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De : Pierre Ley
Envoyé : jeudi 28 juin 2012 10:17
À : PANDER LEOPOLD
Objet : Fw: Weihsien memories.

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

From: A. Knuppe
To: Pierre Ley
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 6:17 PM
Subject: Weihsien memories.

Dear Janette.

It was nice hearing from you again through Leopold. Yes, I am fine and also waiting for the real summer to start!

Just this afternoon the books "the children of Weihsien" arrived and I spent all afternoon reading bits and pieces. I am so glad I ordered them, it is such a difference having a real document in your hand and not having to read everything on the monitor. I still am very sorry that I only heard of this site so late- but most of my memories are quite similar to the ones in the books.

Today June 27th, it's the birthday of my brother Paul. He would have been 69 today, but he died at the age of 31. Isn't it amazing that my oldest grandson is older that he was!

Last Saturday I had a wonderful gardenparty celebrating my son Ben's and his wife's 60 birthday. It's difficult to realize that I have children that old already! Thank God it was a warm and dry day and I had a nice time seeing so many friends and family. Yes, I have to admit to being old, but my mentality and joie de vivre is still doing well!

A few weeks ago Leopold sent me a comment of the liberation of Tientsin written by Conchita Ascue, whom I knew well before camp. I wrote to her and received a short reply that she would get back to me soon, because just now she was very busy. I have now idea where she went to after the war, but I'll wait and see. I have also thought of other friends who were not interned, Maité le Sourd- a pretty French girl, her father was connected to a bank- a friend of sister Henriëtte (Jet) Cecile Limoges and a Belgian family with a daughter Joséphine Tercalavres, who was a friend of mine. Did you know any of them? The 3 girls Volkaert were on the boat when we went home, Edith, Francoise and ?? Where did Monique Renotte go after the war- She, her mother and grandmother were also in Block 22. I am afraid I do not remember Sandy Strangman very well- I think other boys were more interesting at that time. Harold and Helen Shadick were also neighbours and my father kept in touch with them They came to Holland several times and after Helen's death, he remarried and we also met his new wife.

Have you exciting holiday plans for the summer? I'm afraid that I haven't organised much- it's always difficult on your own and I enjoy spending weekends and a few days with cousins, friends and children. My sister Wies will be 80 in August and I was invited for a celebration- but I am not going to Calif.- it's such a distance. However Wies loves travelling and will pay me a short visit at the end of Aug. - Sept. 4th. just for 1 week ! She is always in a hurry and refuses to stay longer, so I am afraid that there won't be much time to arrange a meeting. She has old friends, my 4 children and perhaps some of my grandchildren to visit. Anyway I will suggest it- who knows?

Well, Jannette- this is all for now. I'll enjoy reading both the books - Leopold did a wonderful job assembling all our childhood memories. Keep well and enjoy summer with your husband Pierre and the family,

Love,
Anne





De : L PR
Envoyé : mardi 19 juin 2012 17:03
À : A. Knuppe
Cc : Janette & Pierre LEY
Objet : Re: Weihsien booksl

Dear Anne,

Yes! it is “one” reduction code for “one” order... even if this order is for 4 books or more. In fact, I think that you get an extra 3% for an order of over 5 books and you can still add the 20% reduction code --- only once. You can also use the other reduction codes ... but it is not so interesting!

If you do have already used the reduction code for one book --- do not worry too much about it. From time to time I get new reduction codes from “myPhotobook”. I will gladly forward them to you when I get them.

Hope this answers your question ...
--- all the best,
Leopold





De : A. Knuppe
Envoyé : mardi 19 juin 2012 16:31
À : tapol@live.be
Objet : Weihsien booksl

Dear Leopold,

Thank you for all your mails- I am sorry that I didn't respond earlier, but I wanted to know for sure if my sister Louise would be coming to Europe this summer. She will be with me end of August and the first days of September, for just a week, so I planned to order 2 volumes nr 1 to be sent to my address in Dordrecht.

However with the reduction code I can only order 1 book with 20 % off, although they are for 2 different ex-internees. Can I order the second one for 10% reduction- please advise me. I apologize for bothering you, but you're such an expert.

Hoping to hear from you-
greetings,
Anne.





De : Laurel Tsang
Envoyé : mardi 19 juin 2012 07:32
À : L PR
Objet : Re: SAS

Hi Leopold

How wonderful. I always wanted to join the navy but in the early days they didnt allow women to go to sea (s0b). My first husband started me on sailing dinghys and Sydney Harbour is perfect for that although we never won anything except one silver cup after 20 years.

Have you seen that film from Ballards book Empire of the Sun?. It made me cry and its probably nothing as bad as the real thing I m glad you survived the experience.

I might be retiring soon myself so Im a bit scared what to do with myself.

Keep well.
Cheers
Laurel





De : L PR
Envoyé : dimanche 17 juin 2012 11:14
À : Laurel Tsang
Cc : Janette & Pierre LEY
Objet : Re: SAS

Dear Laurel,

Hello 😀
Thanks for your message ... by the way, where are you on the group-photo?

Let me try to make a résumé of my wanderings ...

So, ... after Shanghai and a short stay in Belgium we were back in Hong Kong for three years 1949-1952. I was at “Kennedy Road Junior School” just one road down from where we lived (MacDonnell road). After that I went to KGV school where I didn’t stay very long. In 1952, we were definitely back in Belgium where I had to learn French !! I always wanted to be a sailor, so ... after school, I joined the merchant marine. It was a fantastic job --- I liked every day of it. I had to quit because of health problems, tried to continue studies, worked in a shipping insurance company, got married, and then for 30 years worked in a wholesale business company... (domestic electricity). When the business went bankrupt I was almost 60 and thanks to our Belgian social security system, I was “pre-retired”. Took me almost two years to get used to “not working”!!! ---and that is when I started my “Weihsien” adventure. I bought a computer and learned how to use it. Then I searched the Internet for the word: “Weihsien”, a place where we were interned by the Japs during the war. Well I found a chat list ... very interesting. I then decided to create a website ... not knowing anything about how to do it!! I got a lot of help from the younger generation and, since then, I am still learning ... http://www.weihsien-paintings.org . I got data from all over the world. I now know a little more about that place – Weihsien - where I spent two and a half years of my life and for which I am completely amnesic.

We now live in a little house on the edge of a forest at about 20 miles south of Brussels. We unfortunately don’t have kids but my sister is a happy grand ’ma --- one boy and two girls. Out here, in Belgium, every day is different and we are very happy with what we have.

--- all the best,
Leopold





De : Laurel Tsang
Envoyé : vendredi 15 juin 2012 06:22
À : L PR
Cc : Laurel Tsang ; bob lee
Objet : Re: SAS

Hi Leopold

Im so glad to hear from someone from so many years back. Isnt the internet wonderful?

I remember getting a black eye at school and mother sending me off to the french convent. Like everyone we got out in 1948 to HK for 2 years (sort of the Casablanca of the east) and then when Bob got sick in Australia (he was studying engineering at Sydney Uni) mom came out, then me then Dad duing the 1950s to 1951. A 33 hour trip from Hongkong to Sydney in those days and I carried a note from dad saying he would pay a ransom if I got kidnapped. He was such a character.

I lived in Sydney ever since, although I did 3 years in Canberra when my late ex husband got promoted. Ive worked for tax office ever since 1966 and as we must be the same age (71) Im considering retiring. I studied law in the 70s and 80s and started travelling in 2000 to escape the Olympics. Ive been to Los Angeles 3 times and NY once but mainly Im an opera junkie and did a couple of Ring Cycles. Bob, my brother is living in Sydney as well and has 2 children both adults and he is retired and has a girlfriend his age 82.

Thanks so much for the photo. I cant believe it. This is what happens when you google yourself! Tell me whats been happening to you!

Cheers
Laurel





De : L PR
Envoyé : jeudi 14 juin 2012 10:48
À : laureltsang@yahoo.com.au
Objet : SAS

Dear Laurel,

I just sent a message via “facebook” but I am not quite certain that you got it.


47g00

On this picture – that I recently got by the Internet – I am on the front row second from the left.
We left Shanghai in 1948 direction USA then Europe and then back to Hong Kong for 3 years and then back to Europe in Belgium where I now live. It is quite fantastic how the Internet can connect people.

How about you?
Best regards,
Leopold