandong delegates visiting US wants to meet former Weihsien internee

Date: mercredi 13 novembre 2002 4:27

Gladys.

Mary meant to write @yahoo.com instead of @hahoo.com.

De: "mahlon D. Horton" <berean@look.ca>

À: "Contacts Weihsien" weihsien@topica.com

?

Date: jeudi 14 novembre 2002 3:41

Tried to subscribe and it didn't work.===sorry I am a big nuisance but clicking on the one-click confirmation didn't work for me.

Audrey Nordmo Horton

De: "John de Zutter" <jjdz@optonline.net>

À: weihsien@topica.com

?

Date: jeudi 14 novembre 2002 4:04

Note to Natasha Peterson

I was going through the archives that Leopold Pander so graciously made available and ran across your inquiry last March about Joan Walle.

The last time I saw Joan was in 1963/64 when I was living in New York just before our family moved to the Midwest and we lost touch.

Her married name was Eglis and they lived in Leonia, NJ

I searched on the web a few minutes ago and came across this information:

Joan Eglis

270 Glenwood Avenue

Leonia, NJ 07605

201-947-8841

If you have not already found her, I hope this is helpful

John de Zutter

De: "Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Re:

Date: jeudi 14 novembre 2002 6:38

Dear Audrey Nordmo Horton.

Your attempt worked as it reached me in Australia. Welcome to Topica. Joyce Bradbury nee Cooke.

De: "Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Re:

Date: jeudi 14 novembre 2002 6:42

I note Joan Waller's address and I will pass it on to Yvonne Ozorio who was in the camp with us and she has often asked me whether I could find out Joan's addresss. We three were also good friends in camp. If we discover her web site I would love to have it. Joyce Bradbury.

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet:

Re:=?gb2312?B?UmU6IFNoYW5nZG9uZyBkZWxnYXRlcyB2aXNpdGluZyBVUyB3YW50cyB0byBtZWV

Date: jeudi 14 novembre 2002 6:51

Reply from Gladys Swift - This email address gets to me fine. I look forward to hearing more about when you arrive. My phone number is 434-973-4179

Hi Gladys Swift£¨Thanks for your kindly reply and we are very glad to meet you a

t US if possible. Pleased inform us your contact method to wlzs001@163.com.  Thanks and best wishes,            Dongling Zhao

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet:

Re: Fwd: Re: Shandong delegates visiting US wants to meet former Weihsien int

Date: jeudi 14 novembre 2002 6:51

>Gladys.

>Mary meant to write @yahoo.com instead of @hahoo.com.

Reply from Gladys - Hahahoohoo to you!

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Re: Shandong delegates visiting US wants to meet former Weihsien internees

Date: jeudi 14 novembre 2002 6:51

>Gladys:

>

> Please e-mail yuanfenzhao@hahoo.com and give the Shandong delegation a telephone number for them to contact you. They have e-mailed me for >information on how to contact you.

>

>Mary Previte

Reply from Gladys - Done !

>

De: "mahlon D. Horton" <berean@look.ca>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Re: Important New Reference Book - Encyclopedia of Exploration to 1800

Date: jeudi 14 novembre 2002 18:24

Thank you very much for your information. Audrey Horton

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: weihsien@topica.com

Objet: Telling our stories on Veteran's Day

Date: vendredi 15 novembre 2002 2:19

Hello, Everybody,

How many of you are tapped to tell your World War II story in nearby schools on Veteran's Day?

A wonderful high school history teacher near here hosts a crowd of World War II veterans at his school close to Veteran's Day each year. The old timers arrive with their treasures -- models or pictures of the airplanes they flew. Some wear their uniforms -- I'm always amazed that the uniforms still fit -- even the submariners with their feathered regalia. The school provides breakfast and lunch, as the old timers go to class after class after class to tell their stories. I've been included in this story-fest for three or four years now.

The history teacher started the project to make sure that this generation hears the World War II stories from real people -- not just from history books. Realizing the value of the project, the school allows the guests to speak in every imaginable kind of class -- not just history. Last Wednesday, I told the Weihsien story to teenagers in three consecutive classes for their whole class periods. I always punctuate the story by unfolding my piece of parchute silk embroidered with the Weihsien rescue scene -- the B-24 bomber in the sky and the seven descending parachutes embroidered in navy blue and next to each the penciled autographs of each of our heroes -- passing it around. Sometimes the kids cry. Sometimes the teachers cry. I love doing it each year. But the numbers of veterans is dwindling -- just as our team of heroes is.

This history teacher realized that fewer and fewer of the veterans each year are able to come to his classrooms. So several years ago, he won a grant to pay for video taping a large collection of these stories-- mine included -- so that his students could hear the stories for ever. The school has also aired these videos on local television. He called the series, BRIDGING THE GENERATIONS -- an oral history of World War II. We have such a piece of history to pass on.

A thank you e-mail from the grandson of our rescuer Tad Nagaki warmed my heart a few days ago. His thank you said my Tad Nagaki story published this summer had given him information he had never before known about his grandfather. I urged him to spend time asking questions and looking at Tad's old snapshots and mementos. Most of our heroes don't talk much. They most certainly don't think of themselves as heroes. In fact, it took me months of Sunday night telephone calls to Tad Nagaki half a continent away to pull from him the details of his life and wartime experience. I found it worth every minute of effort.

I'm still trying to get the state Senator that represents Tad's district to publicly honor Tad.

Mary Previte

De: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: "yuanfenzhao" <yuanfenzhao@yahoo.com >

Cc: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>; "Janette et Pierre" <pierre.ley@pandora.be>

Objet: Weihsien

Date: lundi 18 novembre 2002 10:32

Dear Mr. Yuanfen Zhao

Your message to Mrs. Mary Previte, on the Topica site was also received out here, in Europe.

I sent it, by post, to Father Hanquet who, at 87 and with a pacemaker in his body is a wonderful example for all of us.

Father Hanquet was a main figure in the Weihsien prison camp as a Catholic priest. He loves speaking of his experiences in China. The "Weihsien episode" is still very clear in his memory.

He also speaks your language.

In Belgium, where he lives, he has already been interviewed by our national television, the RTBF, in a series called "INEDITS" set up by Mr. André Huet, with old films and photographs of China before the war.

If ever you schedule a trip to Europe, Father Hanquet would be very happy to meet you where he now lives, in Louvain-la-Neuve, which is the actual location of the Catholic University in Belgium.

You can send a e-mail to my address for Father Hanquet (which I will transmit) and you can also write directly to him by ordinary post at ;

Monsieur l'Abbé Emmanuel HANQUET

Rue des Buissons, 1-201

1325 - LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE

Belgium.

Telephone: 010/45-58-49 (in Belgium)

Best regards, Leopold Pander.

De: "Audrey Nordmo Horton" <berean@look.ca>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Telling our stories on Veteran's Day

Date: jeudi 21 novembre 2002 3:06

Thank you Mary for a wonderful challenge. I have shared my Weihsien experience in churches but not in schools---Audrey Nordmo Horton

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Telling our stories

Date: samedi 23 novembre 2002 21:33

About "Telling Our Stories" I spent half of yesterday (Nov. 22) telling my story about Weihsien where I never lived but heard about from my parents, Hugh and Mabel Hubbard. The Shandong group through Zhang Xiaoping, their interpreter, (same first name as Deng Xiaoping, little bottle) got in touch with me and asked me to come to talk to them at Tysons Corner. The "boss" is Wang Guisen, Deputy Seacretary-General of Shandong Provincial People's Government. They are all from Jinan and I was sorry I didn't have "Tungchow Re-collected" about Jinan. I had the Princeton Reunion issue instead, but did point out John Hayes's two daughters in a picture. I didn't think I had much to say since I was pulled out of Yenching University and sent to the US in January 1941, so that I would not be interned in the war with Japan that my parents felt was coming. They were right, of course. They felt they should stay with their work in China but were separated when Pearl Harbor came. Mother was put under house arrest in Baoding, with the Galts, while Father was in Beijing taking Earl Ballou's place as American Board secretary. Mother was able to join Father in Beijing in February 1942, from where they were sent to Weihsien in March 1943.

Back to the Shandong group, which has as official title "THE LAWSUITS FOR THE FUTURE, The Lawsuits Against Japanese Government by the Chinese Victims of the WW II, Shandong Movie & TV Studio." Because I do not have first hand information about Weihsien I took everything I could find of my parents and others: My father's "Watchman" from 1939, and his letters about what happened at Pearl Harbor in Beijing, and the trip to Weihsien, and the letter about what happened after they were rescued in 1945. I also took the books about Weihsien: Little Foreign Devil (Desmond Power), A Boy's War (David Michell), and Courtyard of the Happy Way (Norman Cliff). They videotaped the cover of Courtyard drawn by Hugh Hubbard, with quotation from "Weihsien - the Test". I also took "Shantung Compound" by Langdon Gilkey and an INQUIRER copy of "A Song of Salvation" by Mary Taylor Previte (hope you don't mind, Mary, - it is SO VERY GOOD!). They did not take or copy it but may have videotaped some of the pictures. They videotaped your family picture, p. 31 as they did Desmond Power's family and my family (many pictures). That leads me to think that what they want is the human interest aspect of internees. They wanted to know what I observed of the effect of internment on my parents so I told them about my mother's refusing to throw away burned toast, eating it instead, and my father on trash day picking up an old trunk put on the sidewalk in New York to be picked up by the dump trucks, not willing to throw away anything so useful! Other books I took were , my father's "Birds of Northeastern China" written with George Wilder (since his grandson Don Menzi is being taped today that seemed appropriate) and my mother's "Experiment in Teaching the Christian Religion by Life Situations in Fan Village, China". and ,my father's tape recorded reminiscences (not much about Weihsien) .We talked mostly in English with Miss Zhang translating. She did an excellent job - I could understand a great deal of her translation, but although I talked a little Chinese I couldn't produce anything technical in Chinese. They seemed particularly interested in the two albums of pictures of my family and went through rather carefully, a young picture of my father ("very handsome"!), where we all were at Pearl Harbor, our house, my older brother Wells who was also interned briefly but repatriated (Mother refused to leave Father.) I hope I haven't violated any copyright laws - they didn't seem interested in quoting or videotaping writing. They had a book in Chinese on atrocities by the Japanese in Malaysia, but weren't interested in reading Father's comments about atrocities. They treated me to an absolutely delicious lunch and I was on my way home by 2:00 while they were off to the Archives at the U. of Maryland, College Park. I understand they are interviewing Don Menzie today, Saturday, and hope Don will report from his contacts with them. They promised to send me a copy of their film when produced - "so people will know about this." That's all, and probably more than you all want to know.

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Telling our stories on Veteran's Day

Date: samedi 23 novembre 2002 23:43

I, too, have done this. At the local public high school I was asked by one of the students, and invited by one of the teachers, to take the whole class period to tell about our internee experience in Tsingtao and Weihsien. The kids and teacher were very attentive and applauded at the end of the class.

Many of them were Asian students, both Chinese and Japanese Americans.

Dwight W. Whipple

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Weihsien Documentary

Date: dimanche 24 novembre 2002 17:26

Very exciting news! I am just now meeting with a group of Chinese from Shandong province, thanks to Mary. They asked that I send you all the following message:

They are here to explore the possibility of making a TV documentary about the Weihsien camp. They want to learn about the stories of people who were there, and also about what you are all doing now. They are very interested in the possibility of our having a reunion next year, which is the 60th anniversary of Weihsien's founding, and offered to help to get the local and provincial government's help.

As a first step they are asking to be added to the group. Please add the following email addresses to the list:

wlzs001@163.com (Dong Ling Zhao, the producer -- also a general address for the filming group)

yuanfenzhao@yahoo.com (Zhang Xiaoping, the translator)

Natasha, will you please add them to the list as soon as possible.

They will want to get from each of you your name, mailing address and phone number. They would like to know from each of you if you are seriously interested in coming to Weihsien next year for a reunion. If it looks like it will happen, it will help them persuade their superiors to go ahead with the TV documentary project. Wait until Natasha confirms that they are on the list, however, before using the group address to contact them.

In addition to the above email addresses, other means of contacting them after they return to China on December 4, are: Phone and fax: 86-531-266-7853

Cell phone for Zhang Xiaoping, 86-13954183268

It looks like exciting things could happen.

Don Menzi

De: "theresa m granger" <ttmg@juno.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Cc: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien Documentary

Date: dimanche 24 novembre 2002 18:19

Donald,

Great to hear you have met with that group. My mother (Myrtle Granger - nee Sharp)is scheduled to meet with them on Wed. Nov. 27, as they will be in the Detroit area. This is pretty exciting.

Theresa Granger

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien Documentary

Date: dimanche 24 novembre 2002 18:46

I am interested but not close to any of the areas they will be in the U.S. I have just returned from China, day before yesterday, and visited my birthplace (Kuling, Kiangsi, now called Lushan Mountain) and met folk there who are interested in those who lived on the mountain in the thirties and forties. They are doing a history and we have already begun an e-mail correspondence. China is an exciting place these days. We were impressed with the progress everywhere. I would be happy to talk, correspond, etc., regarding Weihsien. We were there from March until September, 1943 and were then repatriated in an exchange of government nationals.

~Dwight W. Whipple

De: "Natasha Petersen" <natasha@roanoke.infi.net>

À: "weihsien" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Weihsien

Date: dimanche 24 novembre 2002 21:54

Dong Ling Zhao, producer & Zhang Xiaoping, translator have been on the list.

We also have han_jh@sina.com Does anyone know who this is.

I will write to the translator giving him my name and e-mail address.

To those of you who remember Joan Walle Eglis (Tsingtao - Weishien), I have been able to reach her in New Jersey. We have promised each other to keep in touch.

Natasha Petersen

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien

Date: lundi 25 novembre 2002 3:53

Thanks, Natasha. They will be using email to ask a lot of questions for everyone in the group. Note that the translator is a woman, however.

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Cc: <rswmenzi@hotmail.com>

Objet: Chinese TV Documentary Crew's Visit and a New Weihsien Web Site

Date: lundi 25 novembre 2002 4:26

The Chinese TV documentary crew has left now. I printed out and gave them copies of the paintings that Leopold had sent, and also those provided by Joyce Bradbury (Cooke), as well as Gertrude Wilder's paintings, the diaries by George Wilder and Howard Galt, and Leopold Pander's collected emails from 2000 and 2001. The emails really impressed them, so everyone who has been sharing memories, questions, etc. should feel proud of his or her contribution. I also gave them copies of Langdon Gilkey's and Norman Cliff's books and showed them how to find and download the black-and-white photos of the camp.

They were extremely impressed by all the material that we, as a group, have generated about Weihsien, which they had never heard of a month ago when they learned about it from some Chinese who remembered it. When they left us they were going to try to meet with Mary Previte in New Jersey tomorrow (Monday).

I think they now believe that they could make a good TV documentary about Weihsien. If they get the go-ahead, you will be hearing much more about it.

Let me also invite you to visit the almost-finished web site at weihsien.menzi.org that my son, Richard, has been working on. If you go there you will first see Hugh Hubbard's drawing of the gateway to the camp, along with his statement about "Weihsien, the Test." From there you can go to four different pages. One of them includes a map of the compound and a list of the paintings. If you click on this one you will have to wait for a few minutes until the pictures are completely downloaded, so please be patient. After a box with instructions appears at the bottom of the screen you can point and click on the picture titles on the list and the picture will appear in the middle of the screen. A symbol will also appear on the map showing you where Gertrude Wilder was standing when she painted the picture. You can enlarge the picture by pointing to its centre and right-clicking, then clicking on "Zoom In." Also, if you move the pointer around the various parts of the map, the names of the main buildings and public areas such as the basketball court, playground, ball field, etc. will appear.

Note that we rotated the map 180 degrees, putting North at the top, which is the standard way nearly all maps are drawn. Since you are used to seeing it the other way, you may be a little disoriented (literally, not

knowing which way is East) at first.

I would really appreciate it if you would let me know of some of your favourite places that aren't already identified on the map, such as "Lovers' Lane," so we can include pop-up names for them, too. I think most of them are on the map that Leopold sent us, so if you tell me about them I can probably include them, but just to make sure, tell me approximately where they are and if we get it wrong we can correct it later..

Going back to the first page, you will see that we also included an internet link that takes you to the Leopold's collection of black-and-white photographs. (I think it's Leopold's, but if the site belongs to someone else, please let me know.) We forgot to identify the source or the actual site address, which will be corrected in the future so that proper credit is given where credit is due.

I also want to include something that shows you the progress of the map/picture page's download process, since it takes so long and you may think that it's just sitting there doing nothing while it's still downloading.

I also just discovered that Cornell University Library's collection of George Wilder's papers includes a hand-drawn map that shows the location of all the trees in the compound and identifies their species. Once we get it from Cornell, we hope to add them to the base map.

We did not include the other paintings that Leopold sent out, but we may be able to do so on a separate page in the future. We may also be able to include additional down-loads, such as the collection of emails, the email addresses of the members of the group, etc., making this a truly comprehensive Weihsien site.

I am really interested to hear from you what you think of it so far, and get your suggestions for additional things to include in the future. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy the tour!

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Cc: <geomenzi@chartermi.net>; <emenzi@racc2000.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien

Date: lundi 25 novembre 2002 4:53

Natasha,

Please add my brother and sister to the group. They are:

George Menzi -- geomenzi@chartermi.net

Betty Menzi -- emenzi@racc2000.com

Thanks.

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet:

Re: Chinese TV Documentary Crew's Visit and a New Weihsien Web Site

Date: lundi 25 novembre 2002 4:55

What a great service to us all, Donald. Thanks so much!

~Dwight W. whipple

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Chinese TV Documentary Crew's Visit

Date: lundi 25 novembre 2002 6:05

Hello, Everybody,

What excitement! I'm thrilled with the help of the internet to have helped connect several of you with the Shandong TV documentary team. It sounds like your stories and mementos have found a wonderful reception.

Alas, I won't be able to meet these visitors this time . Their e-mail message with their request for an interview tomorrow didn't connect with me until late tonight . They're in New Jersey -- but at the other end of the state from where i live. Bad timing, too. I'm scheduled for legislative sessions in the State Capitol tomorrow. Yes, we're expected to show up to vote. If the delegation had a car, I'd invite them to meet for an interview at our New Jersey State house in Trenton tomorrow and give them a tour.

I wrote to Pamela Masters about meeting the crew when they're in California and she promised to try to connect with them, too. Please keep us updated on your interviews. It's fascinating.

Mary Previte

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: web site

Date: lundi 25 novembre 2002 16:25

Dear Donald,

I managed to open your web site this afternoon.

Fantastic.

It is a real pleasure to admire the paintings with the map on the left showing the whereabouts.

Congratulations. You MUST continue -----

You mentioned my name for the black and white photographs. They were put on the web by Christine Talbot Sancton and her son Rob, with her message of March 23rd, 2002. I had also a real great pleasure looking at those photographs and printed every one of them on A4 paper.

In our family treasures, we don't have a single photo of Weihsien --- past or present.

All the best,

Leopold

De: "Zandy Strangman" <zandy.jen@bigpond.com.au>

À: "Internment Camp" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Verification of mail.

Date: mardi 26 novembre 2002 0:33

Attention ....John de Zutter,

I sent you an email and attached a copy of the Scout photo, you requested, to the designated address on the 25th Oct. but to date without any feed back!

I would just like to know whether you received it at all ?

Regards........Zandy

De: "John de Zutter" <jjdz@optonline.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: RE: Verification of mail.

Date: mardi 26 novembre 2002 4:22

Sorry I didn't respond. I received the photo from 3 different ppppeople and I thought I had acknowledged each source.

I did receive the photo and thank you for sending it

Best wishes

John

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Chinese TV documentary crew visit me today

Date: mardi 26 novembre 2002 6:19

Hello, Everybody,

What an amazing story! What determination!

The TV documentary crew from Shandong tracked me down -- no appointment, no advance announcement -- in the New Jersey state Capitol this morning as I was preparing to testify on a bill of mine before the Assembly Judiciary Committee .

I'm still blinking in astonishment

Not 12 hours earlier, I had e-mailed my regrets that I could NOT meet with them today because of my schedule in the State House.

We've never connected by telephone -- only by e-mails. But on a thought that I might phone them from Trenton to invite them down, I piled a bag of my photos and mementos in my car today.

In the Assembly Judiciary committee room, a state trooper came looking for me -- said a Chinese lady was outside in the hallway, looking for me. My legislative aide said you should have seen my face.

Is this amazing!

So between morning and afternoon legislative committee meetings, the Chinese visitors interviewed and video taped me for an hour and a half, video taped my Weihsien story, photographed my Weihsien treasures. Through their interpreter, Zhang Xioaping, I told them this is a story of faith. I wove that theme through my story as I always do. Interpreter Zhang wept several times as I told the story.

The producer, Ms. Dong Ling Zhao, has won several top national awards for films she has produced in China. She says they hope to start with a documentary about Weihsien and see if that can lead to a movie of this story.

I gave these very distinguished visitors a tour of the state Capitol. One of the guests is among the highest officials of Shandong province. My, oh, my! did we take pictures! -- pictures of them sitting at my desk in the General Assembly, standing at the Speaker's podium, in the Senate chambers, outside in the sunshine with the beautiful golden dome of the Capitol behind them. Talk about determination! What perfect timing that they arrived in their van as the morning session was ending -- giving us unscheduled time and my legislative hearing room available before my afternoon committee meeting.

The producer talks of first making a documentary film about Weihsien and seeing if it might lead to a movie. They continue to talk of our having a reunion in Weihsien next year -- the 60th anniversary of the start of the camp. That would give opportunity for videotaping former internees on the site.

What a lovely day! What a surprise! I came home marvelling at the miracles of Weihsien.

Mary Previte

De: "han jihui" <han_jh@sina.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien

Date: mardi 26 novembre 2002 14:36

Hi Mr.Petersen,

I am the one with the address as han_jh@sina.com on your list. I am in Beijing and do not in the Shandong TV team whom are in US right now. But you can take me as a volunteer who's interested in history and your Wheishien story. Now i was reading your former posted articles and try to translated to Chinese so maybe Shandong TV team can found something they would focused in. I wish i can do something for those history pieces.

By the way I’d like say hello and best wishes to everybody here in this BBS:)

Han, Jihui

De: "Natasha Petersen" <natasha@roanoke.infi.net>

À: "weihsien" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: welcome

Date: mardi 26 novembre 2002 15:32

I would like to welcome Jule Gilfillan (seraphpix@earthlink.net ) and Han Jihui (han_jh@sina.com) to Weishien listing. There is a lower dash between han and jh. Jule has a background in Asian Studies and has spent a few years in China. He was "turned onto a book titled Courtyard of the Happy Way". I personally am always curious to find out why someone joins our listing and I like to add the person's given name and surname.

Juhui is from Beijing and says that he is not part of the Shandong TV team. He is interested in history and our Weihsien story.

Natasha Petersen (female)

De: "Jule Gilfillan" <seraphpix@earthlink.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: welcome

Date: mardi 26 novembre 2002 19:07

Dear Weihsien Group,

Thank you very much for welcoming me to your list. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Jule Gilfillan (also female)

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: A SUCCESSFUL GETAWAY

Date: mercredi 27 novembre 2002 9:10

….. a translation from French into English .

Father Hanquet writes:

All those who were in Weihsien prison camp know that Tipton and Hummel had made an evasion during the month of June 1944, but what they don't know, is how it was prepared and how, finally, it succeeded. I will try to give them that complementary information.

For a few young and dynamic prisoners who didn't have family responsibilities, evading camp was a constant dream. I was one of them. It was also a means to lessen the monotony of the camp days.

Well, to do so, there were a few conditions to respect. Firstly, absolute secrecy was a major clause. Father de Jaegher, who was one of those young and dynamic elements, and with whom I shared the same room, had the same desire of evasion. We however never spoke about it.

Every one of us, without the knowing of the others, was trying to put up a contact with a Chinese from the outside. That was the second condition to accomplish: to find a serious arrangement with a Chinese from the exterior who sometimes came into camp. This service would have to be well paid for, and that would be done by Larry Tipton, often seen with Father de Jaegher and who had a few gold bars, a necessity for the transaction.

Tipton and R. de Jaegher were often seen in the mornings, walking to and fro on the sports field pretending to improve their Chinese language while, in fact, they were exercising their muscles for the long walks they would have to make, once outside. That was during the winter period of 1943-44.

Meanwhile, R. de Jaegher kept on trying to establish a contact with the cesspool coolies that came daily to empty the prisoners' latrines. As for myself, I was lucky enough to meet and make friends with a Chinese carter bringing the vegetables into camp. I talked about it to R. de Jaegher, and we decided that I could maybe try something about it. As my Chinese friend seemed trustworthy and quite serious, we promised him a good reward by the means of Larry Tipton's gold bars. That was during the months of March-April, 1944.

One day, my Chinese contact brought me a written message: "our plan is well established, and on the chosen day, we would be met and provided with donkeys or mules on a road boarded by trees, situated beyond the valley at the North-East end of the camp. We were to have a little flag with the mention: "welcome to our foreign friends". We hoped to travel by night so as to reach a safe enough point by the following day.

We had now to select the date. We had observed the moon and decided to choose a night when the moon would rise after midnight, which would ease our moving about. Don't forget that in those days, there was no street lighting. That got us in the whereabouts of the 10th of June.

In the meantime, Father de Jaegher had had difficulties with our immediate ecclesiastic superior in camp, Father Rutherford. He had been informed of our project by another Father, (N.W.), and had pronounced an ecclesiastic sanction in the terms of: "suspensus a divinis" if ever he left the camp. He had to, he said, because it was vital to avoid the eventual reprisals by our Japanese captors towards the Christian prisoners in camp.

Tipton was very disappointed. He absolutely wanted to leave the camp with a missionary. You must know, that in those days, local churches easily welcomed the travelling missionaries.

Father de Jaegher told me of this interdiction, and it was agreed between us that I would take his place. Alas, whilst sitting on my bed, and while, in great secrecy, I was confectioning my back sac, my colleague, Father N.W. saw me doing so and quickly concluded that I was going to take Father de Jaeger's place in the escapade. He told so to Father Rutherford who called for me and pronounced the same banning as he had to R. de Jaegher.

A hasty meeting was held, and we decided that Tipton would ask Hummel to take our place. He immediately accepted which allowed us to keep the schedule previously established for the getaway.

Now, we had to choose the place and the exact time such as to involve the smallest amount of people and however succeed in our task. As for the place of the breakthrough, we quickly found complicity at the end of an alley (in the vicinity of n°10) where we hid a ladder, absolutely necessary to go over the boundary wall high of more or less 2.40 metres. In those days, on the other side of the wall, there was just a fence with 6 to 7 barbed wires of which the uppermost was electrified. We believed that the current was put on that wire only after 10 P.M., which was curfew time, and also the moment when a Japanese guard switched off all the lights in our compound for the night. We weren't sure about that and told the escapees to wear rubber-soled shoes and rather put their feet on the big porcelain isolators while climbing over the fence.

We had also to make sure that there were no Japanese guards around. On the chosen night, our group of 6 or 7 friends were all in place and watching in the different alleys in order to get the ladder in place, against the wall. The time was then, 9.30 P.M. and in less than 5 minutes, Tipton and Hummel were beyond the wall and over the fence.

We were, however, very anxious to avoid any mishaps, and had previously arranged with them for a recuperation procedure if ever they missed the "contact" at the scheduled location. That is why, between 6 and 7 in the morning, the following day, I had to be waiting for them near the boundary limits not very far away from our bloc n°56 at a place, behind the wall that was invisible from the watch towers. I hid myself just behind the morgue ready with a thick strong rope. If ever I heard the cry of the owl, I had to thrust the rope over the wall to help them back into the compound.

You can easily understand that on that particular night, we didn't sleep very much and that I sighed with relief after 7 o'clock in the morning when I got out of my hiding place just behind the morgue.

Now, we had to give the best possible chances to our two escapees in order to let them get away as far as possible from the camp. As we know, the Japs made a roll call every morning at 8 o'clock. At that precise moment we all had to stand in a row in front of our respective blocks and in the order of our badge-numbers. Tipton lived with us, on the first floor. Actually, it was Mc. Laren who was responsible for us towards the Japanese Commandant. I secretly informed Mc Laren of our projects and arranged with him that as warden of our bloc, I would give the alert as late as possible. At the roll call, I would simply say that Tipton was already working in the kitchen. It is only around 10 o'clock that morning, that I mentioned Tipton's absence to Mc Laren. He then asked me, in the presence of the camp's Commandant, to go and make sure that he was not in the toilets or anywhere else. The same thing happened for the missing of Hummel. While I was going all over camp to search for Tipton, the rumour spread fast, and at about 11, I came back empty-handed, and informed the irritated Commandant. He was very sure of himself and absolutely certain to recapture the escapees. As a precautionary measure, he put all the escapees' roommates under room arrest. Even, days after that, and from time to time, they had us rounded up in the middle of the night and guarded by armed Japs.

As for the escapees, they rapidly managed to reach the Chinese guerrilla forces and shared their lives with them for 14 months. They managed to smuggle a radio, in small parts, as well as medicines for the hospital and supplements of flour.

It is only the day after the parachutes came with the Americans that we saw, one morning, our two escapees all tanned by the sun and in excellent health.

E. Hanquet.

De: "Jihui Han" <han_jh@sina.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: welcome

Date: mercredi 27 novembre 2002 13:29

Hi Natasha Petersen,

Many thanks for your welcome message. It seemed I’d better to introduce myself first :) my name's Jihui, my surname's Han, male:), software engineer in Beijing.

Ms Dongling Zhao, the leader of Shandong TV team is my friend, she is now producing a documentary film about the Chinese labour who were forced to work for Japan during world war II. I know she is doing a great work for unveil some unknown historical fact, that would be very helpful for people to learn something from the history. So I told her maybe i can do something for it if possible.

Before Ms.Zhao leave China to U.S. she gave me the address of Weishien BBS, so I registered and downloaded some of your former articles to translate it into Chinese. I hope those can help more or less.

By the way if you like you may call me Han.

Han, Jihui

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Welcome to Han

Date: mercredi 27 novembre 2002 16:33

Welcome Han.

You mentioned that you had downloaded some of the emails. Leopold Pander has done us a wonderful service in copying all of them back to January 2000 into a MS Word document, which he can send you as an attachment. You will only need to un-zip it to have all of the emails. If that is a problem for you either he or I could send you the unzipped version, though they are large, totalling about 250 pages. The memories of the camp inmates are fascinating, and a valuable addition to the history of Weishien. I believe that many of the emails would be useful in the narrative of a documentary.

I also invite you to visit the web site weihsien.menzi.org for some pictures of the camp, together with a map that shows where they were painted and identifies the major buildings. Be patient while the pictures themselves are downloading. Once they have arrived, you click on the name of the painting and it appears, while a symbol on the map shows its location. Pointing to buildings and areas will produce labels telling you what they are. There is still more work to be done on this site, but it is useable now.

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: SUCCESSFUL GETAWAY - and historian making oral history of Weihsien

Date: jeudi 28 novembre 2002 5:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Father Hanquet, for your fascinating story of Tipton and Hummel's escape from Weihsien.

Remember how the Japanese counted and counted and counted us over and over again at roll call when they discovered that two men had escaped?

The escape prompted the Japanese to move the men out of the hospital and move Chefoo School children in. Children were less likely to be spying or signaling to Chinese over the wall near the hospital.

I do hope you will keep telling the Weihsien stories from the persective of a group up in the camp. Our teachers shielded us children from many realities of the camp.

On another subject -- Xun LIU, who identifies him or herself as a post doctoral fellow at Harvard, has contacted me for information about Weihsien.

Xun LIU writes, "I am a cultural historian of modern China and am curently a consultant on an oral history project on the Weixian survivors with Dr. Pedro Loureiro, an oral history expert and the chief archivist at the Pacific Basic Institute at Pomona Colege in Los Angeles, California."

I will suggest his contacting Natasha about signing onto our bulletin board.

Mary Previte

De: "Jihui Han" <han_jh@sina.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com >

Objet: Re: Welcome to Han

Date: jeudi 28 novembre 2002 13:56

Hi Donald Menzi,

Thanks for your kindly information and your zipped file would help me a lot (you know to download all the mail from July 2000 is really a boresome task sometimes). The zip file is perfect to me and if possible i wish i can get that file earlier.

Thanks again.

Han, Jihui

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <han_jh@sina.com>

Cc: <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: Fwd: Histo-2002>message 675

Date: vendredi 29 novembre 2002 5:20

Han

I jsent you Leopold Pander's zip file of email messages from 2001 a few minutes ago, and am now sending you 2002. I have those from 2000 on a different computer and will send it later, but these two will get you started. Let me know whether or not you are able to unzip and read these files.

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <han_jh@sina.com>

Cc: <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: Weihsien email files

Date: vendredi 29 novembre 2002 5:25

Instead of waiting until I find Leopold's file for 2000, I'm going to ask him to send it to you directly.

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Cc: <han_jh@sina.com>

Objet: email files to Han

Date: vendredi 29 novembre 2002 5:27

Could you please send Han your email zipfile for the year 2000? I have sent him 2001 and 2002 already, but 2000 is on a different computer. His email address is han_jh@sina.com

Thanks.

De: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <han_jh@sina.com>

Cc: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

Objet: Fw: Archives of year 2000

Date: vendredi 29 novembre 2002 9:29

----- Original Message -----

From: Leopold Pander

To: han_jh@sina.com

Cc: weihsien@topica.com ; Donald Menzi

Sent: Friday, November 29, 2002 9:20 AM

Subject: Archives of year 2000

Hello Han,

I hope you were able to unzip the files number two and three. Here comes number one file. Let us know if you have a problem unzipping them?

Best regards,

Leopold

De: "Han" <han_jh@sina.com>

À: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: Re: Archives of year 2000

Date: vendredi 29 novembre 2002 13:18

Hi Leopold Pander,

Thank you for your message. I've got all the three zip file from you and Mr.Donald Menzi. All the files are available to open in my computer. You have done a wonderful job for Weihsien BBS that all those three file is in good organisation for reading.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Han, Jihui

De: "Gay Talbot Stratford" <stillbrk@eagle.ca>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: A SUCCESSFUL GETAWAY

Date: vendredi 29 novembre 2002 17:28

Please thank Father Hanquet 'infiniment' for his colourful stories of Weihsien. He was so close to all the action - and his memories are so vivid yet understated, we are indeed fortunate that he is sharing them with us. Thanks also to you for making them accessible. I remember you as a a darkhaired shy little boy. You were lively and active. My sister Christine is still in touch with Monique Walravens. I am a much worse corespondent. If you ever cross the Atlantic, do come to see us. Graham and I have never been to Belgium, but are Belgian friends are encouraging us to do so. Maybe one day...

With greetings to you and yours ,and of course, Pere Hanquet,

Gay Talbot Stratford

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: SUCCESSFUL GETAWAY - and historian making oral history of Weihsien

Date: samedi 30 novembre 2002 17:25

Reply from Gladys Hubbard Swift - It would help me if all email writers would preface their comments with their name so I know who is talking.

Since all these emails are headed "weihsien@topica.com" I am confused as to who is the writer. Has ihollister@aol.com gotten onto this list yet?

Margaret Hollister, son Paul and g'children are going to Peking and Weihsien/Weifang in June and want to be on this list, getting information and history. If not on, please contact them.

De: "John de Zutter" <jjdz@optonline.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: RE: Chinese TV Documentary Crew's Visit and a New Weihsien Web Site

Date: dimanche 1 décembre 2002 18:29

The "almost-finished" web site is great.

Thanks much for taking the time and effort to put it together.

John de Zutter

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Cc: <rswmenzi@hotmail.com>

Objet: RE Weihsien Web Site

Date: lundi 2 décembre 2002 0:14

I'm glad you like the Weihsien web site, John. We will be happy to get any ideas you might have for additional features, beyond the ones we have already mentioned.

If there's really going to be a reunion next Fall and a Chinese TV documentary, then there will be a lot more people who hear about Weihsien and become interested in it, and we should have a really spectacular web site for them to visit. So please send us your ideas and we'll see what we can do between now and next Fall. (This applies to everyone in the group.)

De: "Greg Leck" <gregleck@epix.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Weihsien Account

Date: lundi 2 décembre 2002 3:17

I recently returned from a research trip to the UK where I read an account of Weihsien.

There were two anecdotes which I thought I would ask others about. The first seems very feasible but I think the second is utter nonsense and probably the work of an over active imagination.

"The Japanese would sometimes cut electricity during concerts or plays. Tiny homemade peanut oil lamps used to provide light at these times and during night when lights were extinguished."

This sounds vindictive on the part of the Japnanese. The account describes how electricians would scamper all over, looking for the source of the problem, but it was always in the Japanese area of the camp where the main switches were. Does anyone else remember this?

"One source of worry to us was the presence of the Chinese 8th Route Army in the vicinity. The Japs never suceeded in eliminating them in spite of several serious attempts to do so. A favorite habit of these guerrillas was to catch the Jap sentries standing asleep against the trees in the camp.

Then would noiselessly climb down from the camp wall where they had been watching in the darkness and cut the sentry's throat. It was a terrifying sound at first to those living near the outer wall but we grew hardened and callous in time. On hearing this frozen scream we would slide out of bed and prop a trunk against the door lest the guerrilla, being chased, seek safety in our room and the Japs shoot it out with him, with ourselves inside. Not a pleasant thing to contemplate. We were rather afraid that the Japs would implicate us in these killings but fortunately they never did."

This seems very implausible to me. First, you cannot scream if your throat is cut. Second, I have read many accounts and not one mentions anything like this.

Greg

De: "Joyce Cook" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien Account

Date: lundi 2 décembre 2002 5:30

Dear Greg. I must say that I cannot remember anything about either anecdote referred to in your message. I do recall my mother telling me she heard a scream outside the wall in our block 2 when a Chinese black marketer accidentally came into contact with the electric wire.I do not know whether he survived the shock or not. She told us this in the camp at the time and later in Australia sometimes mentioned it. I do remember the peanut oil lamps but I only recall using them after lights out at 10pm. I think at first we had lights out at 9pm but later it was extended it to 10pm. Regards

Joyce Bradbury.

De: "Fred Dreggs" <dreggs@powerup.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien Account

Date: lundi 2 décembre 2002 6:22

I agree 100% with Joyce Cook's(now Bradbury) response in that the story you mention is UTTER tripe. Yes, we did use peanut oil lamps after hours, I particularly remember studying by that dim light after 10.pm cramming for my final school exam late 1944. As a matter of interest my final result was sent to the Cambridge University's Overseas Board for assessment and I did matriculate and have a Cambridge Uni. Certificate as a memento somewhere in my archives. Thanks to Peanut oil. Coral and I still use it as our main cooking oil because we like it! So much for more Weihsien trivia.

Fred

De: "Greg Leck" <gregleck@epix.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: RE: Weihsien Account

Date: lundi 2 décembre 2002 15:48

Another account mentioned how the author and a few others missed the parachute landings because they were inside taking an exam for school. It may have even been the Cambridge exam.

It went on to describe how permission had to be obtained to cross a creek to hunt for frogs for dissection purposes, which the Japanese considered a barbaric practice!

Greg

De: "Ron Bridge" <rwbridge@freeuk.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien Account

Date: lundi 2 décembre 2002 21:35

Greg,

Can not comment on that all those storied seem far fetched. Unlikely that any exams were being sat as in was August the School year at that time ended in December and any exams were

taken June or December.

As to crossing a Creek for frogs no creek inside the camp, no one allowed outside until the war ended, and then had possibly check out from the gate with guard on duty who was Japanese under US command. There was a small creek about 200 yards in front of the camp on other side of the road which flowed through a village which I and others walked to more than once. Peanut oil

lamps did exist but again this is fanciful.

Rgds

Ron

PS I answered this before I read the other responses that you have had.

There is a lot of fable out there.

De: "David Beard" <beard@xtra.co.nz>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien Account

Date: lundi 2 décembre 2002 23:15

Greg,

Just to set the record straight, the Chefoo Schools 6th form was cramming for EARLY Oxford examinations on the day Camp was liberated. I was one of those 'swotters' and was fortunate to see, out of the window, the fantastic sight which I'll never forget of the parachutists baling out of the B 24 Liberator. There wasn't any more swotting for exams that day, to be sure, but the ensuing two weeks required a lot of self-discipline to complete our cramming while the rest of you enjoyed the fun. I'm glad to say that all but one of our group passed the exams successfully. And I did get a taste of the excitement out on the field where the parachute drops were made, getting out on the very last day. It turned out to be one of the scariest days of my life. After the last drop made by the B29s, one lone bomber wheeled around with its final load, just as some of us were out in the middle of the drop site. It roared over, bomb racks wide open, while I was making a tropistic

beeline for a nearby tree! Gee, it was scary!

David Beard

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Weihsien Account

Date: mardi 3 décembre 2002 3:09

Hello, Greg,

I've never before heard of either of your two stories -- Japanese turning off the electricity during the prisoner dramas or Chinese slitting the throats of sleeping Japanese guards. But peanut oil lamps -- yes, we certainly used peanut oil and cotton wick lamps at night. I remember well lighting the Chefoo School Lower School Dormitory (LSD) in hospital with the peanut oil lamps .

The account of students missing the Americans parachuting to liberate the camp because they were studying for exams is quite possible. In August of 1943, eleven 6th Form students of the Chefoo School took their Oxford exams -- and passed. In 1944, my sister Kathleen and her 13 classmates took their Oxfords. They all passed. In August 1945, eleven more sat for their Oxfords. Nine passed. And when the war was over, Oxford University confirmed the results.

I have read before that a Chinese black marketeer was killed on the camp wall.

Who is the source for these memories?

In our Lower School Dormitory we had an old hand-crank gramaphone and two songs which we played over and over again: Harry Lauder singing A'Roamin' in the gloamin with a lassie by my side" and "Go to sleep, my dusky baby; sleepy-sleep, my angel baby, tell your mammy rest a little while." Those songs still sing in my head.

Mary Previte

De: "Greg Leck" <gregleck@epix.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: RE: Weihsien Account

Date: mardi 3 décembre 2002 3:19

The Weihsien account I read was written by Dorothy Potter, who worked in the sewing room.

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: RE: Weihsien Account

Date: mardi 3 décembre 2002 4:32

Where did you find Dorothy Potter's account. Was it published, and if so under what title?

De: "Joyce Cook" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien Account

Date: mardi 3 décembre 2002 7:54

>From Bob Bradbury, Joyce's husband. I would like to make a small contribution to Topica, viz, As a young boy living in Sydney in the mid nineteen thirties I too remember an old gramophone playing Harry Lauder Roamin' in the Gloamin. I think everybody had that record. We also had someone singing, "Where does daddy go when he goes out - you may as well ask where does the fire go when it goes out." Ah, memories. Keep up the Topica reminiscences and we are very keenly watching the developments on the suggested Weihsien re-union. It will be our second trip there since Joyce was liberated. Bob Bradbury.

De: "Leonard Mostaert" <mostaert@hinet.net.au>

À: "TOPICA" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Tipton

Date: mardi 3 décembre 2002 10:49

Tipton lived just behind us in block 52, and my Mother, with others used to have lessons in Chinese from him. When Tipton went over the wall, my Mother disconsolate..... who is to give her Chinese lessons now ? Everybody reacts in different ways.

We were in block 53, and had our place during roll call in front of our block. My father was the Jap translator for our section, and walked with the guard so that he could explain anything in Japanese. The morning after the escape of Tipton and Hummel, I was very anxious to see what would happen as the guard and my Father got to the spot where Tipton should have been.....a lot of hand waving went on, yells and the stamping of feet, then my Father started miming the "going over the wall" signs. We all laughed at that which made the guard absolutely red with rage, I thought that something terrible would happen to my Father. The guard then just spun around and rushed off with as much dignity as he could muster, leaving Father standing there and not knowing just what to do. We waited a very long time after that, and eventually everything was sorted out.

It's amazing how much does come back if you really try.

Leonard Mostaert No. 248

De: "Natasha Petersen" <natasha@roanoke.infi.net>

À: "weihsien" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: addition

Date: mardi 3 décembre 2002 15:16

We have a new subscriber Marjorie McLorn Bull. m.bull@sympatico.ca Marjorie was interned with her parents, grandparents, brother and sister. I am sure that many of you will remember her.

Natasha

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: Re: web site

Date: mardi 3 décembre 2002 17:16

Thanks for the material. We will try to add it to the download list.

You're doing great work!

At 10:37 AM 12/2/02 +0100, you wrote:

>Hello Donald,

>I just finished printing the latest edition of the Weihsien gazette for Father Hanquet and I'll try and get it a.s.a.p. in his letter box. He told >us something about that famous "main switch" and it would be great if he >could write us a story about that. He writes in French, and I get it into >English. (Hope I don't make too many mistakes !!)

>Included, is the zip-file of all I sent so far to Father Hanquet. (after >oct.25th) Could it be possible for you to include that on the >Weihsien.Menzi-web site for all who would like to download it. (???)

>Best regards,

>Leopold

De: "Fred Dreggs" <dreggs@powerup.com.au>

À: "Ex Internees" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Greetings

Date: samedi 7 décembre 2002 5:02

ca To all ex-Weihsien internees who subscribe to Topica.

A MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

FRED (ALFIE) DREGGS

De: "Natasha Petersen" <natasha@roanoke.infi.net>

À: "weihsien" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: HELP

Date: samedi 7 décembre 2002 19:03

I went to the website - weihsien.menzi.org and tried to print the Wilder pictures. When I zoom in and print, the whole pictures narrows and becomes unnaturally elongated. What am I not doing? Your help will be greatly appreciated. I have copies of these that I ordered several months ago, but want these for Joan Walle Eglis (Tsingtao)

Natasha

De: "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Fw: Decmber 7

Date: dimanche 8 décembre 2002 2:14

----- Original Message -----

From: Alison Holmes

To: weihsien@topica.com

Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2002 11:51 AM

Subject: Decmber 7

Good morning everybody this December 7th. Has this amazing collection of memory keepers any stories to tell about the bombing of Pearl Harbour and the entry of the United States into the war? I am also interested in whether with all our rejoicings at the end of the war we were aware of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and if we had any idea of how horrific an act that was. Does our collective memory draw any conclusions about war and have we any collective wisdom to spread at this moment of poise before engaging in yet another? I look forward to any thoughts shared. Even grandchildren may have stories and conclusions handed down by old Weihsieners. It seems important to me that we should not just dwell in the past but bring those lessons forward for the future. May this holiday season be one where peace is not just devoutly wished for but understood in all its dynamism! Thank you, everyone! Alison

De: "Joyce Cook" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Greetings

Date: dimanche 8 décembre 2002 6:57

Thanks Fred Dreggs and all at Topica.

Thank you for your kind wishes and I would like to respond by wishing everybody the same.

Joyce Bradbury

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Memories of December 7

Date: dimanche 8 décembre 2002 19:30

Hello, Everybody:

I remembered the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor a few days early by telling our miracle story to a group of Senior citizens at the local Roman Catholic Church. With Seniors, I usually start with a question: "Do you remember where you were on December 7, 1941?"

Out pours the most astonishing detail of exactly were they were that Sunday morning in the United States when they heard the news about the attack more than 60 years ago. "I was scrubbing the kitchen floor." "I was with my fiancé in a restaurant. As we left, all the waitresses were showing extra kindness to the young men, helping them on with their coats -- as if they might never see these boys again." "I was in the ballpark in New York when the public address system announced that all men in the military service were to report immediately to their bases."

This week the group added a new dimension to the discussion: "Those of us who have seen war are not so quick to want to jump into it again."

Frequently after I speak, old timers who served in the Pacific tell me that when America bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they themselves were poised to invade Japan.

Do you Chefoo students remember after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese bringing a Shinto priest onto the ballfield of the Chefoo School and doing a ceremony that said that our school now belonged to the great Emperor of Japan?

Remember their pasting paper seals with Japanese writing on the desks, chairs, equipment, saying that all of it now belonged to the Emperor of Japan. And remember the arm bands they made us wear -- with "A" for American and "B" for British? Remember what we children called "YAH" practice, when they suited up with padded body armor and face masks and practiced bayonet attacks on each other near the front gate to the school? Suddenly we were prisoners.

The attack on Pearl Harbor changed all of our lives for ever.

Mary Previte

De: "Gay Talbot Stratford" <stillbrk@eagle.ca>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Greetings

Date: dimanche 8 décembre 2002 21:30

Me too. May peace begin with each one of us.

Gay Talbot Stratford

De: "Joyce Cook" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Memories of December 7.

Date: mardi 10 décembre 2002 5:27

Dear Mary Previte.

I too remember where I was when the news of Pearl Harbor came over the radio spoken by Carol Alcott an American radio announcer in Shanghai. I was 13 years of age in Tsingtao and within an hour we were visited at our home by Jap Officers and immediately put under house arrest. I still have my "B" (British) armband and I show it to my audiences during addresses I give to various organisations in and around Sydney as often as three times a week. A photograph of that is also shown in my book "Forgiven But Not Forgotten"

As you are well aware we were not rescued until 17th August 1945, two days after the war ended. I also well remember the Sixth Division Marines coming to Tsingtao from Guam and Okinawa. Their OC General Shepherd and later General Clements became quite friendly with our family whilst their Marines were protecting our part of China for some time after the war. I believe these marines had been scheduled to participate in the invasion of Japan. No doubt many of these men were, like myself grateful that the war ended so suddenly and dramatically as many would not have survived. I also believe that the Sixth Marine Division was the only marine division that did not actually serve in USA as it was formed during the war on either Okinawa or Guam. One USA serviceman with whom my family became friendly, Bill Perez, a Walt Disney cartoonist, drew the Big Bad Wolf for my brother Eddie and he still has the drawing in his autograph book. These Topica reminiscences certainly jog my memory. Please keep it up. Happy Christmas to all. Joyce Bradbury

De: "David Birch" <gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Greetings

Date: mercredi 11 décembre 2002 20:01

Warmest greetings to you too, Fred, and all other Weihsien@topica.com subscribers! May God bless you richly and give you a HAPPY CHRISTMAS and the BEST NEW YEAR yet!

Sincerely,

David Birch

De: "Iain Macpherson" <IMaccrosho@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: China List from The Old Bookroom

Date: jeudi 12 décembre 2002 11:18

Dear Mr Menzi,

I have tried to open the web site you mention, www.weihsien.menzi.org, without success. Have I got the address right? Perhaps you could post it as a link so as to eliminate any typing errors on my part.

Many thanks,

Iain Macpherson

De: "Natasha Petersen" <natasha@roanoke.infi.net>

À: "weihsien" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Greetings

Date: jeudi 12 décembre 2002 20:19

I WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS, A GREAT NEW YEAR, AND A HAPPY (PAST) HANNUKAH (sp?)

Natasha

De: "Mimi Kent" <meemsterama@hotmail.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Cc: <viriditas@earthlink.net>

Objet: An introduction

Date: jeudi 12 décembre 2002 20:46

Hello, my name is Mimi Kent and I have been hired, along with Jule Gilfillan, by Pedro Loureiro of Pamona College and Dr. Liu Xun to produce an oral history of the Weihsien internment camp. I have read many of the postings in your chat room, and I am looking forward to speaking with the internees who are willing to tell their stories for this important oral history project. Thank you for allowing me to introduce myself and wishing you all a peaceful, happy holiday.

Mimi Kent

meemsterama@hotmail.com

De: "Jule Gilfillan" <seraphpix@earthlink.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: An introduction

Date: jeudi 12 décembre 2002 21:05

Argh! I was going to post my peace/christmas message first! You are sooo quick, baby! Oh well... here we go!

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: An introduction

Date: jeudi 12 décembre 2002 21:27

I would be glad to speak with Mimi Kent about our time in Weihsien.

~Dwight W. Whipple

Telephone: 360.456.4300

De: "Jule Gilfillan" <seraphpix@earthlink.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Peace on Earth and Christmas Greetings

Date: jeudi 12 décembre 2002 21:33

Dear Members of the Weihsien Discussion list,

I have been so grateful to have stumbled upon your site. As I told Natasha Peterson earlier, I was fortunate enough to have been given a copy of COURTYARD OF THE HAPPY WAY, and then SHANDONG COMPOUND by a friend, and as a student of Chinese studies, was immediately fascinated.

Over the last month, I have read your postings with great interest, frequently moved by the memories and stories. During this season when the issues of peace and goodwill on Earth are in all our hearts, your recent postings on PEACE have been especially effecting. For those of us who have grown up in the relative peace and prosperity of contemporary America, I think it's very important to hear the wisdom of a generation who lived through and experienced the terrors of war first hand. I am so happy to be able to assist Ms. Kent in Dr. Loureiro's and Dr. Liu's oral history project, and to help bring your voices and stories to a broader community.

I look forward to hearing your stories in the future and would like to echo the wish of a peaceful and happy Christmas to all.

Jule Gilfillan

PS. If this has been sent twice, my apologies... I seem to have accidentally unsubscribed a second ago!

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Greetings

Date: jeudi 12 décembre 2002 22:31

Thanks, got your greetings this time! Hanukkah is the correct spelling, although there are some alternates.

~Dwight & Judy Whipple

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Can you believe this!

Date: vendredi 13 décembre 2002 2:21

Hello, Everybody,

Here's a letter from a New Jersey lady who contacted me after she read an tribute I wrote about our Weihsien heroes to celebrate our liberation day this August. We've been e-mailing back and forth -- especially after she told me her father had been stationed in China during World War II.

You with the Hugh Hubbard and Jesuit priests connections will be fascinated at this e-mail letter she wrote me today. Who of you returned to Peking after we were liberated?> You may know this man. I've asked her for her father's name and military unit.

Here's her letter:

Dear Mary,

I spoke to my Dad on the phone last night and when I told him about you, he said, "She wasn't at Weihsien Camp was she?!" He said he met a lot of people who had been released from various camps, most definitely including Weihsien!

In September 1945 he was on leave and went to Peking, where he took classes at the Chinese Language

School, which had a rooming house. Many of the others living there were recently released from Weihsien! He recalled that they were happy to see American GIs, and "considered us all heroes who came to China.

They thanked us for liberating them." He wanted to know if you knew Mrs. Hugh Hubbard, whose husband introduced basketball to China. There was also a Jesuit priest, a fellow stamp collector like my Dad.

Best wishes,

Amy

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Greetings

Date: vendredi 13 décembre 2002 9:17

>From Belgium, a tiny little land shaped like a great huge heart in the middle of Europe we send you our best wishes of health and happiness for the new-coming year.

50°40'24"North. & 04°40'09"East

Leopold.

Cher Père Hanquet,

Voici la suite de la gazette. Vos textes font des merveilles.

Je me sens parfois comme un gamin de quatre ans (l’âge que j’avais en 1945) avec ses grands yeux tournés vers son aîné : « Racontez-nous encore des histoires, mon Père ! »

Bien amicalement,

Léopold

De: "Natasha Petersen" <natasha@roanoke.infi.net>

À: "weihsien" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: new subscribers

Date: vendredi 13 décembre 2002 19:01

Jule Gilfillan seraphpix@earthlink.net

Mimi Kent meemsterama@hotmail.com

For info on the above -check today's messages

Paul Hollister phollister@dbllp.com

per request of Donald Menzi

I am sure all Weihsieners wish Jule and Mimi good luck with their project. I am looking forward to seeing the final product. God Speed.

Natasha

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: China List from The Old Bookroom

Date: vendredi 13 décembre 2002 21:18

Leave out the www. and you'll get there.

At 05:17 AM 12/12/02 -0500, you wrote:

>Dear Mr Menzi,

>I have tried to open the web site you mention, www.weihsien.menzi.org ,

>without success. Have I got the address right? Perhaps you could post it as

>a link so as to eliminate any typing errors on my part.

>

>Many thanks,

>Iain Macpherson

>

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: An introduction

Date: vendredi 13 décembre 2002 21:27

It's great that you're doing this.

For a visual tour of the camp, go to weihsien.menzi.org -- without the www prefix.

De: "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: An introduction

Date: vendredi 13 décembre 2002 22:33

Dear Donald,

It certainly helped to leave of the www! But nothing came up when I clicked on the headings. Was I being too impatient? Should I have waited longer?

I am glad that there is an oral history being done and would certainly be happy to talk to any of the researchers, though I wonder if thee will be many more exciting tales than we have already recounted, I talked to a Chinese friend of mine and he says the government of the People’s Republic should be paying for our gathering together next year! I like that idea. I certainly could not afford to go unless there was a large subsidy. Given that there are so few of the buildings left it would be hard to get a good documentary, I think. Even though Block 23 had become a middle school, it still gave us the view that we remembered, with tears, to the surprise of the secretaries in the office. The actual block that we lived in was pulled down, though the next block was there in total disarray. We were glad to be invited in to one of the original sized rooms by a delightful young woman and her mother and were amazed to think that six of us had lived in two of those rooms for years. Perhaps I should get some of our photos of that trip scanned and add them to the site.

Thank you to those of you who have responded to my inquiry about both the beginnin and end of the war. I repeat that we need to understand what war and peace are about. Reminiscences are good, thinking is even better! I remember a quotation from Hitler ""What good fortune for governments, that the people do not think" God bless us all.

And a happy Christmas and holiday season to everyone.

Alison Martin Holmes

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Does anyone remember this America serviceman in Peking?

Date: samedi 14 décembre 2002 4:05

Hello, Everybody:

Does anyone on our network remember and American signalman in Peking named Lee H. Hill? He says he met quite a few recently-released Weihsien internees in Peking just after the war ended -- including Hugh Hubbard and a Belgian Jesuit priest named Ignate Rybens. Here's information his daughter sent me about him:

My Dad's name is Lee H. Hill, Jr. As a freshman at Cornell University in the fall of 1942, he joined the Army Reserve. His initial training at Cornell was with horse-drawn artillery!

He was called to active duty as a private at the end of his freshman year, at a time when it was illegal to draft boys of his age (19). He was sent to the Army Specialized Training Program ("College") at Mississippi State in Starkville. After one term there the army realized these men were needed "with the troops." As an advanced student, he was sent to the Signal Corps for further communications training. He completed advanced Army Signal Corps training at Camp Crowder, Missouri and qualified for the coveted "777" classification -- high speed radio operator. In the summer of 1944 he was sent via the Red Ball Express to China.

He was a sergeant in Company B of the Army's 835th Signal Service Battalion, which was later called the 3102nd and then the 3198th.

Dad had been an Eagle Scout and a member of First United Methodist Church of Wauwatosa, Wis. He is an only child and promised his mother that he would be "a good boy" while he was in the Army. He may be remembered as the American sergeant who was a stamp collector extraordinaire. (He made many friends and contacts through his lifelong, beloved hobby of stamp collecting.) Among those he recalls as a fellow stamp collector was the Jesuit priest -- Ignate Rybens -- from Weihsien.

I just told my Dad on the phone that you remember Hugh Hubbard and he was quite amazed!

-- Amy

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Cheer up !

Date: samedi 14 décembre 2002 11:10

>From Father Hanquet,

a translation from French into English ---

CHEER-UP

With the coming of the first winter in camp, we experienced the monotony of the long, endless evenings. The Sun was more generous than in Europe though, but it went down early and the long cold evenings began without radio and without TV. Television didn’t even exist in the old days!

For all those who had nothing special to do, the only distractions available were; reading of books, walking around, or visiting friends and neighbours. As for book reading, we had a small library with various books brought into camp by the different groups of prisoners that came from Peking or Tientsin or elsewhere. There wasn’t a fantastic choice, but, I must however tell you that I read a great deal of books all about life in China and also about Chinese history.

Besides reading, the few possible occupations, were visiting friends and neighbours, singing and theatre activities.

About visiting: we had to find enough space to greet our friends in the little rooms where the only suitable seat was the bed next to the one you were already sitting on. There was always somebody around to listen to whatever confidence that you might be telling. That was why those visits were very rare, rather brief and had, for major purposes, the request of a favour.

As time went on and people got to know each other better, and becoming friendlier, it was customary to have birthday parties. The Mothers did marvels in the baking of cookies without eggs or butter!

We had concerts.

Those concerts, in the “sing-song” style were performed two or three times every winter and gave a little joy and beauty in our otherwise boring existence. Those concerts and recitals, of course, had to be meticulously prepared and we used and abused our local artists’ talents. Percy Glee (?) was one of those precious artists. He was an excellent pianist and sung with the wonderful voice of a tenor. He was also able to conduct a choir. Thanks to that, we became more familiar with English folk music, folk songs, as well as with Negro spirituals. The song that was highest in rank on the hit parade during those days was: “God Bless America”, it was a song that warmed up our spirits and pride and gave us the energy to go on. Everybody learned the words.

We had plays.

Theatre had no lack of artists and more than once did the little groups of our younger folks prepare their performances with great care and meticulousness.

They recited poems or performed in short plays. Some even adventured themselves in giving a full recital.

But the musts, was by no contest, the performance of the Bernard Shaw’s classic, “Androcles and the Lion”. I must tell you about that, for I was closely involved in the adventure. The promoter and director of the play, lived in the same bloc as mine, but on the first floor. His name was Arthur P. and shared a room with Larry Tipton. He was a fine and distinguished Englishman, not very tall, with a soft voice and intelligent conversation. We were neighbours, and as “warden” of Bloc n° 56 I often had the opportunity of talking to him without ever really being his friend for as much. That is why he hesitatingly asked me - maybe due to my sacerdotal condition - that he allowed himself to take the risk to invite me to take a part in his project, as well as Father Palmers, to play the role of a Roman soldier!! I re-assured him of our complete collaboration. That is the reason why I still have an accurate memory of my Roman soldier outfit. It had been carefully assembled at the repair-shop by the means of many tin cans that had been flattened and assembled together to finally take the shape of a helmet and a breastplate that fit us perfectly. To give more reality to the looks of our legs and arms that were of course all white, we painted them with potassium permanganate that got us all bronzed up. For only a few days though.

Nero appeared in all his majesty with his laurel crown and draped in a white cloth surrounded closely by his courtesans chosen amongst the prettiest women of the camp, dressed in green and rose gowns confectioned by the means of old curtains. Two gladiators armed with nets were trying to hold Androcles as their prisoner.

The show was a great success and we even had to do an encore to be able to satisfy all those who wanted to see it. A few weeks later, when the American parachutists came into camp we even had the honour to perform the play once again for them.

E. Hanquet.

De: "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Cheer up !

Date: samedi 14 décembre 2002 17:42

What a delight to have Father Hanquet's reminiscences! I loved to hear the details of the costume...that must have given entertainment and employment and imagination to all who worked on making it and putting on the play. How valuable the human spirit which finds ways to bring freedom in imprisonment, laughter in times of fear and boredom, and education, moral education, for the young who could see the difference between a positive, conscious approach to life and service and that of others. My father had a lot to do with putting on concerts, story tellings, puppet shows. I think he was probably the one who gave some of the lectures on Chinese civilization and history that Father Hanquet heard. He also spoke about his beloved Herodotus and Plato's Republic and others of his favourite books. (Much later under the communists, waiting to deliver a message to the officials, he sat in a ditch on a cold bright winter's day reading Herodotus and felt like a millionaire) How many of us remember the pantomime Dick Whittington? Music was always important, the hymns and songs, the Salvation Army band, the jazz band. What power music has to lift the spirits. What a test of people's essence this time was and how well they rose! Thank you Father Hanquet!

Leopold, do you know who the Belgian boy was who was so terrified by looking into the morgue and seeing the wind blowing the cloth over the coffin? He was sure the body was alive...but he could not escape because he got stuck in the window frame. What a horror! And one tiny question....are you going to ZIP up the correspondence every six months? This is such a gift that you have made for us. Thank you!

Alison Martin Holmes.

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Cheer up !

Date: samedi 14 décembre 2002 19:08

Hello,

--- yes, of course, I will send you (and those who asked) the latest "zip" at the end of December, and it will be with pleasure. Donald Menzi, I think, has a project to include them on his web site. The technical side of the solution is still a mystery for me. I did buy a book about HTML language, but I have to read it first. !! --- and Father Hanquet lent me a few books about China I would also like to read .

Best regards,

Leopold

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: An introduction

Date: samedi 14 décembre 2002 22:17

I have changed the host information so you can now get to the "weihsien.menzi.org" site either with the prefix www. or without it. I'm only learning how to do all this, so I hadn't realized that I had to specify both routes as alternatives.

Also, please be aware that it may take a few minutes for all of the files to download to your computer, and until they are all there it will seem like nothing is happening when you click on the two galleries or downloads. (Don't click on the top headings "Galleries and "Downloads" but on the items listed below them.) I've asked Richard to put a note be patient on the first page when he makes other changes to the site.

If any of you have pictures or text that they would like to add to this site, please email them to me -- pictures as jpeg files and text in MS Word format. I myself plan to add Wilder's and Galt's descriptions of the trip back to New York from Weihsien -- two very different approaches to the same voyage.

By the way, there are two other email groups that some of you might be interested in: NCAS-PAS@topica.com for people associated with the North China American School in Tungchou or the Peking American School in (obviously) Peking, and china-info@yahoogroups.com , a general purpose site for people with an interest in China that seems to be populated mostly by young people who have traveled or are planning to travel there.

I asked the latter group if any of them could confirm a statement in my Aunt Ursula's memoirs that Hugh Hubbard was the one responsible for introducing basketball to China. Maybe Gladys Swift, Hugh's daughter, can shed some light on that question. If so, he would be a huge hero to today's Chinese youth, who seem to be even more "into" the NBA than we are here.

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Does anyone remember this America serviceman in Peking?

Date: samedi 14 décembre 2002 22:22

More than remembering Hugh Hubbard, did you tell him the Hugh's daughter, Gladys, is a member of the group?

Ask him if he also met my Uncle, Durand Wilder in Peking after the war. He was in military intelligence, and their paths probably did not cross, but I have some interesting letters he wrote from Peking in 1945 if anyone is interested.

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: An introduction

Date: dimanche 15 décembre 2002 2:13

Reply from Gladys Hubbard Swift - OF COURSE MY FATHER INTRODUCED BASKETBALL INTO CHINA! I have a picture of him with a team of Chinese basketball players in their long queus (pigtails), circa 1908, when he went to China under the YMCA to teach athletics in Tientsin. His boss was John Hersey and Arthur Hersey's father (can't remember his first name). Father taught baseball as well as basketball, maybe the first team of baseball players, too. If anyone wants to see this "huge hero" with the first basketball team, I could send a copy. (But I can't email the picture!)

De: "Gladys Swift" <glaswift@cstone.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Can you believe this!

Date: dimanche 15 décembre 2002 2:13

Reply to Amy from Gladys Hubbard Swift - Mrs. Hugh Hubbard "whose husband introduced basketball to China" under the YMCA in Tientsin, was my mother (Mabel). I wonder how your father met her? My father after release from Weihsien was among the first to go from Weihsien back to Beijing. He was asked to check on American Board (Congregational) mission property for the Board but I thought Mother went from Weihsien directly to the U.S.? In fact she came to my home in New York City. Tell me more, Amy. My father was an avid stamp collector of Chinese stamps, wrote a booklet on early Chinese Communist stamps, and may likely have helped your Dad with some Chinese stamps.

>

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Cheer up !

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 3:16

What a fascinating account, Father Hanquet! Please, please keep writing these memories for us.

Mary Previte

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Holiday greeting to the heroes who rescued Weihsien

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 3:57

Hello, Everybody:

If you'd like to send a holiday card to the heroes or (widows of the heroes) who liberated Weihsien, here are current addresses:

Helen Hanchulak, Widow of Raymond Hanchulak-- medic

P.O. Box 4

243 Laurie Lane

Bear Creek Village, PA 18602

James J. Hannon

P. O Box 1376,

Yucca Valley, CA 92286

James W. Moore

9605 Robin Song Street

Dallas, Texas 75243

Tad Nagaki

5851 Logan Road, Alliance, NE 69301

Carol Orlich Widow of Peter Orlich, radio operator

15727 20th Road

Whiteston, N.Y. 11357

Stanley A. Staiger (Major Staiger died this year)

Mary T. Previte

De: "Christine Talbot Sancton" <sancton@nbnet.nb.ca>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Father Hanquet.

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 4:14

It was so interesting to read Father's latest contribution.

A few years ago I put together the recipes my mother had collected while in Weihsien. I can send them to those who want to see them. I have not tested any of them though so cannot vouch for them. However, my mother, Ida Talbot, due to her experience in Camp, was an excellent cook and able to make anything taste good with the minimum of ingredients.

I wonder if others have recipes from those days.

Regards, Christine Talbot Sancton

De: "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Father Hanquet.

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 5:59

I would love to see the recipes, Christine! Thank you so much for offering them. Alison

De: "Dwight W. Whipple" <thewhipples@attbi.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Father Hanquet.

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 7:34

Hi Christine! We, too, would like the recipes. Can you send them via topica? Or do you need to send them via personal email? If so, please send them to us at thewhipples@attbi.com

Thanks

~Dwight & Judy Whipple

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Father Hanquet.

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 9:33

Hello,

My cooking skills are lower than zero-level --- but Nicky, my wife is number

one cook in the house and very talented too. Yes, we would like to have a

copy of the receipts you mention in your mail. Are they photocopies or

e-mails?

I'm sure Father Hanquet will be interested --- he was in kitchen number one

for quite a while during our 873 camp days !!

All the best,

Leopold

De: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Have I ever been afraid in camp ?

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 13:34

From Father Hanquet,

--- a translation from French into English ---

Have I ever been afraid in camp ?

As an answer to Mary Previte's question, I believe that once or twice, I feared reprisals from the Japanese guards, and for that, yes, I was afraid that something nasty could happen to me. I specially remember this little adventure that finally had a favourable outcome though it could have sent me directly to jail for several days if ever I got caught red handed.

You all know of the food shortage problems and how much we suffered from the lack of primary food necessities such as, oil, eggs and sugar. Sugar was in great demand by the children's parents who tried getting small provisions through the black market. We, adults, were quite accustomed to the shortage of sugar.

That is the reason why my friend C.B. made an inquiry to find out where exactly the Japanese stored the bags of sugar. In precisely which house in the compound it was kept, and when he finally had this valuable information, he decided to act immediately.

To act quickly, he needed an accomplice to watch our side of the compound wall while he was on the other side, in the Japanese quarters, rigorously reserved to the Japanese and them alone. Another problem to resolve, was the hiding of the precious sugar before transferring it into little bags for the few families who had asked for it.

Just outside our quarters, (bloc n°56) there was, in a small garden, a dry well which must have been dug in the past years for keeping vegetables during the winters. That was an ideal place for our sugar. Safe and discreet.

So, on one autumn evening when darkness fell around us, my friend made a rendezvous with me near the wall, just behind the Japanese accommodations. I was watching while he was on the other side. I walked to and fro, trying to make believe I was just a passer by. After what seemed to be a long time, I saw a head emerging just above the wall, and all of a sudden I had in my arms, a whole bag of sugar of 10 kilos. It was quickly hidden in an old jacket and off we went to bloc n°56 to hide, the old jacket with the sugar in the well. We didn't meet anybody on the way.

The following days, C.B. made a few nightly visits to our little garden, taking in tiny bags, small amounts of the precious sugar to those who needed it.

I would like to add a comment about "scrounging" in camp. You can only imagine how we felt, as civilians, rounded-up, imprisoned behind walls and guarded by armed Japanese soldiers. To pinch away something from them was not an act of stealing, it was just a correct return of what they had taken from us.

E. Hanquet.

De: "sancton" <sancton@nbnet.nb.ca>

À: <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: Weihsien recipes.

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 12:47

Dear Leopold: hope that these turn out well for your wife.

Does Father Hanquet remember my parents: Ida and Sid Talbot. We may be in

Brussels next May visitng Monique Walravens. Perhaps we will have a chance

to meet him.

Regards and blessings of the festive season to you and your family.

Thank you for zipping those files.

Christine Talbot Sancton

Weihsien

Recipes

Collected by Ida Talbot

In

Weihsien

Shantung Province

China

1943-45

Table of contents.

Basic Cake Mixture

Blitz Torte Filling

Blitz Torte

Camp Puff Pastry

Cheese Spread

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Ice Cream

Cream Puff Pastry

Date Squares

Doughnuts

Egg Flip

Eggless Fruit Cake

Fudge

Ginger Biscuits

Ice Cream

Lemon Ice

Martha Washington Filling

Mocha Icing

Nut Oatmeal Macaroons

Orange Ice

Ordinary Camp Pastry

Ordinary Weihsien Cake

Pastry

Peanut Meringues

Pineapple Ice

Pudding

Quaker Fritters

Rock Cookies

Russian Toffee

Salt Waffle

Scone Mixture

Scotch Broth

Scotch Pancakes

Seven Minute Icing

Steamed Date cake

Tang Hsi Cookies

Tang Hsi Toffee

Tang Tsi Oatmeal Crispies

Tomato Cocktail

Vanilla Mousse

Weihsien Biscuits a la Jean Milne

Weihsien Cake Loaf

Xmas Cake

Date Squares

2/3 cup sifted all purpose flour. 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup dates finely cut

3 eggs well beaten 1 cup nutmeat coarsely cut

1 1/3 tablespoon vinegar

Sift flour once, measure & add baking soda & sift together 3 times. Add sugar slowly to eggs and beat until light and thick, add dates & nuts. Add vinegar. Blend well, add flour & stir until smooth. Turn into 2 greased shallow loaf pans 8x8x2 and bake in moderate oven for 25 minutes. Dust with icing sugar.

Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa (scant) 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oil (scant) 1/2 cup sour milk

1 teaspoon soda 1 egg yolk

2/3 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup boiling water

Mix together & bake in moderate oven.

Icing for above cake:-

1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 tablespoon cocoa 1/2 tablespoon cream or butter

1 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon coffee

Scotch Broth

¼ lb barley, ¼ lb dried peas, ½ lb mutton, 2 or 3 leeks, 2 carrots, 1 turnip,

1 spring cabbage.

Soak barley overnight. Soak peas overnight. Place mutton in roomy saucepan & cover with cold water. Throw in tablespoonful salt, bring to boil. Let simmer at boil for 1 hour. During this hour take leeks, carrots, turnips & cabbage, all chopped up and mix together. Soup must boil for another hour. Grate one raw carrot, keep ready on plate. Chop some parsely put into soup. Then carrot mush and gently stir for 15 minutes.

When ready should be firm but not too thick to stir with ease.

Extract from “ In Search of Scotland”

Weihsien, 28-6-43

Steamed Date Cake

1 ½ cups flour 3 eggs

1 ½ cups breadcrumbs 2 tbs spoon brown sugar

1 pinch salt 1 teasp. bicarb

2 tablespoon oil 30 – 40 dates soaked overnight

cut each into 6 pieces

beat sugar & eggs till stiff. Mix flour, soda, breadcrumbs & dates, add oil to beaten

eggs & beat a little more. Put wet ingredients into dry, if too dry use liquid from steeped

dates. Put into greased tin cover with greased paper, loose but tied tightly around, put in

into pan, boiling pan for 2 ½ hrs, the longer cooked the better.

Mrs W Jamieson 15-7-43

Scotch Pancakes

½ teasp. salt

1 ½ teasp. cream of tartar

1 teasp. Bicarb. of soda

2 eggs

2 table sugar

Melt butter in cup. Dissolve soda in milk. Beat eggs & sugar till stiff. Mix salt &

cream of tartar with flour. When eggs are stiff add butter & milk: then add liquid to

flour beating till smooth. Drop in spoonfuls on a greased pan & cook on both sides till

pale brown.

22-8-43

Mrs W. Jamieson.

Peanut Meringues

3 whites of egg

1 cup peanut

½ cup sugar

Beat whites very stiff & mix in sugar slowly. (add peanuts) Grease pans & drop gobs.

Mrs R. Clay

Weihsien, 1/IX/43

Doughnuts

1 cup sugar 3eggs

4 cups flour well sifted 1 cup milk

4 teasp. baking powder 3 tabsp shortening

1 teasp. vanilla 1 pinch salt

Beat eggs well & add to milk. Beat shortening, sugar & salt together. Sift flour &

B.P.& add alternately with egg mixture to fat & sugar. Add vanilla.

Mrs Morris

13-9-43

Seven Minute Icing

1 unbeaten egg white

7/8 cup granulated sugar

3 tablesps cold water

1/2 teasp vanilla

1/4 teasp baking powder

Method. Put first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Place over boiling water; beat

7 mins or until thick. Take from fire; add flavouring. Beat until thick & nearly cold add

baking powder. Continue to beat till thick enough to spread on cake without running.

Krish Cameron

Weihsien 26/9/43

(Marie Robinson’s)

Mocha Icing.

3 tabs butter 3 cups confectioners sugar

5 tabs cocoa 5 tabs cold strong coffee

1 teas vanilla

Method cream butter, add sugar & cocoa, mixing well. Add coffee slowly beating well.

Add flavouring. Beat till smooth & creamy.

Miss Cameron.

Weihsien 26/9/43

(Marie Robinson’s)

Basic Cake Mixture

Large small

1/2 1/3 cup shortening (4 tabs – 1/4 cup) (1 cup – 1/2 pint)

1- 1/4 1 cup sugar

3 2 eggs

1 1/2 1 teasp vanilla

2 1/4 2 cups flour

3 2 1/2 teasp baking powder

1/4 1/4 teasp salt

2/3 2/3 cup milk

Miss Cameron

Weihsien. 26/9/43

(Marie Robinson)

Fudge

1 tabspoon butter 1 lb sugar

1/2 tin condensed milk little water

Put all in a pan & melt, must boil for 20 mins stirring all the time, remove it from the fire, add teaspoon vanilla, beat it well, pour into buttered tin, mark into squares, eat when cold.

Weihsien 15/X/43

Weihsien Cake Loaf

2 eggs 6 oz sugar

6 oz lard 1 cup chopped dates

½ cup chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cloves

3 teaspoon baking powder 1 teas salt

3 cups flour ½ cup minced orange peel

21/1/44

Salt Waffle

1cup flour 1 cup milk

1 heaped teas. Baking powder ½ melted shortening

pinch salt

Mix ingredients adding b/powder just before placing in waffle iron. Iron must be hot.

5.2.44

Pastry

¼ lb butter

10 tabspoon self-raising flour (or 1 teas. b/powder to 1 cup flour)

2 tabsp. Sugar

1 egg

Beat egg & sugar. Rub butter into flour & mix together with egg & sugar. Little milk or water if necessary.

5.2.44

Quaker Fritters

½ lb quaker oats ¼ lb marg

½ lb sugar teas. almond essence

Melt marg in saucepan. Put in sugar. Mix. Put in oats & mix well. Turn mixture into shallow tin spread evenly. Bake 20 mins, turn upside down on greased paper. Mark with knife & cut when cold.

Betsy Murray

24-3-44

Nut Oatmeal Macaroons

1 egg 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

½ cup sugar ¼ teas. salt

¼ teas. vanilla 2 teas. melted shortening

2/3 cup rolled oats

Beat egg till very light. Add sugar slowly, beating constantly. Add flavouring oats, salt nuts & melted shortening. Drop from teasp. on greased baking sheet & bake in slow oven until brown – 10 mins. Makes about 18

Martha Washington Filling

11/2 cups milk ¼ cup cold cup

1 cup sugar ¼ cup rhum. Brandy

2 tabs flour ½ candied cherries

3 egg yolks ½ citron chopped

2 tabs gelatine 1 cup whipped cream

Scald milk. Add sugar & flour to beaten egg yolks. Add to scalded milk & cook over hot water till eggs are done. Remove from heat. Add gelatine which has been dissolved in cold water. Chill. Add liqueur, beat with rotary beater & chill again. Fold in the fruit & cream into the mixture. Pile between layers of sponge cake & top with whipped cream.

24-3-44

Ginger Biscuits (60)

4 cups flour 2 cups sugar

1 cup oil ginger, Baking powder

Blitz Torte

½ cup shortening 1 teas. b/powder

½ cup sugar 4 egg whites

1/8 teasp salt ¾ sugar

4 egg yolks ½ cup almonds

1 teasp. vanilla 1 tabsp. Sugar

3 tabsp. Milk ½ teas. cinnamon

1 cup flour

Cream shortening. Beat in sugar & salt then egg yolks, vanilla, milk & flour (sifted with b/powder). Spread mixture in 2 round greased cake pans. Beat egg whites until light add ¾ cup sugar gradually & spread on the uncooked mixture. Sprinkle with almonds, sugar & cinnamon & bake in moderate oven about 30 mins - 350°f. Allow to cool & stick together with filling

Blitz Torte Cream Filling

1/3 cup sugar 3 tabs cornstarch

¼ teas. salt 2 egg whites

2 tabs butter 2 cups scalded milk

1 teas. vanilla

Cream butter & sugar, cornstarch, salt & egg yolks. Beat well. Add butter & enough milk to make smooth paste. Add paste to remaining hot milk & cook over boiling water, stirring constantly till mixture thickens. Cool & add vanilla. If desired ½ cup chopped nuts may be added.

24-3-44

Ice Cream

Scald 1 quart of milk with 1 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt, pour on to 6 well beaten eggs; pour into wet saucepan, and stir till it thickens; when cold, flavour well and freeze.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Melt 2 tabs grated chocolate in quarter cup boiling water, mix well with vanilla ice cream and freeze and serve.

Vanilla Mousse

2 cups thick cream 2 egg (whites)

½ cup sugar 1 teas. vanilla

Beat egg whites till stiff with a pinch of salt. Fold in the cream & add sugar. Pour into freezing tray. Freeze without stirring. Serve with fresh fruit.

Lemon or Orange or Pineapple Ice

Mix 4 cups syrup stock add 2 cups. 2 cups orange juice, the juice of 3 lemons, the slightly grated rind of 1 lemon. Freeze & serve.

Pineapple: pare & grate 2 pineapples, add juice of 2 lemons.

Tomato Cocktail

Scoop centers of 26 ripe tomatoes. Turn the tomatoes upside down to drain. Remove seeds, from pulp, chop up. Add to it ½ cup small diced celery, dried apple & dried cucumber. Add 1 tab of Worcestershire Sauce.

Egg Flip

Whisk 1 egg. Place in tumbler. Add good ½ cup of milk, with few drops vanilla & 1 level teaspoon sugar. 1 teaspoon brandy. Mix well through.

Xmas Cake

½ lb butter ¼ lb ground almonds

½ lb flour 1 teasp. ground ginger

½ lb mixed peel teasp. cinnamon

½ lb sultanas 1 tablesp. treacle

¼ lb glacé cherries ¼ oz baking powder

6 ox currants 8 eggs

6 oz raisins 2 oz rice flour

½ lb castor sugar salt

Mix well, bake 2 hrs in moderate oven.

Pudding

2 lbs raisins 1 gill rum

2 lbs currants 2 gill milk

2 lbs sultanas ¾ lb orange peel

2 lbs brown sugar ½ lb citron peel

1 lb flour 2 lbs suet

¾ lb lemon peel 1 lb breadcrumbs

½ lb ground almond 1 lb grated carrots

2 lemons 12 eggs

1 teasp allspice 4 saltspoons nutmeg

1 teasp salt 1 gill brandy

Mix dry ingredients well together. Make well in center, gently pour in well beaten eggs, milk, rum brandy mixing all the while.

7-7-44 address 6-1.

Weihsien Biscuits à la Jean Milne

1 cup flour 1 tablespoon shortening

1 cup oats 4 tablespoon sweetening

¼ moistening, water or milk 2 teaspoons baking powder

Knead, roll out and cut out to shape required.

Ordinary Camp pastry

1 cup flour ¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon soda or baking powder.

Mix as ordinary.

August 1944

Scone Mixture

4 lbs flour 1 heaping tablespoon salt

1 lb sugar 1 lb shortening

4 teaspoons raising agent.

Mix well with water. Handle as little as possible. September1944

Cheese Spread

1 cup grated cheese 2 teasp. flour

1 cup milk 1 flat teasp. made mustard

salt, pepper 1 egg, if available

1 tablesp oil

Heat oil, blend flour with oil, add milk, giving good stir & heat up salt, pepper, mustard, last of all cheese.

4-X1-44

Rock Cookies

2 cups flour 1 cup oats

1 cup dates 3 teasp sugar

½ cup oil

Mix together & bake in moderate oven.

Mrs McDonall

Tang Hsi Cookies

1 ½ cup flour ½ cup tang hsi or molasses

½ cup oil 1 tablespoon sugar

little salt 1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

Put hsi, oil, sugar & egg into bowl and beat well, then add flour until thick consistency,

then drop into well oiled tin. These will spread out into flat disks.

10-X11-44 Mrs Wulfsoln

Camp Puff Pastry

4 lbs flour 8 oz shortening

and 1 lb butter or margarine and water.

Hilda Travis Smith

Russian Toffee

2 teacup sugar 3 oz butter(3 tablesp oil)

1 tin condensed milk 2 tablesp. syrup

1 teacup water vanilla

Melt butter. Add sugar, sugar, syrup, milk, water vanilla.

Boil about 20 mins or till crisp when tried in water. Pour into greased tins & when nearly cold mark into squares.

19-X11-44 Marie Robinson

Eggless Fruit Cake

1 cup sour milk 1 cup sugar

2 ½ cup flour 4 tablespoon fat (level)

2 teaspoonful cinnamon ½ teaspoonful cloves

½ teaspoonful nutmeg 1 teaspoonful soda

1 teaspoonful salt 2 teaspoonful Baking Powder

2 or more cups of fruit & nuts

Beat sugar & shortening, add milk with soda already in it, then spices, then flour, fruit & Baking Powder. Cook one hour in moderate oven.

no title

2 cups flour 3 cups ground maize

½ cup sugar 5 teasp. baking powder

1 egg, or 1 tablesp. egg powder & 3 tablesp water

Tang Hsi Toffee

1 cup tang hsi 1 cup sugar

2 tablesp. oil

Boil tang hsi with sugar, add oil when boiling. Test by dropping into cup cold water.

22-X11-44

Tang Tsi Oatmeal Crispies

3 measure tangshi 3 measure oil

6 measure oatmeal

Warm tangshi till soft, add oil then oatmeal. Do not boil. Take off fire and drop into well greased pan and put into oven. When mixture has bubbled for a few seconds, take off, cool and finally mark into squares. From Marjorie Thomas

Ordinary Weihsien Cake

2 teasp. baking powder (optional) 2 scant cups flour

½ teasp. bicarb ½ cup sugar

½ ingredients i.e. chopped fruit

chopped nuts

chopped apricots

1 egg yolk 1 cup boiling water

½ cup milk

Cream Puff Pastry

½ cup oil 1 cup water

1 cup flour 3 eggs well beaten

Boil together with water, whilst boiling, mix in rapidly flour. When slightly cool mix in 3 eggs well eaten, then drop tablespoonsful onto well greased pan and bake until golden. Slice open and put in either cream or custard filling.

Mrs Zimmerman

15/1/45

De: "Leopold Pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: "sancton" <sancton@nbnet.nb.ca>

Objet: Re: Weihsien recipes.

Date: lundi 16 décembre 2002 16:28

Hello,

A great many thanks for the Weihsien receipts. I printed them (as well as your message) for Father Hanquet and for Nicky. !!!

Wait and see what we get for supper next week ?

All our best wishes to you and your family ...

Best regards,

Léopold

De: "Margaret" <mseaw@singnet.com.sg>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Father Hanquet.

Date: mardi 17 décembre 2002 5:32

Dear Christine:

I would be interested in getting some of the recipes you mentioned.

I remember my mother used to make bread pudding pancakes w/ the bread and water pudding from breakfast. When we were exchanged on the Gripsholm, I told my mom "I can hardly wait to get to America where we can bread pudding pancakes as much as we want."

She laughed and said, "Once you taste the food in America you will never want bread pudding pancakes again."

She was right! But I still remember how good those pancakes tasted in comparison to the regular fare of camp food.

Marge Seaward (former Margaret Hansen)

De: "Margaret" <mseaw@singnet.com.sg>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Have I ever been afraid in camp ?

Date: mardi 17 décembre 2002 5:32

I have really enjoyed reading both articles by Father Hanquet. I've recently subscribed to the Weihsien emailing and enjoyed reading the diaries that were on the Weihsien website. I read the diary by Wilder and it brought back memories of the same six months I spent at Weihsien. I'm the former Margaret Hansen from PAS.

If there is anyone reading this that was there during March '43-Sept '43 I would be interested in hearing from you.

No one seems to mention the two underground tunnels for air raid shelters. I realize they were out of bounds, but on occasion some of us children would go down into them- to get away from the unbearable heat. The title of this particular article by Father Hanquet- Have I ever been afraid in camp?- brought back memories of a 'fearful' experience I had while down in the tunnel after it had been declared 'out of bounds'. Another time of 'fear' was when I was dragged from the baseball field to the guardhouse and beaten. I was unable to recognize people for three days. (this was the result of being the smart mouth in a group of children- and taken as the instigator of the group.)

We live and learn.

Marge Seaward (former Margaret Hansen)

De: "Pierre Ley" <pierre.ley@pandora.be>

À: <gregleck@epix.net>

Cc: "PANDER LEOPOLD" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Objet: weihsien paintings

Date: mardi 17 décembre 2002 13:56

Dear Greg,

Could you write to: Father W.Bellemakers c.m.

Ubbergseweg 172

6522 KD Nijmegen

NEDERLAND

I have already contacted him and given him your e-mail address, he knows about your book and your interest in F.Verhoeven's paintings. F.Bellemakers has the originals and says copyright isn't a problem. I suppose he speaks English!

Merry Christmas, a happy New Year, and all the best!

Janette

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Have I ever been afraid in camp ?

Date: mardi 17 décembre 2002 16:25

Margaret

Are you related to the Hansen who was pastor of the church at Tai'an? We visited it -- by mistake -- last year. Some people we know from Shantung Province taking us to some other places in the province after visiting Weifang, and I had asked them to take us to Tehchou, where my grandparents had worked inthe 1930s. Instead they took us to Tai'an, where we spent a delightful few hours meeting with the pastor and church members.

If you are connected there, I'd be happy to send you something that my wife, Jane, wrote about our visit. I've also got some photos, but I think that I recall that some people named Hansen had signed their guest book a few years previously, so maybe you've been back yourself recently.

I've also got a letter from 1936 that you might be interested in.

De: "Margaret" <mseaw@singnet.com.sg>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Have I ever been afraid in camp ?

Date: mercredi 18 décembre 2002 1:26

Donald,

Thanks for responding. Sorry, I am not the one related to the Pastor in Tai'an. My parents were missionaries in Peking. I read Wilder's Diary of Weihsien and he mentions the Graduation and how 3 people graduated from High School and one was Miss Hansen, this was my sister Gwendolyn or Gwen for short. He also mentioned the group that was repatriated on the Gripsholm and said how a Mr Hansen was caught with American Traveler's checks sewn into a coat padding (they had been sewn there in Peking and when coming to the Camp, he couldn't find them; then, the guards found them as they ripped and tore up things.)

My father was in his 60's, a big man and heavy set. His name was Harold Hansen. My brother who was 15 was also named Harold. I was 12 yrs of age. I remember our school classes were under the trees in the church yard. Also, for the adult classes, there was one where they were teaching Chinese in the Mandarin dialect (I say this because I'm living in Singapore now where you have to differentiate which dialect) and they wanted someone with a pure accent to pronounce the words for the students to follow. I was the one chosen to be the pronunciator as having been born in Peking and living in a Chinese area my pronunciation, they said was very accurate.

Thank you again for responding.

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Have I ever been afraid in camp ?

Date: mercredi 18 décembre 2002 2:02

Your mention of the Gripsholm makes me wonder how many of this group would be interested in downloading descriptions of the trip back to the U.S. I've been undecided about adding them to the website, but if there's interest, can ask Richard to do it.

De: "leopold pander" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien Account

Date: mercredi 18 décembre 2002 10:26

>From Father Hanquet,

"Many thanks for receiving the Weihsien Gazette.

I would like to express my warmest wishes to the Topica's Weihsien subscribers. May the year 2003 bring all the best of things to all of you, . About the electric main-switch in the camp, I searched in vain on Langdon Gilkey's map, (the Shantung Compound). This map seems to be incomplete because, if I remember well, the main-switch cabin was situated just behind blocs 45 and 46.

Anyway, I'm absolutely certain that this cabin was built in hard-material, on a cement foundation, with a frontal door and windows with glass panes. I still remember having to climb two steps to reach that door. "

E. Hanquet.

PS. For those who can receive attachments, here is a *.gif file where we can

locate this famous cabin, just behind the blocs 46 and 45. The plan was in

my Dad's old papers.

Best regards, Leopold

De: "David Beard" <beard@xtra.co.nz>

À: "Weihsienese" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re Caution

Date: dimanche 22 décembre 2002 9:58

Pamela Masters, please note that the worm which was sent to us under David Birch's name may have come via your publishing house.

Stanley Nordmo replied to my message with the following remarks:

"It does seem curious that the e-mail address contains hendersonhouse.com which happens to be Pamela Master's publishing house. David Birch has had articles published , so connecting with Pamela would make sense in terms of a possible book. He has an e-mail address used for Topica and a second one , but I have not seen this one before. The worm might be via hendersonhouse."

Margaret Beard

De: <Tim_Ramage@Hotmail.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: New to group

Date: dimanche 22 décembre 2002 11:16

I have joined this group after searching the web for information on Weihsien camp. I have lived in Beijing, China since August this year.

My father has come to visit me for the first time. His Father, my Grandfather was interned at Weihsien from 1941 onwards. His name was Leslie Ramage ('Ram')who worked in Shanghai at Union Insurance Society of Canton.

We would like to know firstly, where is Weihsien and is there anything there to see now? Secondly, we would be interested if anyone has any information concerning Leslie as our information concerning him during the war is sparse. He is mentioned in 'Chinese Escapade' by Lawrence Tipton.

Many thanks if any one can help us.

Best regards,

Tim Ramage

De: "Albert Dezutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: New to group

Date: dimanche 22 décembre 2002 12:43

Tim: Weihsien is now called Weifang on the map of China. Look for it in a west-northwest direction from Qingdao on the way to Jinan, Shandong Province.

About your grandfather, sorry, I did not know him.

Albert de Zutter

De: "Ron Bridge" <rwbridge@freeuk.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: George Edgar Lawrence Ramage

Date: dimanche 22 décembre 2002 17:35

>From the records of Inmates Jun43,Sep43 and Jun44 GEL Lawrence worked for Union Insurance Co of Canton was captured in Peking ( Beijing) and moved to Weihsien March 1943 born 30May1896 in London and travelling on British Passport No C152540 Issued at Consualte Peking 14Oct41. In Jun 44 he was in Block 56 Room 16, and is recorded as being known as "Leslie"

These records suggest to me that he had been moved by the Union Insurance from Shanghai to Peking prior to the outbreak of War.

Hilda Hale wife of the Thoams Cook Manager Peking and also in Weihsien is still alive ( aged 96) living in Victopria BC Canada and may recall him.

Rgds

Ron Bridge

De: "Donald Menzi" <dmenzi@asan.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: New to group

Date: dimanche 22 décembre 2002 22:17

Welcome, Tim!

Several of us have visited Weihsien and, yes, there are a few buildings standing -- two of the foreign-built houses that were "out of bounds" and reportedly the hospital, though I did not (regrettably) see the hospital when we visited there two years ago because I didn't know where to look. Much of the area that housed the camp inmates is now an athletic field.

If you want to see what the camp looked like in 1943, as depicted in watercolor paintings by my grandmother, Gertrude Wilder, you can visit the following web site: weihsien.menzi.org. Note that if you use the cursor to point to the main public buildings their identity pops up, a feature that is not yet noted on the site. The site also allows you to download two documents describing life in Weihsien by Howard Galt and George Wilder.

In addition to Tipton's, there are also a number of other books by ex-internees. I can send you a list of those I've collected if you are interested. Also, Leopold Pander, a member of this email group, has compiled all the emails exchanged during the last three years -- several hundred pages worth -- which contain may fascinating reminiscences of life in the camp.

A Chinese documentary film crew is currently exploring the possibility of doing a TV special on Weihsien, and an American team is going to do an oral history. So, you can see that from the depths of obscurity, Weihsien is becoming a hot topic.

One interesting thing I've discovered. People's memories of the years of internship vary. The diaries, etc. are clear that the Weihsien Presbyterian compound wasn't used as a detention center until 1943. Several people in this group have referred to arriving in 1942. I'm curious as to whether this is just an error of memory, or if there's any evidence for the earlier date.

So, once again, welcome to the group.

De: "Greg Leck" <gregleck@epix.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Weihsien 1943

Date: dimanche 22 décembre 2002 22:26

I'd like to point out that memory is a funny thing. Without offending anyone, I would like to agree with Donald that Weihsien did not become a CAC until 1943, the same time general internment started in Shanghai.

There is a large body of documentary evidence, including contemporaneous written accounts, which support this.

Earlier internment occurred in many of the outports, such as Canton, Tsingtao, Hankow, Amoy, and Swatow.

Also, Haiphong Road Camp, which was for people (men only) the Japanese feared could be troublemakers, due to their connections in the financial, social, political, business, and media spheres, opened November 05, 1942 in Shanghai.

Some of the confusion may spring from the Japanese takeover of the CIM schools before Weihsien opened.

I have interviewed dozens and dozens of ex internees. Everyone remembers something that no one else seems to remember. And when the same event is recalled, no two versions are alike.

Greg

De: "Albert Dezutter" <albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Weihsien 1943

Date: lundi 23 décembre 2002 0:08

Just to add my two cents' worth to the discussion of when the compound became a CAC:

The Tsingtao group was the very first to be brought to the compound in March 1943. The place was a mess and obviously had not been inhabited for some time. We (Tsingtao) had been interned in Tsingtao since October 1942.

Albert de Zutter

De: "David Birch" <gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Re Caution

Date: lundi 23 décembre 2002 5:31

Thank you, Margaret, for the alert. This is David Birch here. I know absolutely nothing about this strange e-mail except that I received two of the same myself. One was sent to my "yahoo" address and the other to my "shaw" address.

Thanks for being on you toes.

David Birch (gdavidbirch@yahoo.com)

David Beard <beard@xtra.co.nz> wrote: Pamela Masters, please note that the worm which was sent to us under

David Birch's name may have come via your publishing house.

Stanley Nordmo replied to my message with the following remarks:

"It does seem curious that the e-mail address contains hendersonhouse.com which happens to be Pamela Master's publishing house. David Birch has had articles published , so connecting with Pamela would make sense in terms of a possible book. He has an e-mail address used for Topica and a second one , but I have not seen this one before. The worm might be via Henderson house."

Margaret Beard

De: "Joyce Cook" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Arrival at WeiHsien

Date: mardi 24 décembre 2002 6:07

I note from Donald Menzies email that some people have referred to arriving at WeiHsien in 1942. This cannot be correct as the first group, of which I was a member arrived at WeiHsien in March 1943. There was nobody there when we arrived and we had to clean up in preparation for the arrival of others. There were about 500 of us in this first batch. All from Tsingtao where we had been in civil assembly centre at "The Iltis Hydro" from October 1942. From 7 December 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed we had been under house arrest in Tsingtao until ordered into the Iltis Hydro. Joyce Bradbury

De: "Tim Ramage" <Tim_Ramage@Hotmail.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Thank you

Date: mardi 24 décembre 2002 9:53

I would like to thank those who responded to my message concerning my Grandfather. I was surprised and pleased with the speed we were able to learn so much information. Next time my father comes to China we will be making the trip to Weihsien to see the place which had such a profound affect on the rest of his (shortened) life. Thank you all.

Tim Ramage

De: "Zhang Xiaoping, translator" <yuanfenzhao@yahoo.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Thank you

Date: mardi 24 décembre 2002 10:21

Marry Cristmas!

Zhang Xiaoping

De: "Pierre Ley" <pierre.ley@pandora.be>

À: "PANDER LEOPOLD" <pander.nl@skynet.be>

Cc: <gregleck@epix.net>

Objet: dates d'internement weihsien

Date: mardi 24 décembre 2002 10:43

hi Tapol!

à propos des dates du temps passé à Weihsien, Daddy avait noté précisément: du 29 mars 1943 au 18 octobre 1945, (en ce qui nous concernait).

D'autre part il aimait à dire, dès son retour en Europe, pour éviter de donner trop de détails à ceux qui ne savaient encore rien de la guerre du Pacifique, que nous étions prisonniers des Japonais à partir d'octobre(?) 1942, c'est à dire (ainsi que nous le rappelle Joyce Bradbury)dès notre "house arrest" à Tientsin pour nous. Ce qui expliquerait un éventuel lapsus de ma part, mea culpa! En tout cas, merci à ceux qui nous remettent dans le droit chemin, c'est important!!!

Bises à tous deux, un bon réveillon calme et serein et à demain!

(c'est too much de penser tout ceci en anglais!)

Janette

De: "Ron Bridge" <rwbridge@freeuk.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Arrival at WeiHsien

Date: mardi 24 décembre 2002 15:27

There is no doubt that Weihsien opened as a Civilian Assembly Centre in March 1943. The first arrivals were from Tsingtao, followed by Roman Catholic Missionaries from the hinterland and the main bulk from Tientsin (now Tinajin) and Peking( Beijing) The Allied civilians in these last two places received indications in the last week of February 1943 and early March that they were to be transported between the 23 and 31 March 1943 to Weihsien The train journey was overnight with a change of Trains at Tsinan arriving before noon the following day. assembly areas were former US Legation Compound (Beijing) and Former British army Barracks(Tianjin) were inmates were walked carrying their bags to the railway station. The Beijing Group started out 25March43 and the Tianjin Group 23March, 27 March and 30 March.

Anyone interested in a full report of the 1780 first inmates should consult Document 7500 from US Embassy Berne Switzerland in the National Archives Washington DC. and the report of the Duck Mission dated 7th Sep45 on the release, at the same source.

What apparently people are muddling is that there was phoney phase immediately after Pearl Harbour when movement was slightly restricted but permitted with "Red Armbands" with character "Ying" or "Mei" in Tianjin, and the letters B or A in Shanghai. By the end of September 1943 the Japanese started consolidating and moving people into local " concentration areas" Tsindao the Iltis Hydro. Tianjin the Talhati House Hotel although some were allowed to remain in their houses until March 1943. When the bulk of people were moved to Weihsien there were a few aged/infirm who were allowed to remain accompanied by to look after them.

Remember - Japan had occupied the coastal plain of China in 1937 so the whole matter was in an area where they had total control. The Shanghai Camps opened with Haiphong Road for those considered a Threat to Japan in Nov1942 ( There hgad been a number of key Alied personal held in Bridge House Goal Shangaï and the former US Barracks Tientsin from immediately after Pearl Harbour, but by January 1942 the few engineers still under arrest were moved the former Masopnic Hall on race Course Rd Tianjin,) with the bulk of the 8800 inmates going into camps during the second half of March 1943. Contrast these facts with what happened where there was fighting.

Hongkong where Stanley Camp opened on 5th Jan1942 ( it had fallen on 25Dec41 and Singapore where Chaingi opened on 5th March 1942 ( Singapore surrendered on 14th Feb42.

I can dig out the references for all this if anyone doubts the veracity, meanwhile have a happy Christmas. It was easier flying aeroplanes than teaching history.

rgds

Ron Bridge

De: "Pam Tanner" <ptanner1@compuserve.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Maie Iry

Date: mercredi 25 décembre 2002 4:07

My maternal great grandmother was Maie Iry. She was a missionary in Taiyoh, (or Taoyoah), and Kwo Hsien, Shansi Provence and sponsored by the Pentacostal Church. Maie als became an intern of Weihsien. I didn't have the luxury of knowing Maie, as she passed away prior to my

birth. However, in researching my genealogy, I found out quite a bit about her, and her life. Luckily for me, the Pentacostal church had some articles which were written about her and copies of letters that she wrote, while in China.

As there has been much discussion about when individuals arrived in Weihsien, I thought I would share what I have as well regarding my great grandmother.

According to my information, in Toiyoh, she was told on Mar. 15, 1943 by Japanese soldiers to pack her things. Most of which, the Japanese soldiers would not allow her to take. Upon her arrival in Shantung, Peninsula, she first stayed for a week according to the article, in a seized Catholic Mission, and then was taken to Wei Hsien.

A Grace Chang, a Naturalized Chinese-American repatriated on the Grispsholm, Dec. 1, 1943, was the first to bring information regarding Maie was being interned.

I know from information I received from the National Archives, that the first the American government knew she was being held, was 2-14-44. Maie was there until the camp was liberated, as I have letters that she wrote home concerning the liberation as well.

Pam Tanner

ptanner1@compuserve.com

De: "alison holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Fw: National Public Radio broadcast of liberation or Weihsien, May 11, '00

Date: mercredi 25 décembre 2002 14:52

----- Original Message -----

From: Alison Holmes

To: Gregory John Strangman

Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2002 6:05 PM

Subject: Re: National Public Radio broadcast of liberation or Weihsien, May 11, '00

Your attachment has been blocked by my virus detector, saying that it is infected...can you put this information into the main body of the email, please? Thanks. Have a lovely Christmas eve, preparing for a joyful day tomorrow. Alison

De: "Natasha Petersen" <natasha@roanoke.infi.net>

À: "weihsien" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: virus

Date: mercredi 25 décembre 2002 16:40

Zandy Strangman's e-mail address is not the same as the one that had the virus. Pam Masters is not longer on our list (as per Pam's request) I wonder what is going on?

Natasha

De: "Zandy Strangman" <zandy.jen@bigpond.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: National Public Radio broadcast of liberation or Weihsien, May 11, '00

Date: jeudi 26 décembre 2002 8:28

Dear Alison,

Thanks for your warning re this email, that came to me, purporting to have come from my son, Greg, on X'mas morning! No Less. I suspected something 'fishy' when I noticed the provider was not his. Later on, my suspicions were confirmed when he informed me he had not used his PC in days, and as a matter of fact, had severed his connection with our chat list, months ago.

I am pleased you 'went to air' about it, Alison, as I was reluctant to use the Weihsien topica site, to query something that probably didn't interest anybody else, even though I was most eager to try and get to the bottom of this, apparent, malicious prank.

Has anybody got any ideas?

Regards.........and ........A HAPPY NEW YEAR to ALL ! Zandy

De: "Zandy Strangman" <zandy.jen@bigpond.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: virus

Date: jeudi 26 décembre 2002 8:28

That's what I'd like to know, as well, Natasha!

These 'individuals', with their pathetic excuse for a brain, seem to have no better use for their time. They need to be pitied!

Z

De: "David Beard" <beard@xtra.co.nz>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Worm/Virus

Date: jeudi 26 décembre 2002 9:13

Would you or your son's names be likely to be in Pamela Master's Publishing House's email address List?

Margaret Beard

Zandy Strangman wrote:

>

> Part 1.1 Type: Plain Text (text/plain)

> Encoding: quoted-printable

De: "David Beard" <beard@xtra.co.nz>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Worm/Virus

Date: jeudi 26 décembre 2002 9:13

Would you or your son's names be likely to be in Pamela Master's Publishing House's email address List?

Margaret Beard

De: "Zandy Strangman" <zandy.jen@bigpond.com.au>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Worm/Virus

Date: vendredi 27 décembre 2002 2:42

Thanks Margaret, for taking the time to reply.

It is unlikely our names would be on Pamela Master's Publishing House List and if it is, I certainly wouldn't know how it got there!

Pardon my ignorance, but I'm trying to figure out the bottom half of your message..........

ie: Zandy Strangman wrote: Part 1.1 Plain Text (text/plain)

Encoding quoted-printable

Where did it come

from and what does it mean? Any idea?..........Zandy

De: "David Beard" <beard@xtra.co.nz>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Worm/Virus

Date: samedi 28 décembre 2002 1:21

I think anyone can join this List without getting approval from the

owner (Natasha), is that correct, Natasha? If so, it is possible that

someone has joined this List to get valid email addresses for mischief

making. This happened on a Rootsweb List we were on - someone put our

addresses into a shadow Yahoo List and many people did not pick up that

the messages were coming from a bogus List. A complaint to Yahoo fixed

that. Zandy, did your message have hendersonhouse.com at the end of the

email address? If we can identify a server through which infected

messages are coming, we can complain to the administrator of the server.

Margaret Beard

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: More Weihsien connections -- memories of Hugh Hubbard

Date: samedi 28 décembre 2002 1:38

Hello, Everybody:

This wonderful Weihsien network -- Natasha's gift to all of us -- connects us in magical ways. Here's a note from the New Jersey lady whose father remembers Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hubbard in Peking after liberation.

Dear Mary:

I spoke to my dad on the phone about the e-mails you forwarded to me. He does not think he met Durand Wilder, Donald Menzi's uncle. However, he keeps recalling more things about Hugh Hubbard! Dad says he "gravitated to Rev. Hubbard because he was an American and a stamp collector -- a serious stamp collector." He recalls talking to him "about stamps and basketball," especially the fact that Rev. Hubbard had introduced basketball to China.

They kept in touch to some extent after the war because Rev. Hubbard became "an authority on early issues (stamps) of the People's Republic of China."

Dad says he would be delighted to send a note to Gladys Hubbard Swift if you can get a mailing address for her.

Blessings to you and yours at Christmas! Amy

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Thank you

Date: samedi 28 décembre 2002 2:29

Dear Zhang Xiaoping:

Thank you for your gracious Christmas greeting.

I hope you and your distinguished colleagues felt that your visit to the United States succeeded in giving you a picture of the fascinating information still available about the Weihsien Concentration Camp. I also hope you have all recovered from your hectic visit to our country.

Sincerely,

Mary Taylor Previte

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Re: Arrival at WeiHsien

Date: samedi 28 décembre 2002 2:33

Ron:

Your astonishing collection of information is a gift to all of us. Thank you so much.

Mary Previte

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Happy New Year!

Date: samedi 28 décembre 2002 2:40

Mary Previte

Dear Lord:

Every single evening,

As I'm lying here in bed.

This tiny little prayer,

Keeps running through my head.

God bless my family and friends,

Wherever they may be.

Keep them warm and safe from harm,

For they're so close to me.

And God, there is one more thing,

I wish that you could do.

Hope you don't mind me asking,

Bless my computer too.

Now I know that it's not normal,

To bless a mother board.

But listen just a second,

While I explain to you 'My Lord.'

You see, that little metal box,

Holds more than odds & ends.

Inside those small compartments, 

Rest so many of my FRIENDS.

I know so much about them,

By the kindness that they give.

And this little scrap of metal,

Takes me in to where they live.

By faith is how I know them,

Much the same as you.

We share in what life brings us,

And from that our friendship grew.

Please, take an extra minute,

>From your duties up above.

To bless those in my address book,

That's filled with so much love!

Wherever else this prayer may reach,

To every family and friend.

Bless each e-mail Inbox,

And the person who hits Send.

When you update your heavenly list,

On your own CD-Rom.

Remember each who've said this prayer,

Sent up to our God. Com.  Amen.

{Have a Blessed New Year}

De: "Natasha Petersen" <natasha@roanoke.infi.net>

À: "weihsien" <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: subscribers

Date: dimanche 29 décembre 2002 18:02

A welcome to Raymond Moore. Ray was an internee at Weihsien with the Prep School of the Chefoo school. He went to Weifang and identified the Weihsien camp, was shown the Eric Liddell memorial and found the old hospital building.

Welcome Ray.

Norman Cliff, I have requested an invitation for you to join (re-join) Please let me know in three or four days whether you have received the invitation.

Natasha Petersen natasha@infi.net

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Giving holiday joy to our liberators

Date: lundi 30 décembre 2002 3:08

Hello, Everybody,

Thank you to those who sent holiday greetings to our liberators. When I phoned for the holiday, Tad Nagaki mentioned the names of several of you who sent cards -- "Cookie," Emily, someone from Arizona. Sorry, I can't recall every name he mentioned. Tad, who farms in the summer, is spending some of his winter hours on the farm putting these cards and letters in a photo album.

In New York, widow Carol Orlich passes these cards and letters around to show her "girl friends" at lunch. In California, liberator Jim Hannon has loaned hand made Valentines Day cards from school children for a Veterans Administration museum display in Los Angeles. (When I speak to a local school in January, I encourage the 4th graders to send Valentines Day cards

to our heroes.)

In Texas, liberator Jim Moore often writes a thank you letter back to the class.

I hope several of you will try your own variation of this idea. Each year, we have fewer days to say thank you to these men who risked their lives for us in 1945.

Mary Taylor Previte

De: "Mary Previte" <mtprevite@aol.com>

À: <weihsien@topica.com>

Objet: Memories of Christmas in Weihsien from Marjorie Harrison Jackson

Date: mardi 31 décembre 2002 14:20

A memory of Christmas at Weihsien from Marjorie Harrison Jackson, Chefoo School's Lower School Dormitory

I do remember the last Christmas [1944, I guess]. There were no Red Cross packages, no money and nothing to buy, so we all decided to get into our trunks, yes, the same ones we had put our clothes, books and treasures into the night before we walked to concentration camp on Temple Hill.

That Christmas as we looked into our trunks, each one picked out a gift to swap with one of our roommates. I had my teddy. Could I possible part with it? Yes, I could, for we had all decided this was the only way we would get a present at all. So part with teddy I did and received a lovely necklace, which was already several years old then and believe it or not, I still have it and wear it now and then -- loaded with memories. My Sunday School class gave me a big soft teddy in recent years when they knew I would be needing lots of hugs. I named him Agape [Greek for Unconditional Love] and I finally felt I had my teddy back. It would be such fun if I ever found out whatever happened to my teddy and who was the former owner of my silver necklace?

That's about all I recall of that Christmas. It could have been rather dismal, but we had all kinds of ideas for keeping busy and entertained, and our ever inventive teachers encouraged us through our Bible reading and prayer and singing times that the Lord was with us and we would be delivered.

And indeed we were on August 17, 1945!

Marjorie Harrison Jackson, Happily married to Walt Jackson June, 03, for 50 years.

And the grandmother of 18, [9 girls and 9 boys] and soon to be great-grandmother of 2.

---