Subject: FW: Commandant

If you make a search (Ctrl-F) with the words: “radio transmitter” you will read:

...
“Chen, who was much lighter, had been badly dragged. He had lost his boots, socks and gloves. Semiconscious, he was found early in the morning by a farmer, dangling from the ropes of the parachute, which was entangled in a tree. The farmer, fearing to take action himself, sent for the nearest soldier. Chen was eventually cut loose, placed on a door and carried back to the village, where he was wrapped in a padded quilt and placed on a heated k'ang.

The next morning, we went along with Yu-min to examine the packages, which by now had all been collected. They were in excellent condition and the only thing lost was a package of food and clothing sent by a U.S. Army colonel on the off-chance that we could get it to his daughter in camp. It took us the whole day to check over the medical supplies and we decided to have them buried for safe keeping in the event of a Japanese attack. The money we handed over to Yu-min. The most important item to us and to the unit was the radio transmitter and receiver. Yu-min called in his radio expert and together we went over the equipment. Every-thing appeared to be in order. It was carefully repacked and transported by carrier-coolies back to our own quarters at the village of the Ch'iao family. Yu-min instructed his radio man to transfer his headquarters to our village, so that he would be able to give us any assistance required in setting up and operating it.

Fortunately I had at one time spent three years at sea as a radio operator and although I had forgotten most of the technical side of the business, I was still able to read Morse code. The transmitter was powered by a wet storage battery and we were supplied with a hand-driven generator for charging. In due course everything was hooked up. The receiver worked perfectly and we located the stations that had been assigned to work with us. Switching over to the transmitter, we got only a faint sound out of it which gradually faded away to nothing. Switching back again to the receiver, the same thing happened. Obviously, the battery needed charging. We procured relays of coolies to turn the generator and for hours on end they ground away, Arthur and I taking turns to watch over them all through the night. Again we tried but with the same results — a few moments more and the battery was dead. We repeated this for several days.

Yumin was sending messengers down from Headquarters several times a day to find out what was going on. The whole unit were anxiously awaiting the opening of direct communications between them and their American allies in Chungking.”

Etc …

Best regards,
Leopold

Sent: Monday, October 31, 2022 8:29 AM
To: weihsien@proximus.be

Subject: FW: Commandant

… you can read the story of the escape and what exactly happened after, in Laurance Tipton’s book accessible on the website :
http://weihsien-paintings.org/Tipton/TiptonTotale(WEB).pdf

best regards,
Leopold

From: Helen Holbrook
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2022 2:48 AM
To: Leopold PANDER

Subject: Re: Commandant

Thanks, I enjoyed reading about your mishap and also the tale of the unfortunate guard due to the misplaced white rocks!

Thanks for the information regarding the Commandants at Weihsien.

My interest was piqued when I read in my copy of "The Mushroom Years" , page 131, about the Commandant who said he was treated with courtesy and respect as a POW at Hot Springs, VA and his aim was that the internees received nothing less.

There is an interesting article on the web by Smithsonian about those days at Hot Springs, VA, written from the viewpoint of the hotel owner.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/when-greenbrier-other-appalachian-resorts-became-prisons-for-axis-diplomats-180974243/

Isn't there conflicting information about where the two escapees went after their flight from the camp?

I've read that they became part of a Chinese Nationalist Guerilla group, nearby. But I have also read that they fled to South China to the Allied headquarters to get a shortwave radio and then to the friendly guerilla group, near Weihsien. Which is correct?

Thanks for the helpful information.
Sincerely,
Helen Holbrook

From: Roy Campbell
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2022 2:26 PM
To: Leopold PANDER

Subject: Re: Commandant

Kosaka was the commander at our Chefoo Temple Hill internment camp 1942 to 43 before we went to Weihsien He was a kindly man whom we liked and he asked us if we would like to count off at roll call in Japanese and we thought that would be fun and we used to say Ichi ne scratch a flea. I understand he was either a Christian or was sympathetic to Christians. I have no good memories of the guards in Weihsien as they were not friendly and took offence easily

Maida Harris Campbell I was 15 when we were liberated in 1945
Ver

Sent from my iPad

From: Leopold PANDER
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2022 11:40 AM
To: 'helen.holbrook@gmail.com'
Cc: 'weihsien@proximus.be'

Subject: RE: Commandant

Dear Helen,

… as for the cesspools ― in all logic ― I should say yes ! My guess is that the honey-pot men always existed as it is traditionally a means of fertilizing the farmlands in China.

Of course, when the 1500 of us came to live in that compound, the coolies had to dig more and more cesspools. There is the story about cesspool Kelly that is abundantly related in almost all the books about Weihsien. Also, a good read is the cesspool story in Ron Bridge’s book ― GoTo page 232 in this pdf-file and imagine the situation !!!
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/books/Weihsien/Weihsien-02.pdf

In front of our Block-22 (or not far away from there) a new cesspool was being dug. As it was not very deep yet, the older children were playing around and jumping in and getting out like wild savages. Of course, I too jumped in as did the others and as I was just a small boy of three years old, I couldn’t get out by myself and nobody helped me out either. They were all around having a good laugh. My big sister, quite alarmed by the situation ran to get dad’s help. He got me out in a jiffy but was not too happy about the situation. I personally don’t remember all this as it is my sister who told me so.

Best regards,
Leopold

Re-actualised map of Weihsien: The cess-pool I fell into was the one on Market Square near the West wall, dug in ± 1944 (as Janette remembers it). Near the men's 'loo.
The ladies' 'loo besides block 35 had three cesspools. Quite a stinky affair !!
Guess we got used to it.

From: Leopold PANDER
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2022 10:06 AM
To: 'Helen Holbrook'
Cc: weihsien@proximus.be

Subject: RE: Commandant

Dear Helen,

… correct.
According to the books read on this website I presume that we had different Commandants at different times. It is not very explicit though …
I understood that the orders given to our rulers came from Tsingtao and Tokyo and also that frequent visits were made to our camp by Japanese big-shots and journalists.

The books about Weihsien (on the website) mention generally our Commandant as “The Commandant” ― no names !!!

However, Joyce Bradbury writes about a Mr. Yuameda. Norman Cliff writes about a Mr. Kosaka. In Ted McLaren’s biography it is Mr. Izu …
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/NormanCliff/people/Committee/McLaren/txt_McLAREN.htm
Mary Previte qualifies our Commandant as a “Christian” ― in fact, a “good guy”, but he couldn’t say so because he had to assure the respect of Japanese rule of hard discipline.

I shall transfer your messages to the Weihsien group. Maybe somebody will give you a better answer to your question.

Best regards,
Leopold

From: Helen Holbrook
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2022 11:12 PM
To: Leopold PANDER

Subject: Re: Commandant

Dear Mr. Pander,

I see in my copy of "Shantung Compound" on page 38, it reads:"In May, 1944, moreover, a new chief arrived. A man of force,......"

I'm assuming this must be a new Commandant and that he stayed the duration of the internment, until Fall 1945. Correct?

Thanks,
Helen Holbrook

From: Helen Holbrook
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2022 7:03 PM
To: Leopold PANDER

Subject: Re: Father Raymond deJaegher

Thank you, Mr. Pander, for your help.

My story was very well received by the children, Sunday. I have more to tell them in the future.

I have two more inquiries:
Did the same Japanese Commandant stay in charge at Weihsien the entire time of internment, from March 1943 until Fall of 1945?

Were the open cesspools in the Camp there when it was a Protestant Compound?

Thanks very much,
Helen Holbrook

From: Leopold PANDER
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2022 8:53 AM
To: 'Helen Holbrook'

Subject: RE: Father Raymond deJaegher

Dear Helen,

The “honeypot man” comes from Joyce Bradbury’s painting collection.
GoTo:
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/cooke/paintings/list/index.php#03

… I also added the picture in the attachments if you want to print it for the children.

I also added the picture I found on the Internet of a low-flying B-24 bomber.

Also attached, the real photograph of the plane that flew over our camp: the “Armored Angel”

As for Father deJaegher:
GoTo:
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/rdjaegher/index.php
the text with the pictures mentioned in your message,
GoTo:
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/rdjaegher/text/ChapterXVIII.htm
If you want more about Father deJaegher, read Joyce Bradbury’s book:
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/books/ForgivenForgotten/Book/ForgivenNotForgotten(WEB).pdf
… and in Langdon Gilkey’s book: “Shantung Compound” he is the “discreet missionary”.
Also, have a look at my new entry:
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/books/Weihsien/Weihsien-02.pdf
and, about Eric Liddell, you can discover this from Norman Cliff’s scrapbooks:
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/EricLiddell/index.php

Hope you manage,
… bien amicalement,
Léopold.

From: Helen Holbrook
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2022 6:59 PM
To: Leopold PANDER

Subject: Re: Father Raymond deJaegher

Dear Mr. Pander,

Thank you for responding so very quickly. You're website is very fascinating!!!!

I really would like to find the posting of the chapter from Father Raymond de Jaegher's book, "The Enemy Within" that I first found on your site. It was enhanced with pictures: a watercolor of "the honey pot man", and others, including a photo picture of a big plane flying very low to a field.

It was grouped with other choices, that one could press on to retrieve information.

I am telling the story of Eric Liddell on Sunday to church children and am including informaton about Weihsien.

I very much would like to have a picture of the big plane to show the children.

Keep up the good work 🙂!
Sincerely,
Helen Holbrook

From: Leopold PANDER
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2022 8:35 AM
To: 'Helen Holbrook'

Subject: RE: Father Raymond deJaegher

You are welcome 😊

Best regards,
Leopold

From: Helen Holbrook
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2022 5:11 AM
To: weihsien@proximus.be

Subject: Re: Father Raymond deJaegher

Please disregard the above email. I found what I was looking for; it was a chapter from " The Enemy Within", which is great reading!!

Thanks,
Helen Holbrook

From: Helen Holbrook
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2022 9:58 PM
To: weihsien@proximus.be

Subject: Father Raymond deJaegher

Today, I read a very interesting and lengthy posting on your website by Father Raymond deJaegher.

It told of the escape of the two inmates and how information was brought into the camp by the coolies. It included a watercolor painting of a coolie with his buckets on a pole.

I would like to read it again. Please help me find it.
Sincerely,
Helen Holbrook