De: "Raymond Moore"
<raym82@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Memories
Date: samedi 1 janvier 2005
Hello
everyone,
I have been
encouraged by a couple of members of this chat room (bulletin board or whatever
it is!) to send you some of my scribblings. About two years ago I joined two
Creative Writing Groups and used them to stimulate me to write my memories of
earlier days to share with my family. I originally wanted to call the story,
"A Different Track", but as the pieces I wrote tended to be a bit
piecemeal, I changed the name to "Windows On My
Track". Here are two of my windows:
Window
Three
INTERNED BY
THE JAPANESE
I waved
goodbye to my parents and two younger brothers as I boarded the coastal steamer
in
I was in
the care of two female teachers from the
The
The Prep
School was housed in a large two storey building just across the road from the
beach. Because of its position on
There was
keen competition, especially in the
As with any
good
They fell
in love but Hero had made a vow of chastity so could not marry him. Still,
every night Leander used to swim the channel between
Hero and
Leander’s story is inextricably bound up with the sea, and so our two racing
boats were appropriately named after them.
I accepted
Boarding School life and the fact that my parents were 1600 kilometres away in
the west of
I refused
to drink the hot milk that was served into individual cups and had gone cold by
morning tea time. On one memorable occasion the skin on the top of the milk
caused me to throw up, and spread my breakfast around the floor. But I loved
the peanut butter spread on bread, as I could roll it off into a ball and save
it in my pocket for future pleasure, usually mixed up with whatever else also
occupied the pocket.
I was an
average student, but excelled in reading and was placed two classes up for
reading lessons. I suppose that I was lucky in having my Auntie Jesse living
not far away. She was the nurse for the whole school, Prep School, Boys' School
and Girls' School. On behalf of my parents, she bought me a full size bicycle
for my birthday in 1941, of which I was immensely proud. Unfortunately, later
in 1941 she left with a much loved teacher from the Boys' School, David
Bentley-Taylor to get married in the Province where my parents worked.
I played
with other children, but was just as happy by myself. I could be a bit of a
loner. Alongside the playing field and running up towards the “San” or
Sanatorium – the school hospital - was a shallow gully. When I was alone in
that area, I used to duck down into the gully and then stomach crawl along it
as far as I could go. The fact that it was “out of bounds”
made this exercise doubly delicious.
There was a
rowing boat placed at the edge of our playing field. It was of course high and
dry and someone had supplied a ladder to use as a gangplank in our fantasized
activities. One day I was playing with another boy on the boat and I threw the
gangplank away as we “cast off”. Unfortunately the gangplank fell back on my
fingers and I nursed a painful two fingers on my right hand for a week or two.
Fortunately I am left handed. I still have the scars clearly on my index and
middle fingers of my right hand over sixty years later.
I was
playing by myself on the school playing field in early December 1941, after
having been at the school for about a year, when I saw a Japanese soldier come
in the gate in the wall that surrounded the school compound. He hammered a
piece of paper on the gate then strode purposefully in to the school. This was
the day after
The
Headmaster and other leading business men were taken away by the Japanese, but
were returned safely some days later - all except for one business man who died
for unknown reasons while being questioned. Otherwise we carried on as usual,
but were not allowed to go outside the school compound. It was about this stage
that I discovered that the Japanese had stolen my bicycle. This war was
becoming really unfair!
And then
other things changed also. First of all we had to vacate the Prep School
building and move to the Boys' School building. This did not last long before
we were told that we were to be interned in an old Presbyterian Mission
Compound at Temple Hill on the other side of Chefoo. We could not take much
with us, and the Japs did not supply any sort of transport for us, so the older
teachers went by rickshaw and the rest of us walked.
It was four
or five miles away, and we had to walk up past "
Brought up
with a strong belief that God was in control, even in the worst of
circumstances, we were soon singing under the leadership of the teachers, a
song asserting that "God is still on the throne", much to the
incredulity of both our Jap guards and the onlooking Chinese population.
Finally we
made it up the hill to the compound in Temple Hill where we found that we had
been allocated a building for the Prep School. Upstairs we found the boy’s
bedroom was small with only enough room for us to sleep with a narrow margin
between each bed. The girls had a similar setup in another room. Our room
looked out onto a verandah on which a lot of our boxes and trunks were stored
due to lack of space inside. We were bothered a few times by Chinese thieves
who had climbed the compound wall which was topped with broken glass set in
cement, and then climbed to the verandah from outside the building and rifled
our possessions.
Downstairs,
the couple of rooms available were used for lessons and dining. I can’t
remember where the kitchen was, but the building was built on
a slope and underneath were a couple of small store rooms. The main
interest to me in the store room was the bin of chook food – some sort of mash
– which I found very tasty.
Early the next morning we were called out to the front of the building
where we had to learn to count in Japanese, so that we could respond clearly as
we numbered off for Roll Call. "Ichi, nee, san, she, gwo, rocku, shichi, hachi,
ku, ju." For the next three or four years we were called out for
roll call at
I wasn’t
aware of the method by which the food was supplied to us, but once a pig was
killed for the school larder. I heard the penetrating squeals as the poor beast
ended its life, but did not actually see the deed being done. I did however
follow the rest of the process using boiling water to remove the bristles.
I don’t
remember any other animals in the compound, except on one occasion when a rabid
dog came in the gate and ran wildly around the place. There was a fair bit of
open space inside the walls, and so it was hard to capture the animal. The
Japanese guards threw missiles such as half bricks at it, and at least one of
them found its target, making the dog even more demented. I think it eventually
found the gate and ran outside into the town. Goodness knows with what awful
results.
Just inside
one stretch of wall was a bamboo grove which extended about five or six metres
out from the wall and stretched for about sixty metres. As this compound had
once been a
We were in
this make do concentration camp at Temple Hill for almost a year when we were
told that we would be moving to a bigger camp at a place called Weihsien.
Before the War, the
When the
time came to move, we packed our things and made our way down to the harbour
where a tramp steamer was waiting for us. We climbed on board and found that
our quarters were in the hold. We had a raised platform to sleep on either side
of a central walkway. There was just enough room to spread out our blankets
with almost no space between beds. A bucket was placed in the middle of the
walkway for any necessary relief trips during the night. Some sort of makeshift
curtain was place half way along to give the girls privacy from us and vice
versa. Soon after we set off and while still in the harbour, a small motor boat
caught up with us and loaves of bread were delivered for our two day trip
around the coast. The baker had been running late and almost missed us.
It wasn’t a
very pleasant trip. We were on board for two nights and we were glad to reach
the harbour in
It was only
a few miles to the Weihsien Civil Assembly Centre which was to be our new home
until – we knew not when. Soon the camp came into sight. We could see rows of
huts and some taller buildings. There was a church and it was all surrounded by
a high wall with electrified barbed wire running along the top of it. Here and
there were guard towers, and as we approached the
entrance we saw Japanese guards standing with their rifles and bayonets ready
to welcome us.
The Chinese
style of gateway had three Chinese characters written across the top of it and
later I learned that they said, “Courtyard of the
We drove
through the gate and up the incline with what seemed like hundreds of internees
standing on either side of the road to witness our arrival. We stopped, with
the church and a playing field on our right. We were unloaded and gathered on
the playing field while a camp leader read out the instructions about the camp
to us and then we were assigned sleeping quarters. We were now a small part of
the 2,000 or so people who had been interned in this Concentration Camp called
Weihsien.
We were
taken to one of the larger buildings called Block 24 and down into a very dank
basement where we were given beds and bedding of a sort. My bed was a folding
camp stretcher which was constructed of a piece of canvas stretched between two
rails attached to folding legs. The rails were held apart with a removable wooden
crosspiece at each end which kept the whole thing rigid. However on my bed the
two cross pieces had been lost and so you could still sleep in it, but it
sagged with your weight and the outside rails threatened to close in over the
top of you. I actually loved this and found it rather cosy.
That room
was our home for the first couple of weeks, and in that time two or three of us
got “jaundice” as it was then called. There is something appealing about being
sick in a boarding school. We were away from our parents and the teachers were
mostly spinster missionaries who, having been called by God to work amongst the
heathen in
So being
sick was another way of getting some kind of personal attention. I was taken
out of my fold up camp stretcher and placed in a large double bed that stood at
one end of the room. My skin had gone yellow. I was quickly nauseated by
anything that was or looked like it was greasy. I had no energy. I was
quarantined from the other children – as far as that was possible in the
confined quarters of a prison camp. But I had, from time to time, the undivided
attention and care of some of the teachers.
Soon after
this our small Prep School was allocated more permanent quarters where we
stayed for the rest of the War. It was in Block 23 and was on the ground floor.
I imagine that it was a teacher’s flat in a former life. Block 23 was a large
building with a bell tower in the centre. The front of the building had a long
stone flagged verandah along its full length, and one end of this verandah led
to a door which gave access to our quarters.
When you
walked in the door you found yourself in a tiny hallway with a door straight
ahead. This led into the teachers bedroom. By that
stage in the school’s evolution we were down to three female teachers, Miss
Carr, Miss Stark, and Miss Woodward. If you turned left in the small hallway,
there were two more doors. The door on the left was the girls’ room. There were
five girls left in the Prep School, and in the last room there were nine boys.
The boys’
room was a much larger room than the other two. We did not have beds but slept
on mattresses on the floor. My bed was just inside the door. Every morning we
had to make our beds and roll up the mattresses against the wall because this
was the class room and living room during the day. Our trunks were placed in
the centre of the room and we sat on these for classes. In that sense life went
on as normal, but there were few supplies and we had to use the books which we
had been able to bring in with us. Apart from that the teachers were probably
most creative in trying to give us as normal an education as possible during
those years.
I remember
using slates and chalk for some subjects and activities such as maths, but we
also had a few notebooks which we used until we got to the end of the book,
then we turned the book upside down and wrote between the lines. There was a
pot belly stove in the middle of the room, but fuel was difficult to get. We
were able to scrounge coal dust and, learning from others in the camp, we mixed
the dust with dirt and water, then formed them into
briquettes. They didn’t burn very well, but had to do.
One of the
activities I will always remember was the endless pursuit of bed bugs. These
were pandemic and their total destruction was a constant fantasy. They seemed
to hide in the cracks in the wall plaster during the day, and then when these
warm bodies were comfortably settled in their beds on the floor, over would
trot this army of bed bugs and proceed to graze all night on the ready supply
of blood that was available. If you squashed them in the night, they left
streaks of blood on your sheets and a strong and distinctive smell behind them.
During the day we would use boiling water and pour it into any available crack,
and use other means to block up cracks, but if we were at all successful it was
hard to see the results of our efforts.
Along one
wall of our room was a long bench which held basins and other items for our
ablutions. We were able to buy soap from the Japanese, but no toothpaste, so
for years I got used to cleaning my teeth with soap. I can still hear the
teachers asking us if we had washed our ankles, behind our ears and between our
legs. One teacher seemed to find a need to inspect the appendages between these
latter items to see that they were clean.
We did not
have access to much in the way of medical supplies or vitamin supplements. When
the medical powers that be figured that we were all deficient in calcium, we
collected egg shells, which were dried and powdered. A teaspoonful of this dry,
choking powder was swallowed each day for a period. At another stage I was
deemed to be anemic and in need of iron. This was
supplied by the simple means of collecting rust from old metal and grinding it
into a powder and administering it to me in the same way.
Day to day
life inside a prison compound became normal after a while. We played marbles –
“alleys” – in the dust outside, and also hopscotch. I collected labels off food
cans that had been thrown away in people’s rubbish bins. It was amazing how
many people must have brought in canned food with them. We used some of the
larger cans to make small ovens by lining them with mud and cooking minute
scones, although I think ‘scones’ is a rather grand name for what actually
resulted from this effort. But like a lot of things that children do, the fun
experienced during the effort made it well worthwhile, regardless of the
result.
There were
four kitchen/dining room complexes scattered around the camp. One was in the
basement of the hospital and was a diet kitchen. The other three were numbered
one to three and internees were allocated to one of these for their meals. We
went to Kitchen One. I don’t remember the meals much, probably because they
were not very memorable. What was memorable was the Menu Board on which the
cooks used their creative writing skills to describe the coming meal in the
most exotic terms. You would think that you were in the grandest hotel in the
land. What was actually served was bread porridge for breakfast, watery stew in
the middle of the day, and whatever was left over for the evening meal.
I remember
mainly the things that broke the monotony. A couple of times we got Red Cross
parcels and the main item of interest to me was the powdered milk that we could
have. It was only a tablespoonful, but I still remember the beautiful taste of
that powder mixed with a little water and eaten a lick at a time from the spoon.
I also remember when we actually got pieces of meat you could recognize as
meat. It was – I was told later – horse or donkey or some such animal. My
fellow Prepites were not very impressed and so I was able to enjoy some extra
pieces on that occasion. I think we may have had peanut butter sometime in
those three years, because I remember walking around to the little yard behind
Kitchen One and finding a man with a meat grinder, carefully grinding peanuts
into peanut butter. I talked to him for a while, hoping that I might be lucky
enough to get a lick, but it wasn’t to be my lucky day.
After
breakfast, our teachers felt that we needed to be taught how to be regular, so
we were sent off to the communal toilets to empty our bowels. This we did
faithfully, and when we returned to our rooms, we would be asked by the teacher
on duty, “Did you go?” and if we replied that we had not been able to “go”,
then we were told to “Go and try again”, which we did, usually with positive
results. These toilets were emptied into a cesspool which was accessed each day
by some Chinese farmers who took the contents in wooden buckets carried on a
pole across their shoulders – “honey buckets” we called them - to their fields
to fertilize the vegetable crops. It always seemed to me to be an excellent and
natural recycling process. One of the children in the camp fell in to one of
these cesspools due to some tragic mischance. He survived, and the worst long
term result of his accident was that he was from then on known as “Cesspool
Kelly”.
Talk about
tragic mischance’s reminds me of some deaths we had in
the camp. I remember walking up one of the main streets of the camp and seeing
the very spot where a young man had fallen from a tree and been killed just the
day before. Bringing death closer to home, was the
accident that killed one of the boys in our Chefoo Boys’ School. He had been
with the others for the morning roll call near the hospital where they lived,
and had jumped up to touch a low electric wire that had been loosened in the
wind – possibly as a dare. Unfortunately it was very much alive and he was
electrocuted.
To an eight
or nine year old death was fascinating, repelling and scary all at the same
time. When one of the nuns died, she was laid out in the small building that
served as a morgue not far from the hospital. I found my way there one day, and
as no one was around, I climbed in the broken window and stood and looked at
her for quite a while. Later they had an official viewing of the body, and I
queued up with the rest and had another look.
Eric
Liddell the Olympic runner of “Chariots of Fire” fame was in our camp. He spoke
at one of our Chefoo church services and told us about the famous episode when
he would not run in an Olympic race because it was to be held on a Sunday. He
was a truly great man and in my young mind was a true hero. Unfortunately he
also died in the camp of a brain tumour, just months before the end of the War.
In 2002, my brother Frank and I went to Weifang, as the town is now called. It
is a city of some millions of people and is internationally famous as the world
kite centre. We found the old camp site which is now the No. 2 Middle School
and the only buildings still standing were a couple of the houses where the
Japanese had been quartered and the hospital. But in a position just behind
where the church used to be and next to the former front gate was an “
One night
during our internment we were woken up and called out to a roll call as someone
had rung the bell which graced the top of our building. We were kept outside
until the Japanese were satisfied that no one had escaped. But on another
occasion a couple of men did escape over the wall and joined with Government
forces outside the camp until the end of the war. They were able to keep the
Chinese Government in
Inevitably
the end of the War came. There had been gossip about the War being over, but no
one knew for sure what was happening. At times we had seen planes flying very
high overhead, and people wondered in the last few
days whether they might be American planes. Then on 17 August 1945, about
This was
the most exciting day of my life. I was 10½ years old and for the first time
since December 1941, a month before my 7th birthday, I was going to be free.
Seven parachutes floated to the ground outside the camp. There was no doubt
about what we had to do. We had to be there to welcome them. It seemed like the
whole camp, all 1500 of us, rushed down the incline to the entrance and through
the gate, past the Japanese guards who were still standing there with their
rifles and bayonets, but obviously unsure how to react. What did it matter. Out in the fields we found the 7 Americans who
became instant hero’s. They were carried in on the
shoulders of some of the men and soon had things sorted out peacefully with the
Japanese. From now on they were in charge, and we were free.
By the end
of the War, our caloric intake was very low, and so it was with great
excitement that over the next few days tonnes of supplies were dropped by
parachute just outside the camp. Because the loads were too heavy for the
parachutes, many of the drums broke open and the canned peaches and chewing gum
were scattered over the ground. At least those were the two items that I
noticed and gorged myself on with some dire results. There must have been other
items such as army field rations, because, later we were issued with packets of
field rations and, on opening mine up I found not only chocolate and biscuits,
but also cigarettes. I had only seen these in the mouths of strangers as none
of the missionaries smoked. So I couldn’t resist this forbidden fruit and
escaped to one of the guard towers, now unmanned, and climbed up the stairs and
sat in a corner and tried my first cigarette. I don’t think I suffered very
much because I did not know anything about drawback at that time.
We followed
the Americans around wherever they went, and on one of these “hero sessions”, I
was jumping over a bench and my arm got caught between the back rails. “Ouch!”
However, such was my excitement and awe at being in the orbit of this newly
discovered star, that I ignored it for the rest of the day. In bed that night I
began to feel the pain, and late that evening I was taken to the hospital,
where they were able to ascertain that I had a greenstick fracture of the
Radius and my arm was placed in a plaster cast.
So it was
that a few days later, six of us whose parents lived in the west of China, were
flown out in a bomber which was stacked full of parachutes which had been used
in the supply drop. As there were no seats of any kind on board, we spent the
trip lolling about on parachutes in comfort, but me with my arm in plaster – a
wounded warrior.
We were
free at last.
Window Four
GETTING
HOME
Two days
after the end of World War II was the most exciting day of my life. On 17
August 1945, seven American paratroopers landed just outside Weihsien, the
Japanese Concentration Camp in which I had spent the last two or three years of
my life. I was eleven years old. It was about
We welcomed
the seven servicemen as heroes and brought them into camp, where they quickly
took control and set out the boundaries for the Japanese and us. The excitement
was coupled with new experiences and general anticipation. We were going home.
In the next
few days more American bombers flew over and dropped hundreds of parachutes of
food and other necessities. These planes had come from Xi’an in Western China,
one of the Americans’ main airports in “Free China” We leapt from being beggars
whose diet had been not much more than bread and water, to being millionaires,
feasting on chocolate and peaches and meat, even though it mostly came out of
the ubiquitous khaki American army tins and packets. I smoked my first
cigarette, became sick with too many good things too quickly, saw the first
drunken European I had ever seen, and broke my arm chasing one of the American
heroes around the camp.
Meanwhile
arrangements were being made to get everyone home. For the majority of the
former internees, this meant getting them on to a train to the coastal city of
When we
arrived in
The four
My mother
writes that they were waiting very impatiently, and finally received a letter
from
Finally
another missionary friend wrote to them saying, “There was great excitement
last night when the four
I flew from
At
At this
stage my parents received a telegram from the missionary in charge at
Back in
After they
heard of my arrival in
The reunion
with my father was far from world shattering. I was in bed when he arrived and
he came in to the room to meet me. My reaction was to duck under the bedclothes
and hide myself from him. I have often wondered what the cause of this burst of
shyness was.
We caught
the train to
We left the
station dejectedly and made our way around to find somewhere to have breakfast.
But amazingly, as we turned a corner, there was a jeep with a British flag
flying on the front. My father asked the driver if he was connected with the
major and his convoy, and found that he was indeed part of that convoy. He had
taken a wrong turning and was now on his way to catch up with the rest of the
convoy.
The three
of us set off down the mountain road, heading in the right direction for home.
Instead of a tasty Chinese breakfast from a wayside stall, we ate British army
rations from a tin as we drove along. Rounding a corner on the road which was
cut out of a steep hillside, we suddenly saw the rest of the convoy ahead of
us. There had been a landslide and they were trying to clear a track around it.
This done we were on our way again and by late that afternoon the convoy was
making its way through the outskirts of Hanzhong. I walked up the path to the
mission home and was greeted with great rejoicing by my mother and youngest brother
and a little sister I had never seen. My other brother came home from a
boarding school in
So I was
home and we were a family again. Or were we? My mother writes about this
meeting, “There was Raymond, a big eleven year old walking up the path. What a
reunion after five long years. But where was my little six year
old whom I knew so well? I felt as if I had two boys, one whom I knew and
understood, and one whom I hardly knew at all.”
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Memories
Date: lundi 3 janvier 2005
Thanks to
Raymond Moore for his Memories. Since my parents at Weihsien were adults I have
not had much input on a child's view of the camp. I found the Memories very well written and
interesting.
Gladys
Hubbard Swift
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Ray's
memoires
Date: mercredi 5 janvier 2005
Dear Ray,
I liked
your story --- very much.
I keep on
seeing the nearly end of Seven Spielberg's movie: The Empire Of
The Rising Sun. Fantastic film. The hero of the story is there amongst
many others assembled there by the Red Cross to be picked up by their parents.
He is staring into outer space and completely out of phase. His parents find
him at last but he has no reaction when they are in front of him. Does he see
them? My stomach is in my throat! and my eyes are all
wet.
Every one
of you Chefoo kids must have experienced that feeling?
We had the
privilege of having been interned in Weihsien with our parents. My mother told
us more than once that "they" told us (my mom and dad) not to give
too much love to their children because you never knew what could happen! --- due to the uncertain times we were living in those days!
Who is
"they"?
She never
said -------
---
Leopold
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: smithsonian
Date: mardi 11 janvier 2005
Hello,
Many thanks to Susan Strange of the Smithsonian in
Just click
here: http://skynetphotoservice.wistiti.be/Skynet-Id-461241:Smithsonian
You can
also access the Smithsonian exhibit:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/printable/section.asp?id=9&sub=8
Hope you
manage ---
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "
À: "Weihsien Chatline"
<weihsien@topica.com>; "Frances Osborne"
<frances@francesosborne.com>
Objet: Leila's
Feast
Date: jeudi 13 janvier 2005
Hello all,
I am up to
my eyeballs in another Court case about getting the British Government to
honour their promise to British interned
Many thanks
Ron
De: "Natasha Petersen"
<np57@cox.net>
À: "weihsien"
<weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: help
Date: jeudi 13 janvier 2005
I had two
email addresses for Fred Dreggs, one "off" and the other
"on". I tried to delete the
"off", but both were deleted.
If someone has Fred's email address, please let me know, and I will get
him reinstated. I am so sorry.
I do not
have F. Osborne's email address and therefore cannot put her back on the list.
Natasha
Petersen
np57@cox.net
De: <cliffnorman@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: help
Date: jeudi 13 janvier 2005
The second
one is
_frances@francesosborne.com_
(mailto:frances@francesosborne.com)
Greetings,
De: "leopold pander"
<pander.nl@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: help
Date: jeudi 13 janvier 2005
Dear
Natasha,
I have two
addresses for Greg Leck --- but I don't remember which is the
good one!
Hope you
manage,
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>;
<np57@cox.net>
Objet: Re:
Leila's Feast
Date: jeudi 13 janvier 2005
To get on
the Topica Weihsien network, contact Natasha Peterson --
np57@cox.net -- who invented this wonderful gift to all of us.
Mary
Previte
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>;
"Paul-Emile Lagasse" <paul-emile.lagasse@laposte.net>
Objet: The
making of noodles,
Date: vendredi 14 janvier 2005
From
Emmanuel Hanquet;
Making
noodles in Weihsien Camp
The last
pages of the Weihsien-Topica chat bring in memory the work I did with Langdon
Gilkey and Robbins Strong during the spring of 1944 in Weihsien Camp.
It must have been about then that
we tried to improve the diet of the prisoners. In a small room not far away
from Kitchen 1, there was a machine looking like a big wrangler, that is to say
a big wheel that moved two cylinders turning opposite each other. The cylinders
were engraved with small circles. A fellow prisoner in charge of the Kitchen
apparatuses had discovered that it might be a noodle-making machine, but how
could we use it?
The first trial was unsuccessful:
in a wooden box of approximately one square foot in size, we put flour and,
working it with our hands and rolled up sleeves, we added water to the mixture,
little by little. Then we tried to introduce the sticky agglomerate into the
cylinders while one of us was turning at the wheel. Sorry, it adhered to the
cylinders and nothing resembling to noodles came out of the process.
We tried again and again, adding
less water and finally got small lumps of flour very light, just like flakes,
that could be introduced lightly between the cylinders and finally we produced
the desired noodles.
The team that operated was working
from 9 to 12 every morning and had to provide noodles to the three kitchens, a
different one every day. We were Reverends, or would be, and from the
beginning, started an ecumenical work, I, being a Catholic priest and the
others belonging to the American Board Mission. We became friends and called
each other by our first name, i.e. Langdon, Robbins and Manu.
Years later, when I was living in
I hope that this paper may reach
Tracy Strong (mentioned on page 106 of the Topica-archives) whose birth in
Weihsien I quite remember.
With best regards
to all friends of the Weihsien-Topica.
Emmanuel
Hanquet.
De: "Tracy Strong"
<tstrong@weber.ucsd.edu>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>;
"'Paul-Emile Lagasse'" <paul-emile.lagasse@laposte.net>
Cc: "Jeannie Strong"
<strongjr@whidbey.com>; "John and Sarah Strong"
<jstrong@bates.edu>
Objet: RE: The
making of noodles,
Date: vendredi 14 janvier 2005
Quite a theological and ecumenical group of cooks.
What a
wonderful story you have made available!
I will forward it to my sister (Jeanne, born in Oberlin in 1945) and
john (born in Tungzhou –not sure of the transliteration -- in 1948°. Many thanks.
On another
matter: my mother, Kitty Strong, told me a story to the effect that after I was
baptised (Protestantly, naturally), a nun, fearing for my soul, sneaked me away
and baptised me as a Catholic. My
mother, if I read her tone right, still remembered being upset at this. If anyone knows anything about this, I would
be curious to hear it.
Tracy
Strong
Where are
you living now, M. Hanquet?
Tracy
B. Strong
Professeur
et directeur, Centre d'études
Université
de Californie</>
18,
quai Claude Bernard
69365
LYON France
EAP
Phone: (011-33)(0) 4-72-73-48-29</>
Tel.
domicile: 04 78 37 58 73
_____
De: "Frances Osborne"
<frances@francesosborne.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Langdon
Gilkey
Date: vendredi 14 janvier 2005
Happy New
Year! I am trying to retrace Langdon Gilkey, whom I contacted earlier this
year. Please can anyone help me?
De: "Frances Osborne"
<frances@francesosborne.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: New book
on Weihsien
Date: vendredi 14 janvier 2005
I just
wanted to post a message to say that I have just had published a book about a
Weihsien internee, my great-grandmother, Lilla Casey, who wrote a recipe book
for new brides whilst interned - the book is now in the Imperial War Museum in London.
She was born Lilla Eckford in Chefoo in 1882 and attended the school with her
identical twin. The book tells the true story of an "ordinary"
woman's struggles through love and war in treaty port
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: vendredi 14 janvier 2005
Hello
It's great
to hear of the success of your book, Lilla's Feast. Haven't got my copy yet, but look forward to getting one in the
near future.
Regarding
Langdon Gilkey -- I expect you know he passed away towards the end of last
year. This is the address I reached him
on, and I'm certain his wife would be happy to help you if she can:
Dr.
Langdon Gilkey,
Phone:
434-293-3949.
At the time
of our correspondence, several years ago, he was lecturing/working
at the Georgetown University Theology Department several days a week.
Once again
-- congratulations on the book.
Kindest regards
-- Pamela
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: samedi 15 janvier 2005 0:46
Langdon's
Gilkey's address:
Phone:
809-293-3949
Mr. Gilkey
died recently.
Mary Previte
De: "Frances Osborne"
<frances@francesosborne.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: lundi 17 janvier 2005
Dear
Pamela,
I am so
pleased to hear from you. You were supposed to have been sent a book by my
publisher months ago. Please send me your address again and I shall have
another sent out asap. I hope you enjoy it.
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
Dear
Frances --
Good
hearing from you again. Forget your
publisher. I believe in buying books -- that's how we writers make it in this
world. Guess I can find it on www.amazon.com -- the only thing is,
it won't be signed by you.
Have a
great day -- Kindest regards, Pamela
De: "Frances Osborne"
<frances@francesosborne.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
I'd love to
send you a signed copy - send me your address
De: "Frances Osborne"
<frances@francesosborne.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
Sorry that
last email was for Pamela Masters, who helped me with Lilla's Feast - I don't
have that many copies to give away, sadly.
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
Hi Frances
--
Can't turn down such a kind offer. My
address is -- 3001
Drive,
Sass and
Serendipity, the sequel to The Mushroom Years, will be out next month, and I
think you'd enjoy it. It's a story of
survival...again -- only this time, in the US of A! If you'd send me your physical address, I'd
love to reciprocate.
Also, could
you let me have your personal e-mail address so we can communicate
one-on-one? I see mine is at the end of
your Weihsien Topica message, but I didn't find yours on any of our email.
All the
best, fond regards -- Pamela
De: <gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet:
an
unpublished account by a Mrs. potter
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
Apparently
I was kicked off the list about 12 months or so ago.
I'm busy
reading the old posts right now starting in January 2004 and will post my
comments over the next few days.
Kay
mentioned "an unpublished account by a mrs. potter" I read this in November 2002 - she was
a captain of the sewing room.
The account
has some serious falsehoods in it. She claims Chinese guerillas often invaded
the camps, and murdered Japanese sentries.
Sometimes
the sentries tried to seek refuge in internee's rooms, so they barricaded the
doors.
I've read
enough accounts now to realize that this just didn't happen.
I did find
a wonderful poster for the sewing room.
Greg
De: <gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: CAC
school exams
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
Pamela
Masters wrote:
"I'd
love to learn the saga of how all our exam papers got to
Not much of
a story, really. Virtually every camp,
with the exception of
De: <gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Repatriation
from
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
Pamela
Masters wrote: "I have no direct evidence regarding the swap ratio of
Japanese to Americans, but I heard it was considerably higher than 4 to 1"
It was a
strictly one ot one ration. The Japanese initially tried to get better
than a 1:1 exchange but were rebuffed by the British Foreign Office and the
Special Division of the US State Department.
There was a lot of "horse" trading going on, though. The Allies refused to repatriate Japanese
pearl divers from Australian internment, because of their specialized knowledge
of the coastline. At the last moment,
the Japanese pulled a number of Americans off the repatriation list in
September, 1943, including adventurer Hilaire du Berrier and Paul Hopkins,
president of China Power and Light.
The biggest
problem for the Allies is that there were so many more Americans and Britons
than Japanese to be exchanged.
I've read
many, many first hand accounts of repatriation, both published and unpublished,
from the Italian liner the TSS Conte Verde, which was "like a cruise
ship" to the Teia Maru, which, was very difficult.
De: <gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Tipton
and Hummel
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
David Birch
wrote:
Re. Tipton
and Hummel:
Did these
fellows really accomplish anything worth while?
I've seen
some of the secret documents in archives regarding the communications Tipton
and Hummel had with Allied intelligence in
They were
instrumental in getting desperately needed items, including drugs, smuggled
into camp. These benefited everyone.
The Swiss
Consul also helped with the delivery of medical items.
De: <gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Hersey in
Weihsien
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
Norman
Cliff wrote: "I have not researched the matter as you have, but I believe
that Hersey was genuinely in Weihsien Camp."
Absolutely not. I have personally dug through
over a half a dozen copies of Weihsien nominal rolls, from 1943 to 1945, in US,
De: <cliffnorman@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Hersey in Weihsien
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
My
statement has long been disproved.
Stanley Nordmo has shown conclusively that the Hersey story was
based on information given to him by some
5 Weihsienites. He combined their
accounts into one story.
Norman Cliff
De: <gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Robbins
Strong
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
During my
last visit to the National Archives I came across a report written by Tracy
Strong's father about the situation in
De: "Greg Leck"
<gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Hersey in Weihsien
Date: mardi 18 janvier 2005
I saw that
as I read further along in the archives.
I'm just now up to November.
Greg
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: CAC
school exams
Date: mercredi 19 janvier 2005
Thanks a
million. I always wondered when and how
they were mailed. As we got our results
quite soon after liberation, I thought they'd been sent home to
Pamela
Masters
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Tad
Nagaki's 85th birthday
Date: vendredi 21 janvier 2005
Hello,
Everyone:
Weihsien rescuer Tad Nagaki will celebrate
his 85th birhday on January 25. If you'd
like to send a greeting, his address is
Tad was the
Japanese-American interpreter on the August 17, 1945, rescue mission. Mary Previte
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: vendredi 21 janvier 2005
Hi! Langdon Gilkey died November 19, 2004 in
PS I have a copy of Lilla's Feast, given me by a
friend, which I am reading with great interest!
GHS
De: <cliffnorman@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Langdon Gilkey
Date: vendredi 21 janvier 2005
Yes please,
Gladys, Norman Cliff.
De: "Mahlon D. Horton"
<berean@lincsat.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Tad
Nagaki's 85th birthday
Date: mardi 25 janvier 2005
Thank you
so much for reminding us. Audrey Nordmo
Horton
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: "Paul-Emile Lagasse"
<paul-emile.lagasse@laposte.net>
Objet: Re: The
making of noodles,
Date: mercredi 26 janvier 2005
By
snail-mail from Father Hanquet
to: Tracy
Strong,
It is very
pleasant to hear about the children of R. Strong, whom I considered as a friend
and an excellent pitcher in the ball game of Weihsien Camp.
About your
baptism as a Catholic by a nun in the camp, she certainly kept the news secret.
What she did seems overzealous today. There were only 4 nuns left in the camp
at that time.
I live at: 1/201 Rue des Buissons, 1348
Very glad that you teach in
Very
friendly yours,
Emmanuel
Hanquet.
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Courtyard
Of The Happy Way Camp
Date: jeudi 10 février 2005
Hello,
From Norman
Cliff's scrap-books: the Chinese version of "Courtyard of the Happy
Way-Camp"
Click on:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/index.htm
Click on:
the "Log-Book"
Click on:
the latest entry (a PDF-file)
--- on the new image, click again on the PDF symbol and you
should be able to read the 35 pages, --- all in Chinese.
As it is
quite a big file, so --- I shall leave it on the web-site for more or less two
months --- the time for you to print it.
Hope you
like it!
Best
regards,
Leopold.
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: 60th
anniversary of the death of Eric Liddell in Weihsien
Date: samedi 19 février 2005
Dear Chefoo
& Weihsien friends and colleagues;
This
Monday, 21st, February will mark the 60th anniversary of our beloved hero Eric
Liddell's passing.
You will be
interested to know that Pure Gold has been translated into Chinese in advance
of Beijing Olympics '08. The attached file gives the English version of a
Foreword I was asked to write for the Chinese edition..
I feel
deeply indebted for the tremendous impact Eric had in my life. What a model he
was to so many of us in Weihsien! 60 years ago he passed the baton to us.
Your
brother in His service,
James H.
Taylor III
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: 60th
anniversary of the death of Eric Liddell in Weihsien
Date: dimanche 20 février 2005 0:23
Hullo
everyone,
This is
David Beard 'surfacing' after a long time lying low. I think many of us would
like to read the English version of the Foreword which James Taylor was asked
to write for the Chinese edition of 'Pure Gold', especially since most of us
are unlikely to be purchasing the book in its Chinese form.Could Mary Previte
be persuaded to send us the English version of the Foreword, or could James
Taylor oblige?
On my visit
to Weifang on 13.09.03 to be interviewed by the 'Lawsuits for the Future' TV
production crew from
I still
remember back on 13.09.03 when I was taken to the Eric Liddell MemorialGarden.
As I stood by the Scottish granite monument erected there in his memory, I felt
deeply moved by a sense of the historical significance of the site and spoke to
the gathered Jinan film crews and local TV crews about Eric Liddell's
exceptional quality of life in Weihsien Camp and of the privilege of being in
his 1944 Bible Class prior to his passing on 21.02.45.
It's great
to know that Eric Liddell's story will be read by many Chinese in their own language in these days when the Olympic fervour
will be building up in
David Beard
De: "leopold pander"
<pander.nl@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 60th
anniversary of the death of Eric Liddell in Weihsien
Date: vendredi 25 février 2005
Dear David,
Try this
link:
or go to http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/index.htm
and click on
"From:
James H.Taylor" in the left frame.
Hope you
manage,
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Letter
from
Date: mercredi 2 mars 2005
>At
>>
>>I
just finished reading of the whole edition on the net "
>>
>>The
year of 2005 is the 60th anniversary of the victory of the
>>World
Anti-Fascist War and Chinese Anti-Japanese War, also, is the
>>60th
anniversary of the liberation of the Japanese Weihsien
>>Concentration
Camp internees. With the approval of the
>>Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and
>>Government,
Weifang People's Government will hold commemorative
>>activities
in Weifang in August at the original site of the
>>Weihsien
Concentration Camp.
>>
>>The
Office of Foreign Affairs of Weifang People's Government kindly
>>formed
a Commemorative Activities Organizing Committee and it is
>>intrusted
to contact and collect the Weihsien Concentration Camp
>>Friends
and their relatives to a list. We are even planning a trip
>>to
the
>>camp
internees or their family to get more detailed story of their
>>camp
life under the Japanese guns 60 years ago to full-fill that
>>part
of history, for making the commemorative activities rich and
>>success. And we would like to invite as many camp friends and their
>>relatives
to attend the commemorative event in this August in
>>
>>
>>It is
highly appreciated if you can infom us as many people
>>concerned
to the Weihsien Concentration Camp as well as their names
>>and
contact information. Then we can send them invitations or we
>>can
go and visit and talk to them in their homes.
>>
>>We
are looking forward to your answer as well as the list of people
>>you
might know that related to the Japanese Weihsien Concentration
>>Camp,
no matter which part of the world they are in.
>>
>>Our
best regards and hope to see you, either in your home. Or in
>>Weifang
China.
>>
>>Sui
Shude
>>Office
of Foreign Affairs,
>>Weifang
People's Government,
>>Address:
>>Room
1401,
>>
>>P.
R.
>>E-mails:
>>Tel: 0086-536-8789858
>>Fax:0086-536-8789850
0086-536-8233692
>>Contact:
>>Mr.
Sui Shude Mr. Li Yuejin
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Weihsien
Movie
Date: mercredi 2 mars 2005
Thanks,
Gladys, for the wonderful letter from
I've lost
the email address for the person who is writing a screenplay about
Weihsien. His name is Duane something, and I know he communicated with several people,
including Mary and Gladys.
Can one of
you send it to me?
Thanks.
Donald
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Letter from
Date: mercredi 2 mars 2005
Thank you
Gladys for sharing with us this wonderful letter from Mr. Sui Shude of
Weifang! How I wish I could be in a position
to travel to Weifang (Weihsien) this August to take part in the special
commemoration of the liberation of the Japanese Concentration Camp at Weihsien
sixty years ago! It is truly heartwarming to learn that there are people in the
government of the city even now who care enough to hold a special commemoration
six decades after our release!
Please pass
on my deep appreciation to Mr. Sui Shude!
Warmest
regards,
David Birch
Former
Internee in the Weihsien Concentration Camp
De: "Donald" <dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <suishude@sohu.com>
Objet: Fw: from
Weifang
Date: vendredi 11 mars 2005
TO:
Weihsien group moderator,
Sui Shude
is the government official who is setting up the memorial celebration of the
60th anniversary of the liberation of the Weihsien camp and would like to be
able to communicate efficiently with former internees.
Please add
Mr. (or Ms.) Sui to the group list.
Thank you.
Don Menzi
De: "Sui Shude"
<suishude@sohu.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: try from
Weifang
Date: lundi 14 mars 2005
I am trying
to get me on the list. Trying now.
Sui Shude
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: try
from Weifang
Date: lundi 14 mars 2005
Mr. Sui,
I have received
the email that you sent to the weihsien@topica.com list, so you must now be a
full member of the group now. I am sure
that the other people in the group will be glad to welcome you, as a
representative of the Weifang government who is preparing an official ceremony
in memory of the liberation of the camp.
In the
archives of the group at Topica.com you will find many memories of that
liberation already written down. As a
member of the grojup you should be able to look at them whenever you are ready.
Also, one
member of the group - Leopold Pander - has collected the emails from several
years - hundreds of pages - and if I may speak on his behalf, I am sure that he
would be glad to send them to you.
Again, we
welcome you warmly.
Donald
Menzi
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: try
from Weifang
Date: lundi 14 mars 2005
Dear Mr.
Sui,
Please be
welcome to click on this link:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/index.htm
Compared to
other web-sites it is "amateur work". Many former internees have
helped me to gather all the information, texts, documents, paintings, photographs,
sketches, etc... A wonderful team-work. As Donald has just written: many hundreds of pages.
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Dwight W. Whipple"
<thewhipples@comcast.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: try
from Weifang
Date: lundi 14 mars 2005
Welcome Sui
Shude to our Weihsien Topica group. We
look forward to more information regarding the celebrations in Weihsien/Weifang.
~Dwight W.
Whipple
De: "Sui Shude - Chinese
govt." <suishude@sohu.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: From
Weifang
Date: vendredi 18 mars 2005
Dear
Friends on the List,
I am not
sure if I am on the list, or if everybody can read my message now.
Sui Shude
from
Weifang
Emails:
suishude@sohu.com
emailshude@yahoo.com.cn
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: From
Weifang
Date: vendredi 18 mars 2005
Hello,
Just got your message out here, in
All seems
to work perfectly!
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Sui Shude - Chinese
govt." <suishude@sohu.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Date: vendredi 18 mars 2005
Dear
Friends on List,
First of
all let me introduce myself: Sui is my family name and Shude is my given name,
so my friends usually call me Mr. Shude.
I started
to know and study the Weihsien Concentration Camp story in 1986 when I was a English-speaking tour guide in Weifang after I graduated
from university. As a tour guide, I needed to know everything about this city,
so the Weihsien Camp information came into my mind since then. And I guided
many foreign English-speaking tourists/internees to the place, which is now a
high school and a hospital, and give my English introduction to them (I had
thought I knew more).
Oh! Got to leave the office now. Write later.
Sui Shude
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet:
Re: 60th Anniversary Weihsien Liberation
Date: samedi 19 mars 2005 0:42
Dear Mr.
Sui --
If you are
getting together a list of people who will be attending the 60th Anniversary of
our liberation from WeiHsien Prison Camp, please put my name on the list. May I also bring my daughter and my grandson?
My name is
Pamela Masters (Pamela Simmons in the prison camp), and my daughter is Gillian
Thomas; her son's name is Dakota Lee Thomas.
We look
forward to further communication with you, and thank you for all you're doing.
Sincerely,
Pamela
Masters
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: From
Weifang
Date: samedi 19 mars 2005 0:51
Dear Mr Sui
Shude,
It seems
that you are indeed on our list and I think that is wonderful!
Welcome,
good friend!
David Birch
Former
Weihsien Internee
De: "George Kaposhilin"
<gkapo@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: From
Weifang
Date: samedi 19 mars 2005
I can read
your message so you are OK to communicate to us your program for 2005
De: "Tracy Strong"
<tstrong@weber.ucsd.edu>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: From
Weifang
Date: samedi 19 mars 2005
Dear Mr Sui
-- indeed you are on the list
Tracy
Strong
(born in camp in 1943)
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: From Shude Weifang
Date: dimanche 20 mars 2005
Dear
Friends,
I am so
glad to be a new member on the topica discussion lists. My special thanks to
Donald Menzi, Gladys Swift, Natasha Petersen, John Grant, Nicky & Leopold
and other friends, who helped much to put me on the lists and offers the
internee list and others.
My name is
Sui Shude, Sui is my family name and Shude is my given name, so my friends
usually call me "Mr. Shude". The following is who I am:
I got to
know the Weihsien Concentration Camp story in 1986 when I was a English-speaking tour guide in Weifang International
Tourism Company after university graduation. As a tour guide, I needed to know
everything about this city. I gave my English introduction to many tourists/internees
visiting the Weihsien Camp place, which is now part of a high school and a
hospital.
In 1995, I
was the manager of the International Dept of Weifang International Tourism
Company. At the beginning of August that year, 6 people contacted me for coming
to visit Weifang for the 50th anniversary celebration of the liberation of the
Weihsien Camp.
With the
president of the company, I wrote a report to the local government for further
instructions. The government paid much attention on the case and arranged the
celebration in the Weifang 2nd High School--the former Weihsien Camp site in
the morning of August 17, 1995, the vice-mayor of the city as well as some
other leaders of the government, also the group representatives gave speeches
on memorizing the victory of China Anti-Japanese War and the liberation of the
Weihsien Concentration Camp. Nearly 1,000 people attended the ceremony together
with many reporters and medias.
The
ceremony was held on the sports-field of the high school, which is also called:
"Eric Liddell Sports-field" since 1991.
I was also
one of the interpreter for the ceremony and I still
have the documents, the name-list of the visitors, some pictures of the event
and a copy of a book "A Song of Salvation at Weihsien Prison Camp" by
Mary Taylor Previte.
The people
came to the celebration were:
Theodore
Bazire --(
Neil
Yorkston --(
Estelle(Cliff)Cowley
--(
Ron Cowley --(
Anne
Yorkstone --(
Ruth
Yorkston --(
Unfortunately
I lost contact with all members of this group!???
In 1999, I
changed to work in the Office of Foreign Affairs in Weifang.
And still,
I do part-time job on organizing and guiding tours for American and European
tour groups visiting all over
Right now I
am entrusted to contact and collect former internees and their families on a
info-list, for the planned celebration in August this year of the victory of
China Anti-Japanese War and the liberation of the Weihsien Camp, I hope I can
find back old friends and get to know more new, to enrich my information of the
Weihsieners' Camp stories, as well as their status now. It will be a big job,
but with the kindliest help of friends on the lists, I am sure it will be a
good done.
My best
regards and looking forward to your contacts and suggestions!
Sui Shude
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: From
Shude Weifang
Date: dimanche 20 mars 2005
Welcome to
our group, Mr. Shude.
You'll find that our memories, articles,
and pictures provide the most complete collection in the world of the
Mary Taylor Previte
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Weihsien
group
Date: dimanche 20 mars 2005
The address
which goes to all the Weihsien group is < weihsien@topica.com > You are on this address list. You will be getting some letters. Gladys
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Weihsien group
Date: lundi 21 mars 2005
Thanks so
much, Howard! I printed it out and am
now wrapped in nostalgia. It was a fun car, and whenever we double-dated, the
gals had to sit in the back seat and my hair got blown to hell! Maybe that's
why I don't have such a soft spot for it...Pamela
De: "Frances Osborne"
<frances@francesosborne.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: To Sui
Shude - books on Weihsien
Date: lundi 21 mars 2005
Dear Mr
Shude,
I think I
may be able to help you a little with a story or two. My great-grandmother,
Lilla Casey, was interned in Weihsien and whilst there she wrote a fantasy
cooking and housekeeping book for new brides - this is now held in the
The
principal publishers are Doubleday and Ballantine. If you have difficulty
obtaining a copy, let me know.
There are
also several members of this internet group who have written their own
FIRST_HAND accounts of their time in Weihsien. In particular Norman Cliff,
Courtyard of the Happy Way and Pamela Masters' The Mushroom Years - there are
even more books written by Weihsien internees who are no longer with us such as
Langdon Gilkey's Shantung Compound and David Michel's A Boy's War - I can give
you more titles and I am sure that discussion group members can add to these.
I am also
interested in participating in anything you might organize.
With very
best wishes,
Frances
Osborne
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet:
Oops...I goofed!
Date: lundi 21 mars 2005
Sorry
everyone!
Somehow,
comments meant for the graphic artist illustrating the cover for my latest
book, Sass & Serendipity, got routed incorrectly.
If anyone's
interested, the artist wanted to put my 1949 Packard convertible on the cover,
and I nixed it.
Have a
great day -- Pamela
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Screenplay
about Weihsien
Date: mercredi 23 mars 2005
Does anyone
have the email address for the person who is writing a screenplay about
Weihsien, based on Gilkey's book. He may even be on this list. His first name is
Thanks.
De: "C. Wayne Mayhall"
<solomon110@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Screenplay about Weihsien
Date: mercredi 23 mars 2005
Hi, Donald,
It's Wayne
Mayhall. How are you?
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: A Letter From Weifang
Date: jeudi 7 avril 2005
A LETTER TO
THE FORMER
WEIHSIEN CONCENTRATION CAMP RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
FOR THE
CELEBRATION OF THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF LIBERATION
IN WEIFANG
Ladies and
Gentlemen, and dear friends,
The year of
2005 is the 60th anniversary of the end of the War II, and the 60th anniversary
of the liberation of the former Weihsien Concentration Camp residents and their
families. Weifang People's Government is planning to hold commemorative activities
in August at the original site of the former Weihsien Concentration Camp in
Foreign
& Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Weifang People's Government is
contacting the former Weihsien Concentration Camp residents and their families
for more information and their camp life in Weihsien 60 years ago, to full-fill
that part of history and to make the commemorative activities in rich and
success.
It is
highly appreciated if you can contact us for further information to attend the
event, and can help to locate/inform us as many Weihsieners and their families
with their contact information, for us to extend the invitations to them.
Our best
regards and we are looking forward to your kindiest reply.
Sui Shude
Foreign & Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Weifang People's
Government
For further information, please contact:
E-mails:
Suishude@sohu.com
Tel: 0086-536-8789858
Fax:0086-536-8789850 0086-536-8233692
De: "Dwight W. Whipple"
<thewhipples@comcast.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: A
Letter From Weifang
Date: jeudi 7 avril 2005
Sui Shude
I think you
have my data already. I am interested at
this point. I will need to know more
about the expense, etc. I am Dwight W. Whipple, 4728A
Thank you~
~Dwight
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: A
Letter From Weifang
Date: vendredi 8 avril 2005 0:03
Sui Shude,
My wife
Jane and I plan to come to Weifang with two of our children, their spouses, and
three grand-children - a total of nine of us.
The grand-children will be the sixth generation of my family to have
lived, worked, or visited
We hope that
this will be an opportunity to meet some of the people that we have come to
know through this wonderful email group.
Thank you again for providing this opportunity for us to come together
to commemorate Liberation Day.
Donald
Menzi
De: "Natasha Petersen"
<np57@cox.net>
À: "weihsien"
<weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Info,
please
Date: dimanche 10 avril 2005
Weihshien
Internees!
I have been
trying to find out the details of the 60th anniversary celebration. All I know is that it is in August. Has anyone more information?
Natasha
Petersen
De: "Dwight W. Whipple"
<thewhipples@comcast.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Info,
please
Date: lundi 11 avril 2005
I have made
the same inquiries but haven't received any information about dates or costs.
~Dwight W.
Whipple
**
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: the info
you reqired
Date: lundi 11 avril 2005
Dear
Natasha Petersen,
I will
email you the letter on the 60th anniversary celebration of the Weihsien
liberation. For more information, please contact me. I will tell you what I
know and what I am doing.
Sui Shude
De: "alison
holmes" <aholmes@prescott.edu>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: the
info you reqired
Date: lundi 11 avril 2005
Please can
we have the information mailed to us all to help us make the decision about the
Weifang celebrations! Thank you! Alison Holmes
De: "Natasha Petersen"
<np57@cox.net>
À: "weihsien"
<weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Fw: Letter
from sui shude
Date: lundi 11 avril 2005
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sui Shude"
<emailshude@yahoo.com.cn>
To: <np57@cox.net>
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2005
Subject: Letter
from sui shude
> Dear
Natasha Petersen,
>
> Glad
to see your letter pasted on the topica lists.
> Right
now we are planning the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the
Weihsien Camp liberation. We are contacting to see how many people can come to
attend the event, and we are preparing to visit the states and
>
My special thanks for you to help me
registering on the topica lists. I am sure we will meet each other in Weifang
during the celebration.
>
> Please
tell me your living address and other contact ways, like mail add, telephone and fax, so we can know if we can visit you
on our visit there.
>
> Sui
Shude
>
>
Attached is the letter to internees from Weifang gov.
>
>
> Letter
to Former Weihsien Concentration Camp Residents for the Celebration of 60th
Anniversary of Liberation
>
>
> Ladies
and Gentlemen,
>
> The
year of 2005 is the 60th anniversary of the end of the War II, and the 60th
anniversary of the liberation of the former Weihsien Concentration Camp
residents and their families. Weifang People’s Government is planning to hold
commemorative activities in August at the original site of the former Weihsien
Concentration Camp in
>
>
Foreign Affairs Office of Weifang People’s Government is contacting the former
Weihsien Concentration Camp residents and their families for more information
and their camp life in Weihsien 60 years ago, to full-fill that part of history
and to make the commemorative activities in rich and success.
>
> It is
highly appreciated if you can contact us for further information to attend the
event, and help to locate/inform us as many Weihsieners and their families with
their contact information, for us to extend our invitations to them for the
commemorative activities.
>
> Our
best regards and we are looking forward to your kindiest reply.
>
> Sui
Shude
>
> Foreign & Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Weifang
People’s Government
>
Address:
>
Room 1401,
>
Province,
>
P. R.
>
>
For further information please contact :
>
E-mails:
>
emailshude@yahoo.com.cn
>
Suishude@sohu.com
>
Tel: 0086-536-8789858
>
Fax:0086-536-8789850
0086-536-8233692
>
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Fw:
Letter from sui shude
Date: mardi 12 avril 2005
hello,
Thanks,
Natasha, for the copy of Mr Shude's letter.
Yesterday,
we had a chat with Father Hanquet at Louvain-La-Neuve --- with the latest
"Topica-news" (printed) containing Mr Sui Shude's message about the
August meeting at Weihsien this year. Father Hanquet, at 90 doesn't travel any
more. He said that he would be delighted to meet Mr. Shude for an interview
about "the old days" --- 60 years ago. Janette would be present. She
still has her Weihsien childhood memories. I don't remember much of those
remote days but curiously I have a picture of "August 17, 1945"
engraved deep in my neurones. I was four years old!
I was
looking at Ray Moore's photograph No.4 recently
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/RayM/pages/page04.htm
This empty field. (?) Ray said that he was looking Northwards
and pointed his position on a map of Weihsien. Mrs. Bazire, I think, was
sitting at that same place 60 years ago and was looking in the same direction
when she painted this painting No.1 (click on "sameView"- on the
extreme right of the screen).
On the
right was block 22 and on the left was block 15! We
lived in Block 22 and I think that the deJongh family lived in the two first
rooms of Block 22 as we can see on the painting.
It looks
very different now!
By the way,
Can someone help me locate "The Bell" ?
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/wilder/images/w21.jpg
I'm trying
to position it on a map!
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Fw:
Letter from sui shude
Date: mardi 12 avril 2005
Leopold,
Though I
don't have the exact location of the bell in my grandmother's paintings, I
believe it is Kitchen #1's bell and should be somewhere near
that site.
Donald.
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: Fw:
Letter from sui shude
Date: mercredi 13 avril 2005
Mary
Previte,
I have sent
several emails to you and I am not sure if you have read them. Want to know if
you are interested in attending this year's 60th Anniversary Celebration of
Weihsien Camp liberation and, if the book I am reading is written by you.
Sui Shude
De: "Christine Talbot
Sancton" <sancton@nbnet.nb.ca>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: the late
Marie Robinson
Date: jeudi 14 avril 2005
Just to let
people know that:
MARIE ROBINSON died 31
March 2005
The
Robinson family went out to
Our
families, the 4 Robinsons and the 5 Talbots, shared 3 rooms when we were first
interned in Weihsien.
Christine
Talbot Sancton
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: the
late Marie Robinson
Date: vendredi 15 avril 2005
Thanks
Christine -- such memories of you all!
Love and
God bless -- Pamela
De: "Bob McKnight"
<bob_mcknight@telus.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: PA Bruce
Date: mardi 26 avril 2005 0:08
Hello to
all. This is my first post after learning of this site.
My
grandfather was PA Bruce. My uncle and
aunt were Jimmy Bruce and Jean Bruce. Jimmy wrote a short boob some years ago about
life at Chefoo and the subsequent transfer to Weihsien. I scanned this into Word format. If anyone would like a copy I'll be happy to
email it.
Jean
married Stewart Goodwin who was also at Weihsien I believe. They now live in Wimbleton and I could
certainly pass on their email to you to any who know them.
Bob
McKnight
email: bob_mcknight@telus.net
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: PA
Bruce
Date: mardi 26 avril 2005
Hullo
Bob! And a very warm welcome to the
Weihsien!topica.com site!
It's really
great to hear from you. Jean (Bruce) Goodwin and Stewart Goodwin were both
classmates of mine and I recall them with fond memories!
And of
course your grandfather, the legendary P.A. Bruce was my headmaster over sixty
years ago in
David Birch
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: PA
Bruce
Date: mardi 26 avril 2005
Hello,
Thanks in
advance for your story in Word-format. May I have your permission to include it
on the Weihsien-picture-gallery-web-site. I'd love to
open a new chapter with new stories and new pictures (photographs-paintings-sketches-documents
---) Four years old in 1945 --- I don't remember much of the Weihsien
Concentration Camp (where we lived for 873 days and nights) --- and with the
help of many of the Topica-Weihsien-folks all over the World I'm trying to
understand how it was.
Just click
on this link:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/index.htm
In Norman
Cliff's chapter, you should easily find the stories relating to "Pa
Bruce".
All this is
a fantastic adventure! ---
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Bob McKnight"
<bob_mcknight@telus.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: PA
Bruce
Date: mardi 26 avril 2005
For everyone’s
information, Jean (nee Bruce) and Stewart Goodwin;s
email
address
is: stewart@pylori.demon.co.uk
Following
is a greeting from them:
"At
72, I am still too busy doing medico-legal reports (to have a pension and travel) after
working with leprosy patients in
Then back
to
Now Jean
and I are in
Hope you
and yours are well.
Professor
Stewart Goodwin"
Cheers Bob
McKnight
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Invitation
Letter
Date: mardi 26 avril 2005
WEIFANG
PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT
April 25, 2005
INVITATION
Respected
Mr/Mrs ,
The year of
2005 is the 60th anniversary of the end of the War II, and the 60th anniversary
of the liberation of the former Weihsien Concentration Camp. Weifang People's
Government is decided to hold commemorative activities on August 16-18, 2005 at
the former Weihsien Concentration Camp site in
Main
Celebration Activities:
--Meeting
of "60th Anniversary Celebration of Weihsien Camp Liberation"
--Opening
of the "Weihsien Concentration Camp Exhibition House"
--Flower-presenting
Ceremony to the
--The Visit
of the Former Weihsien Concentration Camp
--Commemorative
& Celebration Theatrical Performances
--Friendship
Party Between Former Weihsieners and Weifang People
--Sightseeing
and
Weifang
People's Government will undertake the cost of each former-Weihsien-internee
with one of his/her family members/friends during their stay in Weifang on
hotel room, food, local transportation and activities.
Your
participation is warmly welcome.
Mr. Zhang
Xinqi
Mayor
Weifang
People's Government,
Please note
the later attached detailed time schedule and registration information for
attending the celebration.
Sui Shude
De: "Tracy Strong"
<tstrong@weber.ucsd.edu>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Invitation Letter
Date: mardi 26 avril 2005
Honorable
Zhang Xinqi --
I hope very much to be able to attend
but will need about another month to determine if it is possible. I am the son of Robbins and Katherine Strong
and was born in Weihsien in 1943. I
visited the camp in 1980 with my wife, Helene Keyssar, since deceased, while we
were doing research on my great-aunt (my father’s father’s older sister) Anna
Louise Strong, and have very happy memories of that visit. The book from that research was published
both in
I am very
pleased that you are undertaking this celebration:
Sincerely
yours,
Tracy B.
Strong
Professeur et directeur, Centre d'études
Université de Californie</>
18, quai Claude Bernard
69365 LYON France
EAP Phone: (011-33)(0) 4-72-73-48-29</>
Tel. domicile: 04 78 37 58 73
De: "Tracy Strong"
<tstrong@weber.ucsd.edu>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Invitation Letter
Date: mardi 26 avril 2005
My
apologies to others on the list if my response to Sui Shude went
to all of you – the click and not look reflex
Tracy B.
Strong
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Does
anyone of our Weihsien network live near
Date: mercredi 27 avril 2005
Hello,
Everyone:
Weihsien rescuer Jim Moore, (Jim is also a
Jim is a not physically able to go to
Weihien this summer.
Jim wondered if others who were in
Weihsien live near enough to
Mary Taylor Previte.
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: PA
Bruce
Date: jeudi 28 avril 2005
Dear Bob
Welcome to
the site. I was one of the first to arrive and one of the last to go from
WeiHsien. I was 17 years of age when liberated. My name was Joyce Cooke (now
Bradbury) I cannot say that I knew your family but I would be happy to receive
a copy of Jimmy's writings. Thank you. Joyce Bradbury.
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Invitation Letter
Date: samedi 30 avril 2005
Hello,
Thank you
for your kind invitation !
I am
interested in attending the Anniversary Celebration
Can you
tell me how to travel from
people
attending with me.
Kind
regards,
Joyce
Bradbury
De: "Fred & Coral
Dreggs" <dreggs1@bigpond.com>
À: "Ex Internees"
<weihsien@topica.com>
Objet:
Invitation
Date: mardi 3 mai 2005
Ni Hao Mr.
Shude,
Many thanks
for your kind invitation to attend the commemorative activities on August
16-18, 2005 at Weifang.
I very much
regret that I shall not be able to attend . Please
convey to the Mayor,Mr. Zhang Xinqi, my sincere
apologies and best wishes for a successful celebration.
It so
happens that my birthday is on August 18 and on that day I may have a small
celebration here in
I still
have fond memories of my life in
Kind
regards
Zai Jian.
Fred Dreggs
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Invitation
to Weifang and commemorative activities
Date: samedi 7 mai 2005
Hello,
Everybody:
Yesterday, a delegation from Weifang (including
the Mayor and Mr. Sui Shude) visited me
in
I believe this is a follow up of the same
invitation we have received on the Weihsien Internet site.
The Mayor described to me in some detail
activities the city of
Sui Shude, who is the interpreter of the
Weifang delegation,
says the delegation will be traveling in the
Here is the exact wording of the invitation
to Weifang:
" WEIFANG
PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT INVITATION:
The year of
2005 is the 60th anniversary of the end of the War II, and the 60th anniversary
of the liberation of the Weihsien Concentration Camp. Weifang People's Government will hold
commemorative activities on August 16-18, 2005 at the former Weihsien
Concentration camp site in
The Weifang
People's Government and the people of Weifang welcome former Weihsieners and
their families to attend the celebration.
Main
Celebration Activities:
Meeting of "60th Anniversary
Celebration of Weihsien Camp Liberation"
Opening of the "Weihsien Concentration
Flower-presenting Ceremony to the
The Visit of the Former Weihsien
Concentration camp
Commemorative Theatrical Performances
Friendship Party Between
Former Weihsieners and Weifang People
Sightseeing and
Weifang People's Government will undertake
the cost of each former-Weihsien-internee with one of his/her family
members/friends during their stay in Weifang on hotel room, food, local
transportation and activities.
Your participation is warmly welcome.
Mr. Zhang Xinqi, Mayor"
A schedule
attached to te invitation lists te following:
August 16 -- arrival and registration
August 17 -- Whole day Celebration
activities
August 18 -- Tour and sightseeing in
Weifang
August 19 -- End of activities and Leave Weifang
The delegation asks for donations of
"pictures, drawings, daily used articles, books, diaries, souvenirs, of
the Weihsien camp for the collection of the
readyopened 'Weihsien Concentration Camp Exhibition House' to fulfill
that part of history and to make the commemorative activities in rich and
success."
The delegation spent a great deal of time
scanning and photographing my collection of Weihsien photographs. Jimmy Moore tells me they did the same when
they visited him. They said they want
photos for the "museum" and for a video they are producing.
The Mayor
reported to me that 5 buildings of the former camp remain -- including the
hospital which is in bad repair. They
said they plan to repair the roof. They
said they also plan
to improve the "river" that runs in front of the former camp.
The pages
of the activities give two e-mail addresses for Sui Shude: suishude@sohu.com
and emailshude@yahoo.com.cn
They ask
visitors to contact by e-mail: weihsientravel@tom.com for
Mary
Previte
De: "Anne Whiteside"
<awhites@att.net>
À: <tapol@skynet.be>
Objet:
Date: lundi 9 mai 2005
A couple of
years ago, an elderly cousin told me about another cousin, Faye Isabel
Whiteside, who was imprisoned in a
Have you
heard of either of them? Can you
recommend other places for me to search?
Thank you,
Anne
Anne
Whiteside
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: "Anne Whiteside"
<awhites@att.net>; <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Date: lundi 9 mai 2005
Dear Anne,
Thanks for
your message.
After a
research on the word "Whiteside" on the Weihsien-picture-galley-site,
I found this:
"
Fred's account
continues: "The next few days are a confused recollection of unpalatable
food and toiling over mountains of baggage. Rain falls and transforms the dust
into a quagmire. A keen wind from the north springs up and searches our bones.
We lift heavy crates, boxes and trunks with a last-ditch energy that
accomplishes surprising results. Other trainloads of refugees arrive every two
or three days until we number eighteen hundred souls: British, American, Greek,
Belgian, Philippino, Indian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese,
Scandinavian, Parsee, Iranian and Palestinian. There was also one Panamanian.
At first volunteers staffed the kitchens, bakery, repair shops, pumps and
bathhouses. Dr. Loucks and Miss Whiteside with helpers started whipping the
hospital into shape."
"
and you
can reach the entire text by clicking on this link:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/NormanCliff/Diary/WhiteWolves/txt_WhiteWolves.htm
I looked in
I'll be
sending a copy of this mail to our "TOPICA" friends. Hope someone can
help you ---
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Greg Leck"
<gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Edith
Molesworth in Weihsien
Date: lundi 9 mai 2005
Edith
Molesworth, aged 69, was repatriated to
Weihsien.
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Invitation to Weifang and commemorative activities
Date: lundi 9 mai 2005
REPLY on my
family thoughts: They wanted to know if
the financial help applied to the grandchildren of internees?? You don't even mention financial help
below. If you don't know the answer to
this question, please pass it on to Sui Shude, or let me know. My sons want to know if the invitation
applies to grandchildren, and/or if there is financial aid for them. I myself am only the child of internees Hugh
and Mabel Hubbard, and am too old to travel alone.
Gladys
De: <gbn@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Photos
Date: mercredi 11 mai 2005
Does anyone
have photos of the Weihsien camp? I have written a book about
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Photos
Date: mercredi 11 mai 2005
Have you
checked Leopold Pander's web site?
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/index.htm
He has some
photos there.
What is
your book about, and when will it be out?
Donald
Menzi
De: "Gary Nash"
<gbn@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Photos
Date: jeudi 12 mai 2005 0:19
Hi Donald,
Thanks for the info. My book was published in 2002 and is about to go into its
third printing. Details are on my website www.tarasovsaga.com
Gary Nash
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Fw:
Photos
Date: jeudi 12 mai 2005
> Dear
> It
will be a pleasure for me to help you. Let me know the picture(s) you are
> interested
in and I will give you all the info I can for the copywrite permissions.
> My
mother was born in
> became
all white!
> Thanks
for telling us about your book --- (I'll be on "amazon" after sending
> this
message)
> Best
regards,
>
Leopold Pander
>
>
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet:
Date: dimanche 15 mai 2005
Hello,
Everyone:
An obituary in the
Let me quote from the obituary.
"Born August 27, 1924, in
The family was told that bandits killed her
father because they mistakenly believed he had reported them to the police.
After the Japanese invaded during World War
II, the family was forced into a
Mrs. Anthony said the prisoners were policed
by Chinese guards, so they weren't beaten or tortured, said her son
Richard. But conditions were harsh.
She remembered once being fed horse meat
and later told it came from a horse that had died of illness. 'She said they closed their eyes and ate what
they were given,' Rachel Anthony said.
'They needed their nourishment, no matter how it tasted.'
Betty volunteered to take her mother's
shift cleaning the latrines because the smell upset her stomach so badly, she
said.
American soldiers freed the prisoners about
2 1/2 years later, right around Betty's 21st birthday The family boarded a Navy transport ship for
the
Betty joined the Salvation Army and met Dick
Anthony, a fellow officer, in
ON THE SUBJECT OF THE AUGUST CELEBRATION IN
WEIFANG:
Weihsien rescuer Jim Moore, has dropped me a
note that he hopes to attend the reunion in Weifang wih his son Michael, "if my health
holds out," Jim writes. Jim is 85 years old.
Mary Previte
De: "Greg Leck"
<gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Date: dimanche 15 mai 2005
Talk about
a coincidence.
Just one
hour before I received the email, I was looking at the Dempster family's entries
in the Weihsien nominal roll. I was
familiar with the story of her father.
Like many
obituaries, relying on sources who don't know the full story, there are errors
- the date of internment and "Chinese guards."
Greg
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: RE:
Date: lundi 16 mai 2005
Greg:
Mistakes like these in Betty Dempster
Anthony's obituary show the importance of documenting or recording our stories
from the Weihsien chapter of our lives.
The final paragraph of Betty's obituary says, "Rachel Anthony said she lived with her
mother for all 44 years of her life. She
said she has one regret: 'I wish I had gotten her to talk into a tape
recorder,' she said. 'To
tell us all the amazing stories from her life. Now that she's gone, we just have to try to
remember everything she told us.' "
Mary Previte
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Date: lundi 16 mai 2005
Hi Mary --
Ann
Pellegrino, a friend of mine in Forth Worth, sent me a copy of Betty Dempster's
obit. I sent an e-mail to the author,
Alex Branch, mentioning that I had been in Weihsien and asking if he would give
my name to her family so that one of them could get in touch with me, but was
bluntly told he wouldn't accept my e-mail. Then I decided to write the Star
Telegraph with the same message -- as they're not allowed to give out the names
and addresses of those they interview -- but now that you and the others have
learned of her death, maybe one of you know how I could contact a member of her
family.
You guessed
it -- I thought possibly if I sent them a copy of The Mushroom
Years they
would get a more accurate picture of what Weihsien was like and what we went
through.
Much love
-- Pamela
De: "Greg Leck"
<gregleck@epix.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Date: lundi 16 mai 2005
Pamela,
You can
always contact the funeral home, and they will pass on any message.
This way
the family's privacy is protected, and they can decide whether to return
contact or not.
Greg
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Date: lundi 16 mai 2005
Hi Greg --
The article
I read was not a regular obit, but now that you mention it, I notice there is
funeral information with the name of her church and the memorial park. I should be able to find the address of
either, or both, quite easily.
Thanks so
much for the suggestion.
Best
regards -- Pamela
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Date: mardi 17 mai 2005
Hello,
Pamela,
Have you asked telephone information for
the phone number of either Betty's son, Robert Anthony or her daughter Rachel
Anthony? I'm guessing that the
Mary Previte
De: "Gary Nash"
<gbn@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Photos
Date: mardi 17 mai 2005
Dear
Leopold,
Thanks for
your note. On the www.weihsien.menzi.org site, there is an aerialphoto of the
camp and also an excellent map of the camp produced by Fr Verhoeven. They are
the ones I would be interested in.
As you
probably discovered, the US Amazon site suggests the book is out of print -
only second-hand copies available. That's because my Australian publisher's
Amazon site
because there is a European distributor.
What
nationality was your mother? Why was she born in
Good
hearing from you.
Gary Nash
61-2-9958-3089
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Fw: Sui
Shude
Date: mardi 17 mai 2005
I am very
grateful for Mary Previte's email about Sui Shude and the Mayor of Weifang's
visit relative to the proposed Weifang re-union. The following message I sent
speaks for itself. But I have had absolutely no answer to that and other emails
I have sent to Weifang. I know that a number of ex internees are awaiting
confirmation from Weifang that the re-union is really a goer. Can anybody re-assure
-----
Original Message -----
From:
Bob&Joyce Bradbury
To: Sui
Shude office
Sent:
Friday, May 13, 2005
I
telephoned your office yesterday and spoke to a lady named Deak about my
intention to come to the re-union of civilian internees who were in a prison
camp under the Japanese Army during the Anti-Japanese War, 1941 to 1945. I
understand that the Mayor of Weifang People's Government, Shandong Province Mr.
Zhang Xinqi has invited all ex internees with one companion to attend the
functions on 16th 17th and 18th August 2005 and to be given free accommodation
food and some other benefits. I also
understand that Mr. Sui Shude is in charge of arranging the re-union. Could you
please confirm to me that this function is to be held and accommodation will be
provided.
I intend to
bring my three sons and a granddaughter with me to Weifang. My sons will
require accommodation for the three days for which they will of course pay. Preferably at the same accommodation where the internees stay.
Would you please tell me the name and details of where this accommodation is situated. I realise that the Mayor and Mr. Shude are in
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: "Janette & Pierre @
home" <pierre.ley@pandora.be>
Objet: Re:
Photos
Date: mardi 17 mai 2005
Dear Gary,
About your book I recently ordered, I got a
confirmation message from amazon.com who told me that booksulove@hotmail.com:
was going to send me the book --- so I suppose that everything is OK.
---
The photos:
The aerial photo was sent to me by David
Beard, beard@xtra.co.nz
. There is a whole chapter with
his documents and recent photographs of Weihsien on the picture gallery:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/index.htm
This fantastic picture was taken from a B-29
(73rd wing) in 1945.
Father Verhoeven's map is a copy I made
from an almost wiped-out photocopy we had with his paintings --- I found in our
dad's papers. We had the OK message from Father Bellemakers when asking
previously for "Lilla's Feast". So --- Feel free to use this
document. He just asked for a copy of the book to be sent to: "Father
Wilh. Bellemakers c.m., Postbus 7055, 5980
AB PANNINGEN,
May I transfer the two documents by e-mail. They are in a *.tif format and rather big in size
--- (±5Mo each !!). If you prefer, I'll transfer them on a CD and send them by
ordinary post.
---
My mom's family was from
---
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Date: mardi 17 mai 2005
Hi Mary --
Thanks, but
I've already mailed the book and a letter of sympathy to Rachel Anthony. As
Greg Leck suggested earlier, I contacted the
Thanks
again for your concern and help.
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: RE:
Photos
Date: mercredi 18 mai 2005
Would you once again list the name and identifying
information about your book?
Thank you.
Mary Previte
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>;
"Anne Whiteside" <awhites@att.net>
Objet: Re:
Wished
Date: samedi 21 mai 2005
Anne. I have
sent your query to weishien@topica.com and I am sure anybody who can help will
communicate with you direct. You can then return a message to
weishien@topica.com introducing yourself etc. Good luck. Joyce Bradbury.
----- Original Message -----
From: Anne Whiteside
To: 'Bob&Joyce Bradbury'
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005
Subject: RE:
Wished
I have tried twice to post messages, but keep
getting an error message. Do you have
any tips? Do I just send email to weishien@topica.com I have been trying to use the "POST"
button on the Topica site.
Sorry, I am new to lists.
Anne
From: Bob&Joyce Bradbury [mailto:bobjoyce@tpg.com.au]
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005
To: Anne Whiteside
Subject: Re: Weihsien
Anne. Sorry but I do not recall your cousins
Why don’t you ask the same question on weishien@topica.com Most ex internees read it and I feel sure
somebody will be able to give you information about them. Joyce Bradbury
----- Original Message -----
From: Anne Whiteside
To: bobjoyce@tpg.com.au
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Subject: Weihsien
Joyce, did you by any chance know my
cousins in Weihsien?
They were:
Faye Isabel Whiteside
(sometimes spelled Fay) - a nurse missionary from
Edith Whiteside Molesworth - her sister who
was visiting from
They were both considerably older than you
being born about 1888 and 1874, respectively.
I am trying to locate someone who remembers them.
Anne
De: "
À: <weihsien@topica.com>;
"Anne Whiteside" <awhites@att.net>
Objet: Re:
Wished
Date: samedi 21 mai 2005
Ladies RE
your query.
Neither
ladies were ever in Weihsien as far as can be ascertained. There were a number
of people moved directly from
The only records are the following:
Faye Isabel
Whiteside born 1888 nurse hometown
Edith
Whiteside Molseworth born 1875 sailed from
Hope this
helps
Rgds
Weihsien
1943-5
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: I_remember
Date: mercredi 25 mai 2005
Hello,
Click on
this picture:
if it
doesn't work, click on this link:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/I_Remember/indexFrame.htm
You should
reach a new chapter of the Weihsien picture-gallery:
http://weihsien-paintings.org$
So, ---
Right-click on the map at the right side of your screen and print the
map of Weihsien on a sheet of A4-paper.
I gave a
copy of that map to Father Hanquet and asked him: "What do you remember,
Father, when you look at this map?"
So ---
Click on
the little map in the left frame on your screen and you will find out --- all
in postits!
Question:
Look at the
map, and tell me: --- "what do you remember?"
How?
On the map,
write down the numbers, 1, 2, etc ---
On a
separate piece of paper write down what you remember:
1= I
remember ----------------
2= I
remember ------------------
etc ---------
Send it to
me:
Leopold
Pander,
Sentier du
Berger 15
B-1325-Corroy-le-Grand
Thanks in
advance?
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
I_remember
Date: mercredi 25 mai 2005
Dear
Leopold,
Another
"home run" for you! (I'm not sure what the equivalent soccer
terminology would be, but I assume you know enough about American baseball that
you don't need a translation.)
Jane and I
are looking forward to our meeting you and the others in Weifang this August.
Donald
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Report From Sui Shude Weifang
Date: mercredi 25 mai 2005
Reprot from
Sui Shude - Weifang
Dear
Friends,
Sorry for
not on the internet so long, as it was not so convenient to get myself on net
during my hectic working trip in the
The
Official Delegation from Weifang People's Government took a special tour to
During the
quite limited visiting time the delegation visited and interviewed some former
Weihsien internees and their families, including Mary Previte--the New Jersey
State Legislature, as well as Weihsien rescuer, Chefoo Schools Association of
North America, "Flying-tiger" team people and other organizations
concerning the world War II and Weihsien Concentration Camp. The delegation
would like stay there for 2 months instead of 2 weeks and even like walk over
the whole world to visit all former Weihsieners, which seems not possible.
Fortunately the internet helps much.
We are
trying to put all the former internees/people concerned, who have contacted us
with the interest of attending the commemorative activities on August 16 -18
held in Weifang at the former Weihsien Civilian Assembly Center, on our
registration list.
The
preparing works for the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Weihsien
Camp Liberation is going on in Weifang, as the time schedule for all the
activities listed on the invitation letter is decided.
Best
wishes,
Sui Shude
De: "Dwight W. Whipple"
<thewhipples@comcast.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
I_remember
Date: jeudi 26 mai 2005 0:57
Is 1941 the
correct date on one of the post-its? But
what a great map to jog our memories!
~Dwight
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
I_remember
Date: jeudi 26 mai 2005
Thank you
Leopold! I echo Donald's remark about
the HOME RUN! What would we do without
people like you and Donald?
I'm so
thankful that a friend is making it possible for me to attend the 60th
Anniversary Celebrations in Weifang (Weihsien)!
So I too am eagerly looking forward to meeting you and Donald (and many
others) there in August!
David
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Fw:
I_remember
Date: jeudi 26 mai 2005
Thanks
Dwight, --- you had to read "1943". It's OK now.
--- all the best,
Leopold
PS (---
send --- or mail to me what YOU remember when looking at that map!!)
**
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Report From Sui Shude Weifang
Date: vendredi 27 mai 2005
Dear Mr.
Shude --
Thank you
so much for your invitation to attend the 60th Anniversary of our liberation
from Weihsien Prison Camp. I was so looking forward to coming, but due to an
unexpected family situation, I have had to change my plans and will not be able
to attend.
I send my
best wishes to you and Mayor Zhang Xinqi, and thank you once again for
remembering all of us, old prisoners of war, who lived in Weihsien so long ago.
Kindest regards
--
Pamela
Masters
(nee Simmons)
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: "Janette & Pierre @
home" <pierre.ley@pandora.be>
Objet: 60th
anniversary celebrations
Date: samedi 28 mai 2005
Dear Mr.
Shude,
Dear Mr. Zhang
Xinqi,
Thank you,
and please thank the Chinese government on our behalf, for your kind and most
interesting invitation. We would have loved to take part in the Weihsien 60th
anniversary celebrations!
After quite
a few discussions, we have decided to stay in
Be sure
that on the 17th of August, our thoughts and hearts will be with you all, ---
in Weihsien!
Best
regards,
Janette
Ley-Pander.
Nicky and Leopold Pander.
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Fw: the
bell
Date: dimanche 29 mai 2005
Hello,
There was
one BIG bell in the tower of block 23!
Did each
kitchen have a bell?
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Fw:
the bell/Also regrets re Leopold's inability to come in August
Date: dimanche 29 mai 2005
There
definitely was a large bell in the tower about Block 23. And it was rung every day
at
I think it
was the responsibility of John Barling, a Chefoo grad, to ring the noon-hour
bell each day. Barling was a boy who was convalescing from tuberculosis and had
to avoid any heavier type of work. But he was conscientious and highly
dependable and never missed in his bell ringing duties.
There were
no bells in the various kitchens Donald, as I recall. Your grandparents, I think, must have simply
regarded the Weihsien Camp Bell, as I think we all did, as
OUR bell!
Once again
I must echo Donald as I too express my regrets that Nicky and Leopold are not
able to come to the Weihsien 60th Anniversary of Liberation this August! I had SO looked forward to meeting you folks!
Congratulations
as you look forward to the birth of your twins this summer! May God bless you greatly!
David
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Who is
attending the reunion in Weihsien (Weifang)?
Date: jeudi 2 juin 2005
Hello,
Everybody:
If you plan to attend our 60th anniversary
reunion at Weihsien (Weifang), please drop a confirmation note on this Topica
site as well as names of those who will be attending with you.
Here's information we would like to collect
for nametags and mealtime groupings:
1. Name you used in Weihsien
2. Name you use today
3. What city in
4. In what Block or building were you
housed in Weihsien?
Here're my data:
1. Mary Taylor
2. Mary Previte
3. Chefoo
4. Hospital building
Would you
help us spread the word about this reunion?
If you know of Weihsien internees who have not joined our Weihsien
Topica group, please notify them of the August reunion.
Mary Taylor
Previte
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Who
is attending the reunion in Weihsien (Weifang)?
Date: jeudi 2 juin 2005
I plan to
attend our 60th anniversary reunion/celebration at Weihsien (Weifang) in
August.
My friend,
Cam Copeland, will be attending with me.Cam was not an internee but is keenly
interested in the story of Weihsien and is a close personal friend of mine.
The
information Mary requests is as follows for me:
1. David Birch
2. David Birch
3. Yantai (Chefoo/Temple Hill)
4. Block 61 (hospital bldg - attic)
(Earlier Block 23, the bell-tower bldg)
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: Who
is attending the reunion in Weihsien (Weifang)?
Date: jeudi 2 juin 2005
Dear Mary
Taylor Previte,
I sent two
emails to you on your MTPrevite@aol.com email add during the last few days but
all returned. Now I will try another email add on your name card.
Sui Shude
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Guide to
Register
Date: jeudi 2 juin 2005
From Sui
Shude - Weifang
Dear
Friends
Focusing on
the Celebration of Weihsien Camp Liberation
Welcome
you, your family/relatives/friends to the 60th Anniversary Celebration
Activities of the Weihsien Concentration Camp Liberation held in
Following
are the guide for registration to attend the event as well as some forms for
you to enter. Please go over the following first.
GUIDE to
Register:
A. Please
contact us to show your interest to the celebration and describe the brief
background information (Weihsien-internee/EX-internee/Relatives/Friends/Others).
And inform us your direct contact information such as your Full name, E-mail,
Tel & Fax, for us to send you by email/fax the Invitation Letter as well as
the Registration Forms.
B. Please
read our Invitation Letter, enter the 3 registration forms for the celebration
activities and email back to us, and also send us a printed copy with your
signatures by fax, before June 30, 2005 to confirm your
attending. Then bring printed and signed forms to us in August.
C. The city
government of Weifang will arrange buses to pick up participants in
US$60 /
each day/night per person(in double or twin room)
US$80 /
each day/night per person(in single room)
We will
send by email this note, Invitation Letter, as well as the registration forms
to all the people on our invitation list as soon as possible:
INVITATION
LETTER for the 60th Anniversary Celebration Activities from Weifang People's
Government
REGISTRATION
FORMS to the celebration activities
Weifang
People's Government and the people of Weifang warmly welcome you to this 60th
Anniversary Celebration Activities and enjoy a happy re-union!
Please
check on your email and contact for further information if you failed to get
the invitation or registration forms.
Mr. Sui
Shude
Foreign
& Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Weifang People's Government Add:
E-mails:
suishude@sohu.com
emailshude@yahoo.com.cn
Tel:
++86-536-8292675 ++86-536-8233692 Cell: ++86-1390-536-9362
Fax:
++86-536-8292675 ++86-536-8789850
De: "George Kaposhilin"
<gkapo@sbcglobal.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Weihsien
60th Anniversary Commemoration
Date: jeudi 2 juin 2005
I plan on
attending the re-union in Weifang in August 2005. I have found a tour group
whose Itinerary includes the visit to the Weifang event,
plus an
interesting extra to
to a solo
trip from
Weifang
part of the stay is paid by the people of Weifang .
The group's
itinerary is attached. They welcome additional Weihsieners but you must make
reservations ASAP.
If you are
interested contact Mr.. David Cheng at 626-279-2981 or
Americauic@aol.com
In any
event, hope to see as many of you as possible in Weifang.
George
Kaposhilin
In Weihsien
aka "Porky"
De: "Albert Dezutter"
<albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Weihsien 60th Anniversary Commemoration
Date: jeudi 2 juin 2005
MessageGeorge:
I would be
interested in seeing the itinerary, but I didn't see an attachment to your
message. Could you resend?
Albert
("Albie") de Zutter
De: "George Kaposhilin"
<gkapo@sbcglobal.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: FW:
Weihsien 60th Anniversary Commemoration
Date: jeudi 2 juin 2005
Sorry, I
forgot to include the itinerary for the Flying Tiger group.
Here it is.
The Flying
Tigers were a group of American volunteers and adventurers who flew critical
supplies into Japanese occupied
George
US
Flying Tiger Delegation visit
The 60th Anniversary
of the World War II
The 60th Anniversary of the
Liberation of the Former Weihsien Concentration Camp
(
11 Days {From August 14, Sunday – August 24,
Wednesday.2005}
Attn : Ms. Wang, Hong
Day
01) AUG 14, SUN, 2005 LAX/NRT NH 005 (1255P/420P) +1
Depart
West Coast today abroad a spacious jet for your
cross
the international datelines. (By All
Day 02) AUG 15, Monday NRT/PVG NH 921
(610P / 815PP)
You will arrive in
warm
welcome to your arriving. After dinner then transfer to your hotel
for rest.
Day 03) AUG 16, Tuesday
Qingtao city - Weifang city by coach
You will arrive in Qingtao at
by coach. Welcome
Dinner Party by
Government,
Day 04) AUG 17, Wednesday The Celebration
of the 60th Anniversary of
the Liberation of the formal Weihsien
Concentration Camp
The schedule for the
former Weihsien Concentration Camp Residents and
Their Families for the
Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Liberation in
Day 05) AUG 18, Thursday
The schedule for the former Weihsien
Concentration Camp Residents and
Their Families for the
Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Liberation in
6.00 p.m. the reception dinner hosted by
Shandong Party Committee,
& Shandong Province Government, Foreign & Overseas Chinese
Affair Office of Weifang People’s Government. Stay in Weifang Hotel
Day
06) AUG 19, Friday
This morning, will going to
Landungsbrucke in
Day 07) AUG 20, SAT
This morning,
will going by China Airlines from
More than 50 years ago,
Even Today " Flying Tigers " (fei hu dui
in Chinese Pinying) is still a household name. Anna Chan, the wife of general
Chennault, the
creator and head of Flying Tigers, is still active in building the sound
friendship between Americans and Chinese. Recently, the publishing of Anna
Chan's Chennault and me
is an influential event in
Day 08) AUG 21, SUN
In October of 1991,
46 survivors of Flying Tigers Association had a nostalgic visit to
A lot of Chinese books about
Flying Tigers have been published. In
Day 09) AUG 22, MON
This
morning, you will fly to
you – US
Fly Tiger at
palace in
the world.
Day 10) AUG 23, TUE
Today we
will visit the
wonders
of the World, the great wall is one of the most amazing manmade structures.
After lunch,
we will visit Summer palace. Tonight, enjoy the world
Peking Duck. Then
a Chinese
acrobatics show.
Day 11) AUG 24, WED
After
breakfast at hotel, we will fly by international airlines from
your
home-
* * * * * * * * * * * *
*
Attn : Ms. Wang, Hong (Remarks:
The last application date is May 31, Tuesday, 2005 )
Quotation
US$1,995
/Per Person + Airport Tax :
$100.00 /Per Person
(Single Room Supplement of $360.00
/Per Person )
This price including of
- Transpacific round trip for
international airlines by economic class.
(This price is only for departure
from
(Departure from Los Angles to
- Including China Government
Officials arrangements.
- This price including
- Hotel rooms (1/2 twin share).
three meals daily, admission fees
- English Speaking guide &
Sightseeing and transportation
This price excluding of
- Tour guide and Tour driver
tips.
- US demotic air tickets
If you have any question, would you please fell
free to contact us at
626-279-2981,
Our fax no is 626-279-5779,
we are looking forward to hear from you, thanks.
Best Regards,
David Cheng, Executive Director
Tel: 626-279-2981 & 626-279-5759
Fax: 626-279-5779
E-mail: Americauic@aol.com
( David Cheng’s
De: "George Kaposhilin"
<gkapo@sbcglobal.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Weihsien 60th Anniversary Commemoration
Date: vendredi 3 juin 2005
Albie,
Sorry, must be a sign of old age. Forgetting what you thought two seconds after
you thought it! I have resent it.
George
De: "George Kaposhilin"
<gkapo@sbcglobal.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Info for
Weifang trip
Date: vendredi 3 juin 2005
I will be
going. Here is my info:
Weishien
name: George Watts, aka "Porky"
Present
name: George Kaposhilin
Arrived in
camp from:
Lived in
Block 18 with my stepmother Pauline
Activities
in Camp: Student, boy scout, soccer player, pumper on
Kitchen no 1 pump.
After camp returned to
Emigrated to
Hopefully
my son Nicholas will join me from
George
De: "Gary Nash"
<gbn@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: RE:
Photos
Date: vendredi 3 juin 2005
The book is
called "The Tarasov Saga: From Russia through
Gary Nash
(Igor
Ivashkoff)
61-2-9958-3089
De: "Edmund Cooke"
<shedco@optusnet.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Who is
attending the reunion in Weihsien (Weifang)
Date: vendredi 3 juin 2005
Hullo Everybody,
I intend to be at the reunion, together with
my wife, Shirley and the following is my data -
1.
Eddie Cooke (brother to Joyce Bradbury (nee Cooke)
2. Ed.
Cooke
3.
4.
Block 2
Am looking forward to catching up to the past
sixty years!
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Who
is attending the reunion in Weihsien (Weifang)
Date: samedi 4 juin 2005
Thank you,
Eddie, for your response.
May I also
have your mailing address? We hope to compile a directory of attendees to
distribute at our reunion.
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: RE:
Who is attending the reunion in Weihsien (Weifang)?
Date: samedi 4 juin 2005
Hello, Mr.
Shu:
I have received one e-mail from you, but
have not yet received from you a list of attendees at our Weihsien reunion or
the official invitation and list of registration forms that attendees must fill
out.
I am now getting daily requests for
information about any available tour groups going to Weifang for this
reunion. Is there any other tour
group? I know of the tour for the Flying Tigers,
sponsored by America UIC Company.
Mary T. Previte
De: "Joyce Cook" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: "Carol Fairchild"
<icevend@ntlworld.com>; <weihsien@topica.com>; "Sui Shude
<" <suishude@sohu.com>
Objet: Request
for Invitations and Registration Forms.
Date: dimanche 5 juin 2005
Dear Mr.
Shude.
Would you
please send an Official Invitation and Registration forms to the following Ex
Internees:
1. Joyce Dorothy Bradbury, nee Cooke.( In the
very first group to arrive in WeisHien (Weifang) Civilian Assembly Centre and
one of the last to leave two months after liberation on 17th August,
1945.) With the Main Accompany granddaughter
Danielle Bradbury aged 13 years and sons George Bradbury, Tom Bradbury and Bill
Bradbury. Please send invitation and registration form to email bobjoyce@tpg.com.au . Sydney Australia
telephone number 2-98783694.
2. Stanley
Frederick Fairchild from Tsintsien (Now Tianjin) Interned at Weishien (Now
Weifang) until end of War. With The
Main Accompany, his wife Jane Fairchild.
Please email to icevend@ntlworld.com
For the
purpose of nametags and mealtime groupings here is the required information as
requested by Mary Previte.
1. Joyce
Cooke
Now Mrs Joyce Bradbury.
No. 2 Compound. Kitchen No. 1.
2.
Kitchen No.1
We are
eagerly looking forward to attending this celebration. Joyce Bradbury.
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
Objet: Attendance
at Weihsien (Weifang) reunion
Date: dimanche 5 juin 2005
Hi
everybody,
My wife
Margaret and I plan to attend the August 16-18 celebrations:
1. David
Beard
2. " "
3.
Chefoo/Yantai
4. Block
23; Hospital 21
Looking
forward to catching up on the past 60 years!
David Beard
De: "Gay Talbot Stratford"
<stillbrk@eagle.ca>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Guide
to Register
Date: lundi 6 juin 2005
Unfortunately
I am unable to attend, but I thank you and the people of
Weifang for
the kind invitation
Mt parents
worked for the Kailan mining administration in
My best wishes
for the reunion.
Sincerely,
Gay Talbot
Graham and
Gay Stratford
De: "Mary Broughton"
<wilmar@clear.net.nz>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Who
is attending the reunion in Weihsien (Weifang)?
Date: lundi 6 juin 2005
Dear Mary,
Many thanks
for all you are doing concerning Weihsien and have done.
I am
planning to attend the celebration with my son James Broughton and his fiancée Carolyn
Christenson
I am
1. Mary Hoyte
2. Mary
Broughton
3. Chefoo
4. Block 23
then the Hospital.
I replied
early on to Mr Shude mentioning a friend Lisa who was coming with me. She is no
longer coming.
So looking
forward to it all,
Mary
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Request for Invitations and Registration Forms.
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Hello,
Joyce,
I've not yet received the necessary
official invitations and registration forms from Sui Shude. If he e-mails them to you, would you forward
them by e-mail to me? Horrors! I think we've overwhelmed that office!
Nor have I had a response from Mr. Sui to
my request for names of those planning to attend the Weihsien reunion. Quite a few of the Chefoo contingent have
e-mailed me of their plans. I do hope we
can get names to put together a directory of participants to distribute at the
reunion.
Would you allow me to broadcast on the
Topica network your suggestions for the Weihsien reunion? I think it might inspire others to offer
helpful ideas.
David Beard from
Mary Previte
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Request for Invitations and Registration Forms.
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Dear Mary.
By all means use anything that will help. I too am having trouble with Sui
Shude, even though my brother asked for the invitation last Friday and got it
the next day, together with the registration forms. I am sending you a copy of
his forms. I think it is important to get an individual invitation form because
it is addressed personally and would be a good keepsake.
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Request for Invitations and Registration Forms.
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Mary,
Mr. Sui has
sent me an email stating that he has tried repeatedly to email you but that his
emails have been returned to him undelivered.
He asked me to forward the material to you, which I did. If you have not received it, then it is possible
that your email system is blocking his (and my) messages. If you DID receive my forwarded email, sent
directly to you at MTPrevite@aol.com, will you please acknowledge receiving it. If you did NOT
receive it then someone more knowledgeable than I will need to explore the
technical reasons for the breakdown in communications.
Donald
De: "Raymond Moore"
<raym82@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: I can't
go
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Hello to
all my Weihsien friends,
It is with
a good deal of envy that I have been reading about the plans for attending the
60th anniversary celebrations in Weifang.
I was fortunate in being able to visit there in 2000, but without the
fanfare and official dinners etc that you people will enjoy. Have a look on my
page on Leopold Panders website for pictures of this trip.
The reason
I won't be there is that we are saving for another important trip to
It is
rather exciting for me, because it brings our familly history full circle. My great grandfather and greatgrandmother,
George and Jessie Andrew, went out to
My father
was born iin
For a person
who feels more Chinese than Australian, this is exciting and brings our history
full circle.
So, much as
I would love to be there with you all in August - I have other pressing matters
to deal with!
Best wishes
to you all
Ray Moore
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Who
is attending the reunion in Weihsien (Weifang)
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
>Reply
from Gladys Hubbard Swift, daughter of Hugh and Mabel Hubbard of Weihsien. I would have been at Weihsien but my parents
sent me out of
My granddaughter, Suchi Swift, who spent a
year at
college,
will represent my Hubbard family.
>1.
Hugh and Mabel
Hubbard were in Weihsien Internment Camp
>2. Suchi Swift is the great granddaughter of
Hugh and Mabel Hubbard (already elderly
when at Weihsien)
>3. They came from
>4. We don't know where they were located in
camp. Does someone else know?
>
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: I
can't go
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Hello,
Raymond,
What a disappointment that you won't be
joining our Weihsien reunion!
But I know
you'll be with us in spirit.
Your own
Mary Taylor Previte
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: I_remember,
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Hello,
--- a new page in the "I remember" chapter ---
go to:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/I_Remember/indexFrame.htm
and click
on the maps!
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: To Sui
Shude
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Would you
please send Official Invitation and Registration forms to the following :
Suchi Swift
and Geoffrey Nazzaro
Suchi is
the great grand-daughter of Hugh and Mabel Hubbard who were interned at
Weihsien. Geoffrey is her friend. They plan to attend.
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: I
can't go
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Dear Ray,
Your story
is touching and I'm sorry we won't have a chance to meet in August. I, too, just had a circle completed last
weekend when we attended the marriage of my son, Mark, to a lovely young woman
whom he met in
Anyway, congratulations. We will have to include a moment
in the ceremony when we think of all of you who would be there with us if you
could.
Best
regards.
Donald
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Email
Problems
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
TO: All Weihsieners,
Apparently
either Topica or the "aol" email server has been interfering with
communications between Sui Shude and some topica participants.
If you have
been expecting to receive forms or other communications from Sui Shude and have
not received them, please respond to this email. I have offered to try to
figure out the source of the problem and deal with it, though I am not yet sure
how to do it, since I don't know the scope of the problem. Mary gave me an alternate email address, to
which I forwarded Shude's message to her.
I hope this worked for her, at least.
Donald
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: The room
where Hugh and Mary Hubbard were interned
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
>To Mary
Previte - If you hear from David Beard about the map of the old camp site, I
would like very much to find out where my parents, Hugh and Mabel Hubbard, were
interned '42 to 45. Since my
granddaughter Suchi Swift has decided to go to the celebration in August I
would like to tell them where the Hubbards were located.
>Thanks.
Gladys Hubbard Swift
>
> "
David Beard from
>
>Mary Previte "
>
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: I
can't go
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
To Ray
Moore - My granddaughter Phaedra Swift Larner is also adopting a Chinese girl
this fall or winter. Just
telling you in case you run into the family. I understand these adoptions occur in
groups. I was born in
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: LILLA'S
FEAST by Frances Osborne
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
I've just
finished reading this wonderful book written by the great granddaughter of Lilla
Casey who was interned at both Temple Hill (Chefoo) and subsequently Weihsien
at the very time I was during World War II.
Although I
do not personally remember Lilla, after reading Frances O's wonderful bio of
her great granny, I honestly wish I had known this marvelous old lady back in
those days.
What a
truly amazing woman! In spite of what
could easily have been insurmountable obstacles of many kinds and descriptions,
Lilla kept her sanity and her dignity all her life long!
If you have
not yet read Lilla's Feast, you really owe it to yourself to read it right
through! It is a superb treat!!! I'm sure it is available through AMAZON DOT
COM! Or your local library must be able
to obtain copies to loan out!
I
particulary appreciated the descriptions of places I personally knew long
ago: CHEFOO,
What
memories! I well recall making
"coal balls" and "briquettes!" And I clearly recall doing my regular chore
as a twelve and thirteen-year-old boy.
My job was to pump water into the large water tank just outside the
Ladies' Showers. Also how well I
remember joining the long line-up for slack coal and carrying the heavy coal
scuttle back to my dorm during the viciously cold winter months.
Many of my
memories are not bad ones at all.
I remember
playing a version of basketball outside the hospital (Block 61) with my good
friend Torje Torjeson. And I remember learning how to play baseball (softball)
in which we boys were coached by our well-loved master, S. Gordon Martin! The day that I caught a high flyball and
heard Goopy shout Attaboy
David is
forever etched in my memory! How proud I
was of my simple achievement! What a
wonderful teacher Goopy was! He also
coached us boys in gymnastics. We had
what he called and "Agility Squad" where we performed amazing feats
of physical contortions and leaps and human pyramids, and so on!
And I
learned to play table tennis (ping pong) at Weihsien too! Many is the game I
played in Kitchen One with my special chum Stanley Thompson! In fact I have "immortalized" the
last game of ping pong I recall playing with Stan in a published article entitled
simply "A Game of Pingpong!"
Stan and I were actually locked in deadly combat in this pingpong game when
the US Army Air Force B24 Liberator bomber flew over the camp and dropped those
marvelous young airmen down to us by parachute on that memorable day in August
1945!
Of course,
like everyone else on that memorable day, we dropped what we were doing and ran
out to welcome out liberators!
I do not
recall feeling hunger pangs at Weihsien, even though we were woefully
undernourished! The reason I believe is
that the human stomach adjusts in its capacity to the amount of food that is
available.
Well I
could go on and on! The vegetable and
flower gardens we children were encouraged to develop. The kindness of a Japanese
guard in helping me to cultivate my personal garden patch, etc., etc.
Thank you
Frances Osborne for bringing all this back to me in your fascinating and very
well-written book, Lilla's Feast! You
have certainly made a marvelous contribution not just for your own family but
for us all!
David Birch
gdavidbirch@yahoo.com
De: "Tracy Strong"
<tstrong@weber.ucsd.edu>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: The
room where Hugh and Mary Hubbard were interned
Date: mercredi 8 juin 2005
Does anyone
know where my parents, Robbins and Kitty Strong, were interned?
I visited
Weihsien in 1980 and was apologetically told that that building had been torn
down, but that this other one "was just like it." Also
got an extended banquet (2 bottles of Maotai!)
Best to you
all
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: The
documents arrived!
Date: jeudi 9 juin 2005
Thank you,
Mr. Siu Shude,
The official invitation and registration
papers have arrived safely, forwarded from Donald Menzi. Thank you for all your efforts to create a
new and wonderful memory of Weihsien for all of us.
Mary Previte
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>;
<douglasrosie@ntlworld.com>; <jknisely@paonline.com>;
<roycampbell@earthlink.ca>; <mikecalvert@hotmail.com>
Objet: What
activities will help make our Weihsien reunion a success?
Date: jeudi 9 juin 2005
What suggestions
do you have for making our Weihsien reunion a success?
Please add
your own thoughts.
Here are
suggestions from Joyce Cooke Bradbury in
From my
experiences from attending a number of China Hands reunions, I remember
difficulties in identifying old friends. Therefore, I think each ex internees should wear
a LARGE (for obvious reasons) identification
badge with the name or maiden
name of the wearer. It would be helpful if the city or town from which
the wearer came, such as Tientsien, Chefoo,
I think a
list of all ex internees attendees should be prominently displayed at the
reunion. Also a list showing the attendees from each town or
area and perhaps room or phone numbers. If possible the list should show
table numbers for each person. I remember at one reunion (in Los Angeles) the
names were listed but there was no way of contacting them until a large
blackboard was set up so that people could chalk alongside names messages to
contact giving phone/room numbers, etc.
Perhaps
persons from specific towns could be grouped in the one area - tables for
instance.
On the
first day or soon afterwards a MEET AND GREET opportunity should be arranged.
Perhaps with drinks available so that people could seek out friends informally
and have a chat.
To enable
appropriate lists to be prepared,
registration forms should be completed as soon as possible. They should
show names, maiden names, as well as towns where from, etc
Of course
photographs and other mementos of the camp should be brought, as already
requested.
Maybe it
would not be out of place to find some of the Chinese blackmarketeers who were
involved with Father Scanlan and others in providing much needed sustenance for
inmates - particularly children. (Just a thought) I remember when Stan Fairchild and myself
visited WeiHsien camp in 1986, he actually met one such and both
reminisced.
Maybe it
would be possible to invite each ex to stand up and very briefly (say two
minutes) give an outline of where they finished up after the camp. That may
depend of course on numbers attending.
A schedule
for how to obtain transport from
As you
suggest it is probably worthwhile to ask those on WeiHsien Topica to add to my
thoughts. I realise that this may entail extra input by the organisers but some
suggestions are bound to make the function a great success.
Joyce Cooke
Bradbury
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
Objet: Contact
with former Chinese blackmarketeers
Date: vendredi 10 juin 2005
The
suggestions made by Joyce Cooke Bradbury for making our Weihsien reunion a
success are all excellent. I think that making contact with any surviving
former Chinese blackmarketeers - if any are still alive - or their families, is most important. It would be nice to express our
appreciation for the risks they took in the black market operations. And there
were also those who smuggled in the secret messages from our two escapees.
To locate
any of the above may require some detective work by the Weifang Govt. I'd be happy to follow up on it if it wasn't
for the fact that I'm already in touch with Sui Shude on other matters, one of
which is getting a map of the area of Weifang where No 2 Middle School is
sited, and want to ensure that these are successfully actioned. Perhaps Mary Previte, or Joyce herself, could
take it up directly with Sui Shude?
The
David Beard
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
LILLA'S FEAST by Frances Osborne
Date: vendredi 10 juin 2005
To David
Birch: - I have also read Lilla's
Feast and was amazed at her description
of the food at Weihsien, something I had not heard in such detail. Do you remember or have access to the
information of where people were located at Weihsien Camp ??
Specifically, my parents Hugh and Mabel Hubbard?
And I see
Tracy Strong wants to know where his parents, Robin and Kitty Strong, were
located. Presumable that was where
Gladys
Hubbard Swift
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Fw:
I_remember
Date: vendredi 10 juin 2005
-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Nicky & Leopold
<tapol@skynet.be>
Sent: May 25, 2005
To: weihsien@topica.com, weihsien@topica.com,
weihsien@topica.com
Subject: I_remember
Hello,
Click on
this picture: 
if it
doesn't work, click on this link:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/I_Remember/indexFrame.htm
You should
reach a new chapter of the Weihsien picture-gallery:
http://weihsien-paintings.org
So, ---
Right-click on the map at the right side of your screen and print the
map of Weihsien on a sheet of A4-paper.
I gave a
copy of that map to Father Hanquet and asked him: "What do you remember,
Father, when you look at this map?"
So ---
Click on
the little map in the left frame on your screen and you will find out --- all
in postits!
Question:
Look at the
map, and tell me: --- "what do you remember?"
How?
On the map,
write down the numbers, 1, 2, etc ---
On a
separate peice of paper write down what you remember:
1= I
remember ----------------
2= I
remember ------------------
etc ---------
Send it to
me:
Leopold
Pander,
Sentier du
Berger 15
B-1325-Corroy-le-Grand
Thanks in
advance?
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
LILLA'S FEAST by Frances Osborne
Date: vendredi 10 juin 2005
Gladys:
I do recall
Mr Hubbard - just slightly. I was only a
very young teenager at Weihsien though.
In fact I was not yet twelve in September 1943 when I arrived with the
others from Chefoo at Weihsien.
Somehow I
seem to remember - please correct me if I am mistaken - that Mr Hubbard was a
wellknown authority on birds. When I was
twelve or thirteen, I attended an evening lecture given in Kitchen One on birds
of
I'm very
sorry Gladys, but I really do not know which residential block Mr and Mrs
Hubbard occupied. I wonder if
It is
admirable that you are doing your best to piece together an accurate record of
your parents personal history in Weihsien. Such
records are an important part of a family's history.
It's great
that you have also read LILLA'S FEAST by Frances Osborne. What a tremendous treat it was to devour this
truly important piece of wartime history.
Sincerely
David Birch
gdavidbirch@yahoo.com
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Photo and
Map
Date: vendredi 10 juin 2005
David,
Leopold's
email mentions that you are developing a "superposition" of the camp
map and the aerial photo. Is this the
same thing that Leopold has posted, or are you doing another. If so, I would like very much to have a copy
to use at the beginning of the Powerpoint presentation Leopold and I are
developing. Perhaps you could email a
copy as an attachment. If it is too
large for Topica to transmit, you could send it directly to dmenzi@earthlink.net .
Thanks.
Donald
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Presenting
Weihsien Memories
Date: vendredi 10 juin 2005
Hello all,
Leopold and
I have agreed to jointly develop a 20 - 30 minute visual (Powerpoint)
presentation that will combine paintings done by Weihsien internees with the
map of the camp and the memories that Leopold is collecting in the "I
remember" project. I will be
combining them all in a visual/verbal "tour" of the camp, which will
be projected onto a screen. Sui Shude
will be able to provide a running translation during the presentation
itself. We should also be able to
provide each of you with a CD from which you can "play" the
presentation on your own computer. I
hope to be able to make the text bilingual (English and Chinese).
Our Weifang
hosts have agreed to make this presentation part of their formal celebration
program.
In order
for this presentation to be as successful as possible we need you to contribute
your memories, stimulated by the map of the camp, to Leopold's "I
Remember" project. They will have
to be brief, similar to those Leopold has already
posted on his site:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/I_Remember/indexFrame.htm
So please
send your memories to Leopold as soon as possible. We can only use those that you submit, and we
will need some time to assemble them and create the Powerpoint
presentation. I will be forwarding
Leopold's 5/25/05 email to you as a reminder of how to do it.
Hope to see
as many of you as possible in August!
Donald
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <glaswift@cstone.net>
Objet: RE: The
room where Hugh and Mary Hubbard were interned
Date: vendredi 10 juin 2005
Hello
Gladys
Your
parents were quartered in Block 10/9. To get a visual idea of where they were,
go to Leopold Pander's excellent website dedicated to Weihsien:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien
On entering the Picture Gallery, on the
left is a list of 'chapters'. Click on David Beard. On
the top left click on the map and enlarge it. Look for Tin Pan Alley. On the
right side of Tin Pan Alley, starting from
Next, click
on 1945, locate the aerial shot of the camp and click on it and enlarge. Using
a copy of the map, you hopefully will figure out the location of Block 10. In a
few more weeks I may have some new aerial photos to add to the collection, one
of which shows the Tin Pan Alley area from a new perspective. Watch this space!
I'm in
touch with Sui Shude of Weifang, who will try and provide a
to scale map of the 500m square area of
Here's to
hoping it works!
Have fun on
the Picture Gallery!
Best wishes
David Beard
De: "leopold pander"
<pander.nl@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: The
room where Hugh and Mary Hubbard were interned
Date: vendredi 10 juin 2005
Hello
David,
Fantastic!
I was
preparing a location for Gladys and you were faster!
Thanks.
---
Let me know
when you get the city-map of Weifang? I'm really impatient to see it (as others
certainly are). I made a research on the Internet (for a city-map of Weifang)
but only found general maps --- nothing more.
I hope Mr.
Shude will be able to help.
Donald is
boiling with ideas for the 17th --- so are you and so am I.
Hope we
will manage ---
Best
regards,
Leopold.
De: "Alexander Strangman"
<dzijen@bigpond.net.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: "Desmond Power"
<despower@shawcable.com>
Objet: Re:
LILLA'S FEAST by Frances Osborne
Date: samedi 11 juin 2005
To Gladys
and David,
After
reading both your e-mails, may I add my 'tuppence worth.
The
Hubbards were an outstanding couple who gave much of themselves for the benefit
of others in camp. Sometime ago, I did
mention their generosity in allowing their room, Block 10/9, in camp to be used
as a classroom for the PAS students, one of whom was myself.
Not that
you would be able to place it, Gladys, but blocks 10 & 11 were directly
across from Kitchen-1, separated by Rocky Road, (recent maps show it as Tin Pan
Alley) which was the name of the main thorough fare that connected Block 23 to
the ball field.
However,
with great regret, I missed out on Hugh Hubbard's lecture that night, as I am
sure his devotion to Ornithology would have insured it was a talk well worth
listening to.
I don't
know how I missed out on hearing about that lecture, as my childhood interest
on anything with wings that flew, was already keen, even in those days.
For what it's worth, some of you may even
remember the boy (me) who raised a brood of 4 Peregrine falcon chicks, in camp,
to full fledged adulthood? Yes, by begging for definite discards of meat to
feed them from K1, no less.
Kind
regards to you both,
Zandy
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
LILLA'S FEAST by Frances Osborne
Date: samedi 11 juin 2005
Reply to
David Birch - You are absolutely correct that Hugh Hubbard was an authority on
birds, the co-author with George Wilder of "Birds of Northeastern
China" and also "Tape Recorded
Reminiscences of a Lifetime of Service in China 1908-1952" I just checked the latter and there is almost
nothing in it of the Weihsien internment.
Too bad.
He only explains how some missionaries were able to get money by going
to the Italians and writing chits to their mission boards, and "I keep the
account, and then the Italians completed the deal with the Japanese, and got
the money that could be used in the canteen." Maybe there is more in some of his papers but
I haven't seen it yet. Thank you, David
for our help. Gladys Hubbard Swift
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
LILLA'S FEAST by Frances Osborne
Date: samedi 11 juin 2005
Zandy,
A
fascinating recollection! How did you manage with the peregrine falcons as they
approached full fledged adulthood? Did you teach them to hunt? How does the
story end? I think we must all have been
'bird mad'! I tried raising a fledgling pigeon when we were in Block 23, but it
didn't survive. Bird watching for the Scout badge is one of my happy Weihsien
recollections.
There was
an excellent site in the area back of the hospital marked 'playground', behind
the basketball court, I think, where quite a high mound gave a clear view over
the camp wall. I recall there were quite big trees there and I spotted a few
golden orioles. Obviously the ';Hugh Hubbard
ornithology spell' was cast wide.
Will we be
seeing you at Weifang? Doubt the bird life will be as good this time!
Regards,
David Beard
De: "Sui Shude - Weifang
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Dr.
Norman Cliff is Visiting Weifang Now
Date: dimanche 12 juin 2005
Dear
Weihsien Friends,
Sorry for
slow response as we are busy out to everything concerning the celebration and
re-union preparing works. The application forms has
completed and will be sent tomorrow to each who contacted us for attending the
celebration.
Dr. Norman
Cliff, who was interneed in Weihsien Camp and now lives in
Dr. Norman
Cliff will also meet with leaders of Weifang People's Government to donate the
books he wrote and pictures he collected concerning his life and impression of
the former Weihsien Concentration Camp.
Mr. Li, the
vice mayor of Weifang, invited Dr. Norman Cliff to the fromal welcome banquet
this evening in Weifang Hotel. Leaders from Weifang Foreign Affairs Office,
Weifang TV Station attended the welcome banquet. Sui Shude did the translation.
Tomorrow
Dr. Norman Cliff will visit the Weifang 2nd Middle School and Weifang People's
Hospital, where the former Weihsien Concentration Camp was. He will see most of
the former buildings there are being under repairing for the celebration.
Dr. Norman
Cliff is very healthy and comes to
This news
is posted at
Sui Shude
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>;
<pander.nl@net.be>
Cc: <rwbridge@freeuk.com>;
<snordmo@sd.fastq.com>
Objet: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: lundi 13 juin 2005
Hello
everyone,
This
Thursday, June 16, 2005, will be the 61st anniversary of the epic escape of
Tipton & Hummel from Weihsien CAC - the account of which is enshrined for
posterity in "Chinese Escapade", by Laurance Tipton, London Macmillan
& Co Ltd 1949, ASINB0007J2AB6.
I've just
re-read Father Hanquet's article 'A Successful Getaway.' Fr Hanquet, who was
deeply involved in planning the getaway,refers to
"our block No 56.......Tipton lived with us, on the first floor". The
article gives fascinating insights. Leopold, could we have the article posted
once more on Topica - while it's topical. Thanks.
On consulting the 'oracle' - i.e. Ron
Bridge's near worth-it's-weight-in-gold 'Weihsien Camp - Total List of Inmates
Including Those Repatriated' (my copy dates back to the year 2000, when I was
applying to the UK War Pensions Agency for an ex-gratia payment), sure enough,
there is a listing on p.45 for Laurance Edward Tipton, British, of Yee Tsong
Tobacco, with the note 'Escaped 16. 06. 44. If you want to locate a near
identical list, go to: http://users.skynet.be/bk217033Weihsien
and on reaching Leopold Pander's most
excellent Weihsien Picture Gallery, go to Index and double click on 'Ron Bridge
- Camp List'. I've just paid my first visit to Ron's chapter and am VERY
impressed! You can either get the full list of Weihsien inmates, dated 30.06.44
(compiled, I see, two weeks after Tipton & Hummel's escape, which expains
why they don't feature in it). Or, you can go to the map, click on any given
Block, and it will give you an extrapolated list of all those who lived in that
block. Thank you for such a marvelous facility, Ron. I had started to
laboriously list all the residents of Block 56, but now find you've already
done all the hard yards ! Fabulous! You will come to
the
Have you
yet compared the 2003 photo of Block 50 with the 1943 oil painting of it? or an
April '45 water colour painting of Block 56,'The Priests' Shack', with an
August '45 photo of the same, showing residents Fr de Jaeger, Fr Hanquet et al?
They are in Leopold's Weihsien Picture Gallery: under INDEX click 'David
Beard', then 1945 for Block 56 and 2003 for Block 50.
Finally,
click BACK to reach the map at the top left of my chapter and double click on
the map.Point your mouse arrow at the large arrows on the map and 'hey presto',
you'll have an instantaneous miniature picture of that Block in situ! (Fantastic; great work, Leopold!)
Have fun!
David Beard
De: "
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: lundi 13 juin 2005
Dawei,
Thanks for
the accolade I am actually working on all establishing the names British
inmates of Japanese Camps, but at this age have included everyone in
predominantly British Camps and those that were exchanged because some of those
exchanged in 1942 were held in places like Bridge House Shanghai and Forfar
Road Tientsin and almost all the 1943 exchanges were in a Camps before hand.
Currently my data base is approaching 50,000 names ( in the same format as you
have all seen for Weihsien) but that includes the HKVDC, HKDDF,HK RN Dockyard
Police, the SSVF, FMSVF, Merchant seaman and 11,000 whom I know to be Dutch
women and children and 4500 whom I know to be Americans held in the
Philippines. At this stage I am not sure how I will publish the findings. I
still think that I have another 5% of the British civilian to find mostly in
Burma Manchukuo (
As to the
Reunion I am afraid that I cannot make it I have duties in the UK as Chairman
of the Association of British Civilians Internees far East Region on the 15th
and 21st August also my wife would want to come and she is banned from flying
by her specialist until September having had a double hip replacement seven
weeks ago. I will be thinking of you all having a great time swapping stories.
Rgds
Ron
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: lundi 13 juin 2005
WOW!!!
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: lundi 13 juin 2005
Hello
David,
Thanks for
your nice words ---
Well, here
comes the successful get away, (again)
---
June 15th,
--- we will be celebrating Father Hanquet's 90th birthday !
---
Best regards,
A+ Leopold
Objet: A
SUCCESSFUL GETAWAY
Date:
mercredi 27 novembre 2002
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
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 traveling 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 meters. In those days, on the other
side of the wall, there was just a fence with
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,
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
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
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: "M and D Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <pander.nl@skynet.be>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: mardi 14 juin 2005
Thanks,
Leopold, for posting again Fr Hanquet's "A Successful Getaway".
C'est une
chance heureux - how fortuitous that Father Hanquet should be celebrating his
90th birthday TOMORROW!! No doubt you, Nicky and Janette will be joining in the
celebrations. Please pass on the collective very best wishes of all of us
ex-internees of Weihsien CAC. It would be lovely if he could get to the
Celebrations in August, but then, at 90.......!
Regards,
David Beard
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: mardi 14 juin 2005
Add my
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Father Hanquet. 90
years old! How wonderful!
God's
blessing!
Mary
Previte
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: mardi 14 juin 2005
What an
amazing gift to have this story in all these details! Thank you so much for posting this account.
Mary
Previte
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: mardi 14 juin 2005
David --
Please send
my love and warmest wishes to Father Hanquet on his 90th, and tell him it was the example
set by him, and the other wonderful priests in Weihsien, that led to my
becoming a Catholic. I hope God gives me 90 + years to enjoy all the gifts I
have received from Him.
Kindest
regards -- Pamela (Simmons) Masters
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: HUBBARD, a HERO of Weihsien
Date: mardi 14 juin 2005
Gladys,
My older brother, Jamie Taylor, says that
Hugh Hubbard was one of his heroes in Weihsien-- teaching the boys about
birds. They took long birdwatching
walks. I believe Jamie still has the
bird watching diary he kept in Weihsien.
Perhaps Jamie could write his recollections to you. Will you be attending our reunion at Weihsien
so he can tell you face to face?
Here's a
paragraph from "Song of Salvation at Weihsien Prison Camp," which I wrote for the
Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine in
1985. "Inside our prison
walls we preserved the wonders of childhood.
From the third floor window of his (hospital) dormitory, Jamie perched a
hollow tree trunk behind a gutter and watched a family of sparrows nesting and
raising their young. If he did it right,
he could chew up bread from Kitchen Number One and get the fledgling sparrows
to eat the mush out of the side of his mouth."
I hope we can take time at our reunion to
pay tribute to our heroes like Hugh Hubbard with stories of how they touched
our lives. These heroes preserved our
childhood, and in doing so, I suspect, preserved themselves.
Mary
Previte
De: "Gay Talbot Stratford"
<stillbrk@eagle.ca>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: mardi 14 juin 2005
Please pass
on my best wishes to Père Hanquet for his birthday. I have always considered
that the priests and nuns in Weihsien gave evidence of the kingdom of heaven
among us, by lives lived in joyful service. My faith is upheld by that vivid
memory, and I thank him and the others for being channels of grace for so many.
My sister
Christine and Rick, her husband were delighted to have the opportunity of
meeting you. Thank you for all your work on behalf of us all.
Gay Talbot
Graham and
Gay Stratford
De: "
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Monseigneur Hanquet
Date: mardi 14 juin 2005
Je vous
serais reconnaissant de bien vouloir leur envoyer cette message
Le
Monseigneur Hanquet
Je vous
souhaite un joyeux anniversaire. Quatre-vingt dix ans est un grand accomplissement.
Croyez mon Pére a l'expression de mes sentiments les meilleurs
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <glaswift@cstone.net>
Objet: RE:
HUBBARD, a HERO of Weihsien
Date: mercredi 15 juin 2005
Hi Gladys,
Here's a
topical titbit of information which may interest you, and others.
Your father
appears to feature on pages 94-95 and 97-98 so 'Chinese Escapade', L. Tipton
1949. The references occurred at a time - in May 1944 - when our camp
circumstances had deteriorated to a marked degree. Supplies were repeatedly cut
and comfort money was drying up. Rumours were circulating about "a
ridiculous scheme to rescue members of the camp, of a secret airfield and
relays of plans that would whisk us all off to
I'm curious
to know why Laurance Tipton didn't refer to Hugh Hubbard, by name, when, apart
from a reference to a 'Father H-----' (Father Hanlon?) and one to Fr de
Jaegher's superior 'Father R------' (Father Rutherford), he refers openly by name to all the others - Dr
Grice, Fr de Jaegher, Ted McLaren and Arthur Hummel.
As one of
the many inveterate bird watchers of Weihsien CAC, I also salute the memory of
Hugh Hubbard,
David Beard
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: 61st
Anniversary of the Weihsien Escape
Date: mercredi 15 juin 2005
Please pass
on to Father Hanquet our best wishes for his birthday. Joyce
Cooke, Eddie Cooke and Ivone Ozorio.
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
HUBBARD, a HERO
of Weihsien
Date: mercredi 15 juin 2005
To Mary
Previte - Sorry I won't be going to Weihsien (at age 82) but my granddaughter,
Suchi Swift (Chinese name Su-Chi) will be going with a friend and I am sure
would enjoy stories about her great grandfather Hugh Hubbard. She is a young teacher and loves to collect
stories. I have an old well-worn copy of
"Song of Salvation", August 25, 1985 from the Philadelphia Inquirer,
still tucked inside the cover of "Shandong Compound" where I put it long ago!!! Well written! Gladys
>Gladys,
>
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Father
Hanquet,
Date: jeudi 16 juin 2005
Hello,
From
Louvain-La-Neuve in
Go to http://www.weihsien-paintings.org
and click on the "log-book"
If you want
to have a look at ALL the pictures, go to
http://skynetphotoservice.wistiti.be/Skynet-Id-461241:hanquet
Hope you
manage
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Appropriate
Dress for the Reunion/Celebration (?)
Date: samedi 18 juin 2005 0:57
Could some
of you who may be more accustomed to attending similar events please share with
the rest of us what they feel would be in good taste for us to wear at Weifang
this summer?
My own
thought on the matter is to dress comfortably and reasonably simply. As I recall (from sixty years ago), Weihsien
in August can be "boiling hot!"
And fairly humid too!
I thought I
should wear clothes that are lightweight and loose - the emphasis being on
comfort and cleanliness. I think perhaps
light socks and sandals would be okay.
As well as short-sleeved shirts – open at the neck (no ties). But perhaps I'm not in touch with what is
acceptable?
For the
banquet that the City officials (mayor and council members) will be hosting,
perhaps the men should be wearing a shirt and tie (but not necessarily a
jacket)?
I would not
want to attend any of the functions wearing clothing that might be thought to
show disrespect to our hosts.
The weather
in mid-August 1945 was "blazing!"
The daytime temp could reach as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the
shade, unless my memory is wildly inaccurate.
No doubt
things are radically more modern in Weifang than they were in 1945
Weihsien. Air conditioned banquet rooms
are probably common today.
Anyway, if
you would be so good as to share your thoughts on these matters, I will be
deeply grateful!
Thank you!
David Birch
gdavidbirch@yahoo.com
De: "Ted Margrett"
<yanshida@Yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Appropriate Dress for the Reunion/Celebration (?)
Date: samedi 18 juin 2005
Dear Mr.
Birch,
I have been
in Yantai now for nine years, and I can tell you the temperature is very hot in
August on the days that it does not rain. Then when the sun comes out, it's
quite humid. Looking at some old Chinese Imperial Customs Service medical
reports for August, I see that the high is about 100 degrees plus Fahrenheit
for the years 1873 to 1899. Not much has changed. So you are quite right about
wearing comfortable lose-fitting clothes.
Over the
past year I have been doing comprehensive historical research into the history
of Yantai. Just last night, I was able to walk from Er Ma Lu
, the road above, through the old
I wish
everyone attending the Weihsien Liberation Anniversary in Weifang a very
meaningful, joyous and blessed celebration.
Sincerely,
Ted Margrett
Teacher
Shandong
Institute of Business and Technology,
Yantai.
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE:
Appropriate Dress for the Reunion/Celebration (?)
Date: samedi 18 juin 2005
Hi
David/Dawei!
Your ideas
about dress code at Weifang are generally OK. Coolness and comfort is the name
of the game. For the formal functions, Chinese invariably dress in suits. But
for us, a tie to match a shirt (could be short-sleeved), together with a
dressy, lightweight jacket and trousers, is in my book reasonable for travelers
from afar living out of suitcases.
Weihsien
was very hot in the summer - certainly at least 100F in the shade.
But I'm not
so sure about 120F.
Looking forward to seeing you and everyone else who is going.
Regards,
David Beard
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: the bell ?
Date: samedi 18 juin 2005
Hello,
Found the
bell?
go
to: http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/LogBook01.htm
There was
ONE big bell in Block-23's tower and ONE small bell in front of our Police's
office that was just next to the administration building. Any
other?
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: the bell ?
Date: dimanche 19 juin 2005 0:18
The
I have good
memories of Brian Thompson, my friend Stanley's oldest brother. One Christmas, probably 1943, I received a
little gift of a calendar made from a picture postcard with a small, hand-lettered
pad of months. Each of us younger boys
received a small token gift from the School. When Brian saw mine, he told me
that he had made it. I'm sorry that I
did not keep it after the year was up - it would have made a fitting memento of
Brian. I was present when he died so tragically that evening just months before
the end of the war.
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
I_remember
Date: dimanche 19 juin 2005
Leopold,
I LOVE your "I REMEMBER" addition to
our Weihsien web site. What a gift! Reading these memories let me see Weihsien in
new ways through the eyes of children and grown ups.
I'll send "I REMEMBER" memories via
regular mail because my computer freezes when I try to download the map.
Please, everybody, do take part in this beautiful project.
Mary Previte
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>; tonyandedwina@optusnet.com.au
Objet: Edwina
Date: lundi 20 juin 2005
To WeiHsien Topica. I spoke on
Hi Edwina.
Following our conversation a few minutes ago I send you the site for
weihsientopica.com to enable you to find out all about the ex-inmates of the
camp and a lot of details - paintings etc of the camp. Introduce yourself and I
am sure someone will remember your mother etc and send you greetings. If you
email Sui Shude on suishude@sohu.com and tell him you were born there and to
send you an invitation and registration form he will let you know all necessary
details. As a matter of fact I will introduce you to WeiHsientopica and see
what happens. Joyce Bradbury
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Edwina Ann Ross
Date: lundi 20 juin 2005
Hello,
Welcome,
go to http://www.weihsien-paintings.org
click on
Norman Cliff/people/who-was-born
--- and this is what you get.
September
19, 1943 = Edwina Ann Ross was born in Weihsien. Block 9 - room 7.
Correct?
Best
regards,
Leopold
|
SURNAME |
Initial |
Status |
Nationality |
DoB |
Sex |
Profession |
Blk/Rm |
Died |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Albert |
RP |
Miss |
British |
1945 |
F |
Infant |
47/6 |
|
|
Allan |
Robert Jeremy |
British |
28.06.44 |
M |
Child |
21/5 |
|
|
|
Baliantz |
H A |
|
Iranian |
00/03/44 |
M |
Child |
58/7 |
|
|
|
Eileen Ariadno |
Miss |
British |
23.03.43 |
F |
Child |
31/4 |
|
|
Chilton |
|
|
British |
00.03.45 |
|
Child |
|
10.04.45 |
|
Cowlam |
Edward |
|
British |
1943 |
M |
Infant |
|
14.05.44 |
|
Cox |
Angela Louisa |
Miss |
British |
13.10.43 |
F |
Child |
57/2 |
|
|
Dhunjishah |
Michael |
|
British |
00.00.45 |
M |
infant |
42/2 |
|
|
Dobson |
Susan Margaret |
Miss |
British |
27.06.43 |
F |
Child |
59/2 |
|
|
Foyn |
Valentive Amelia |
Miss |
British |
16.02.44 |
F |
Infant |
12/1 |
|
|
|
J C |
Miss |
British |
00.02.44 |
F |
Child |
7/7 |
|
|
Howie |
Margert R |
Miss |
|
05.05.43 |
F |
Child |
14/3 |
|
|
Jones |
Carmine Ruth |
Miss |
British |
00.09.43 |
F |
Child |
6/11 |
|
|
Jongh de |
Peter L J |
|
Dutch |
<1943> |
M |
Child |
22/2 |
|
|
Lane |
G E |
|
British |
00.00.45 |
M |
infant |
33/6 |
|
|
Levin |
Lazar |
|
|
29.08.43 |
M |
Child |
2/7 |
|
|
Levin |
Olga |
Miss |
|
18.07.45 |
F |
Child |
2/7 |
|
|
McDougall |
J T |
|
British |
00.00.45 |
M |
infant |
8/1 |
|
|
McLaren |
Janet? |
MIss |
British |
<1944> |
F |
Baby |
|
|
|
Minny |
A R |
|
British |
00.01.44 |
M |
Child |
39/2 |
|
|
Moseson |
Abe |
|
|
08.05.43 |
M |
Child |
16/8 |
|
|
|
Jean Margaret |
Miss |
British |
02.09.43 |
F |
Child |
30/5 |
|
|
|
Juliette Ann |
Miss |
British |
28.03.44 |
F |
Child |
13/3 |
|
|
Painter |
F J |
|
British |
1945 |
M |
Infant |
16/5 |
|
|
Pander |
Marie Louise Julienne |
Miss |
Belgian |
07.07.44 |
F |
Child |
22/8 |
|
|
Reid |
Charles Anthony |
British |
31.05.44 |
M |
Child |
12/6 |
|
|
|
Retzke |
R F |
|
American |
<1943> |
M |
Child |
20/7 |
|
|
Roche |
S H |
Miss |
American |
27.01.45 |
F |
Child |
18/10 |
|
|
Ross |
Edwina Ann |
Miss |
British |
19.09.43 |
F |
Child |
9/7 |
|
|
Staphylaris |
G |
|
Greek |
<1943> |
M |
Child |
4/1 |
|
|
Thomson |
D C |
Miss |
British |
9/43 |
F |
Child |
59/4 |
|
|
Voyce |
C E |
Miss |
British |
00.02.44 |
F |
Child |
9/12 |
|
|
Winslow |
D H |
Miss |
American |
<1943> |
F |
Child |
19/1 |
|
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
Objet: Yantai
Chefusian
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
We hear via
the 'grapevine' that there are plans for a get together of Chefusians at Yantai
prior to the Weihsien Liberation Celebrations. We urgently need confirmation of
this and the details, as our flight plans have to be confirmed very soon. If such a get together is definitely on, what
are the arrangements for getting to Weifang on 16 August?
David Beard
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Yantai Chefusian
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
I am
planning to fly from
A friend of
mine, Cam Copeland, will be with me.
I was
planning to have a completely unstructured visit to Chefoo - lots of nostalgia,
some strolling along the familiar beach, hopefully a hike up San Lane (if it's
still there) and across the Mule Road, or whatever superhighway may have taken
its place. A picnic in
the hills. Maybe a trip to
At the risk
of sounding antisocial, I really was rather dreading the idea of meeting with a
bunch of my former schoolmates there (after all we're all going to be getting
together in Weihsien anyway!) I just wanted
to be alone with my thoughts for a few days amid scenes so precious to me of my
young boyhood.
When I
first planned this, I did not know anyone else was thinking of visiting Chefoo
before continuing on to Weifang. Then
Mary mentioned several names including hers and her brother's and a Chefoo
alumnus (Peter Bazire I think) from
Please do
not misunderstand me. Of course it's perfectly understandable that old
Chefusians would want to meet in Chefoo. My friend and I will be staying at a
beachfront hotel for three days or so. Perhaps if others are staying nearby, we
could meet for breakfast, talk over plans for the day, and then each decide
what we will personally do whether with others or alone.
I would
hope that others will understand my desire to keep formal plans to an absolute
minimum and to reserve a lot of time for reflection and meditation. Chefoo was
a place where I was taken by my father in 1938 and left, much against my will
for the following five years - followed by two additional years at Weihsien.
Although I
have many happy memories of the place, I also suffered very badly there. I
still have a need for some healing from what I underwent there as a sort of
"orphan" over six decades ago.
Healing that comes in quiet reflection and the cultivation of a spirit
of forgiveness.
What are
your thoughts on what I've mentioned above?
Are my
sentiments reasonable in your view?
I would
like to discuss some of these matters personally with you, perhaps even in
Chefoo, if you feel it could be profitable. You may even have suffered more
than I did. Maybe my experiences could be of real value to you.
Very
sincerely
David Birch
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: A few map
questions.
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Hi folks,
I'm working
on "colorizing" the base map for the powerpoint
"tour" of the camp. It's
totally amazing what Leopold has done in locating the place where almost all of
the paintings and sketches were done. A
great job, Leopold!
I have a
couple of questions that some of you who were there may be able to answer - or
perhaps Leopold himself.
1. What was
the function of the "
2. The "white elephant" exchange is
identified on the map, and Gertrude Wilder painted it as a little shack that
looks like it's against a wall, but the building itself doesn't seem to be on
the map, unless I'm missing it. Can
anyone help pinpoint it?
Thanks.
Donald
De: "leopold pander"
<pander.nl@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: "Janette & Pierre @
home" <pierre.ley@pandora.be>
Objet: Re: A few
map questions.
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Hello,
To be
honest, Father Verhoeven's map did not even mention the "Elephant shop".
I added it on the map as Father Hanquet told me where it was. I guess that the
"Elephant shop" didn't exist before the Fathers & Sisters left
for
The "
I'm still
busy trying to locate the photos in
The person
on the left must be Norman Cliff?? The building on the far-left should be the
Canteen and just behind the trees is the police office --- and the bell --
(this famous bell I was looking for) must be just outside of the picture in the
background on the far right???? The
other picture with the tent must be about at the same place but with a
different orientation. If you look at the shades, this photo was taken at about
So many questions !!
Tell us,
---- how is your powerpoint project going to be?
à
bientôt,
Leopold.
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet:
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Hello,
Everybody,
Several former Weihsien internees who
attended the
planning
to visit Chefoo/Yantai before going to Weifang for our reunion there.
Can you imagine looking for cats eyes on
the beach again?
For more information, contact me or my
brother Jim Taylor,
jhtiii@psmail.net or
jht3msi-professional.org
Mary Previte
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com
Objet: Re: Fw: A
few map questions.
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Leopold,
Thanks. I could see the location of the "White
Elephant" shop on the map but it doesn't show any structure there. Maybe it was too small, or just a shed, as it
looks like in Gertrude Wilder's painting, so it wasn't considered necessary to
draw a structure on the map. In English
usage, by the way, a "white elephant" is an expression for any object
that you have no use for and have difficulty getting rid of because nobody else
needs it either. A
good name for a barter-place. One of the newspaper articles my mother
collected based on interviews with Gripsholm passengers (New York Times,
October 23, 1943) says this about the shop:
"In
the camp was an exchange shop started for barter purposes called "The
White Elephant's
About the
hospital the article said:
"The
Japs had not made any arrangements for a hospital, but they were so proud of
the fine one the Americans created out of rubble that they took many pictures
of it, which they sent all over the world as propaganda showing how well they
were treating the prisoners."
The
Powerpoint presentation is coming fine, thanks to your research. It will basically be a "walking
tour" around the camp. I encourage
everyone to contribute to the "I remember" project so we can include
some of those memories in it. I plan to
make self-running copies on CDs for anyone who wants one.
Donald
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: A few
map questions.
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Donald and
Leopold!
You two
wonderful fellows have done SO MUCH to help all the better memories of Weihsien
stay alive for all of us who were there!
Thank you
very, very much!
David
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Dances at
Weihsien
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Please,
please will someone add a memory of dances held in Weihsien.
Of course,
for us Chefoo students, dancing was considered very, very wicked -- which made it all the more
delicious for us to watch
clandestinely. Ah, the temptations of
forbidden fruit! Who sponsored the
dances, where were they held, who provided the music? I seem to recall evening dances in the open
area between Blocks 23 and 24 -- not far from the arbor vitae. In fact, we may have even hidden behind the
arbor vitae to watch. At the age of 11
and 12, my hormones were not on fire, so we Chefoo children took part in
debates in Kitchen Number 1 or worked on badges for Girl Guides, not
dances. I can still sing Stephen
Foster's "Way Down Upon the Swanee River,"
which I learned and sang for some kind of folk song badge.
Mary
Previte
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Fw: A
few map questions.
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Donald,
I love the
memories you contribute from Gertrude Wilder's diary. Bless you!
I seem to
recall calling it the White Elephant Bell Exchange. It was just a short distance from Block 23
where we lived when we arrived in Weihsien.
I'm
actively working on my "I REMEMBER" contributions. I hope everyone else is, too. Leopold, you will be the savior and genius
that figures out how to locate my memories on the proper place on the Weihsien
map.
I phoned
Associated Press in
Great job, Joyce, getting the word out on the radio in
Mary
Previte
De: "David Allen"
<dandya@fidalgo.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Dances at Weihsien
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Hi
Mary: 6/21/05
Something you did not mention was the fly
catching job we younger kids had in Kitchen 1.
Before the
meals we would go in to the tables and swat flies and put then in bottles to be
counted later. I remember killing 21
flies at one swat back of kitchen 1 and counting them into my bottle. Maybe your brother John might remember some
of these details.
John slept in Building 23 Room 2 beside Val
Nichols. Val was in the corner where
they stored the Red Cross Boxes and John next to him. We would try to pull the empty boxes tied
with string down on Miss Priestman or Miss Carr when they came to wake up Val
who would pretend to be sleeping more soundly.
Strictly kids stuff !
Dave Allen dandya@fidalgo.net
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Dances
at Weihsien
Date: mardi 21 juin 2005
Hi Mary --
Maybe I can
help out here, as I was one of the wicked, wicked girls who loved the Saturday
night dances.
No one
sponsored them, they just happened. The camp was blessed with some great contemporary, and jazz musicians who just had to have an
opportunity to let off steam. The leader of the combo was Earl West, his singer
and bass player was Jonesy (never did know his given name), and I've forgotten
the name of the third black musician.
Earl's pianist died within a month or so of being in camp, as our
hospital at that time wasn't able to perform necessary surgery to save him.
There was
also The Two Pineapples: George Kalani and George Alowa (darned if I can
remember how they spelled their last names) who were guitar players. Kalani
played conventional guitar, and Alowa Hawaiian guitar. There is a kinda cute
story here, that never got into "The Mushroom
Years." One evening, George Kalani, who had a very short fuse, smashed his
guitar over George Alowa's head. I mean, it was totally wrecked and beyond
repair. I forget who remembered that I came into camp with a huge concert
guitar, which I played sometimes in the quiet of my cell. Anyhow, they told
Kalani about it, and he came to me, all contrite, and asked if he could buy it
off me. What could I say? Without his guitar playing, Saturday nights dances would never have been the same ... so I sold
it to him for 5 dollars American! After that, every time he got mad and started
to swing at Alowa, someone would grab the guitar and shout, "HOLD
IT!"
As to where
we danced : In the winter months, and in
rainy weather, the dances were held mostly in #2 Kitchen, steamy and stinking
of leeks, but in good weather we danced wherever the ground was smooth and the
band could set up. As the music was mostly loud and rambuctuous, we always
tried to steer clear of the classical concerts and lectures that were also
being held in the different compounds.
Hope this
sheds some light on our wicked ways...
Kindest
regards -- Pamela
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Dances at Weihsien
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
"Pineapple,"
the musician I recall very clearly, was a renowned softball umpire! He was quite a loveable fellow, and in spite of semistarvation at Weihsien quite a rollypoly
lad! I remember him mercilessly calling
the batter "OUT" in many a softball game in Camp! He'd roll around behind the catcher and
holler:
O - U - T ! !
!
--- And
chuck his hand back with the thumb extended over his shoulder!
I found
Pineapple quite as engrossing a personality as home-run king Aubrey Grandon!
David Birch
De: "Gladys Swift"
<glaswift@cstone.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
LILLA'S FEAST by Frances Osborne
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
There is a
copy of Lilla's Feast available to me in the near future.
If there is
someone who wants to borrow and read it please let me know. I can make a list of those interested and we
can send the book around. Gladys
Here's the quote from our Topica
At
>To:
weihsien@topica.com
>From:
Frances Osborne <frances@francesosborne.com>
>Subject:
To Sui Shude - books on Weihsien
>Date:
Mon, 21 Mar 2005
>Reply-To:
weihsien@topica.com
>X-Topica-Id:
<1111403049.inmta002.8376.1020394>
>List-Help:
<http://topica.com/lists/weihsien@topica.com/>
>List-Unsubscribe:
<mailto:weihsien-unsubscribe@topica.com>
>
My great-grandmother, Lilla Casey, was interned in
Weihsien and whilst there she wrote a fantasy cooking and housekeeping book for
new brides - this is now held in the
>The principal publishers are Doubleday and
Ballantine. If you have difficulty obtaining a copy, let me know.
There are also several members of this internet group
who have written their own FIRST_HAND accounts of their time in Weihsien. In
particular Norman Cliff, Courtyard of the Happy Way and Pamela Masters' The
Mushroom Years - there are even more books written by Weihsien internees who
are no longer with us such as Langdon Gilkey's Shantung Compound and David
Michel's A Boy's War - I can give you more titles and I am sure that discussion
group members can add to these. I am also interested in participating in
anything you might organize.
>With very best wishes,
>Frances Osborne
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Dances at Weihsien
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
Hello,
David,
My brother John says he won a prize of Rose
Mille Pate for catching the most flies in the fly catching competition.
I think Norman Cliff should tell us about
the rat catching competition in Weihsien.
I believe it was Norman who invented an amazing rat catching device.
Mary
Mary
Previte
De: <MTPrevite@aol.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Dances at Weihsien
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
What
wonderful memories, Pamela! Keep them
coming.
Please put something
about the dances in Leopold's new "I REMEMBER" section of the
Weihsien web site.
Mary
Previte
De: "Joyce Cook" <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Fw:
Dances at Weihsien and reminiscences Joyce Bradbury.
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
I think I
must have attended every dance. I am almost sure they were held in kitchen No.
1. The band consisted of "Westie" an African American and
"Adams".(surname) who was also African
American and very tall and very good looking. I think "
My then boy
friend Brian Clarke was also a stringed instrument player.
Because he
was in the band he could not dance with me so of course I danced with anybody
who would ask me including Michael Calvert (is coming to re-union) and Lloyd
Frankie (now deceased) and others. When the Americans liberated us the dances
continued and I danced with with a uniformed American and Brian dumped me. I wanted him back
of course but he but he was cranky and said a resounding "NO".
I think all
the
There was
also tuition for
There was
also an elderly couple Mr and Mrs Stephanides. Also my good friend Zartousha
Sanosian (now Portnell).(Living in Georgia who told me
recently she is unable to attend the re-union. She also told me she has passed
on information about the re-union to.Dr Eugene Chan who was in the camp with
his brother Professor Junior Chan who died in
Block three
housed a Dutch couple Mr and Mrs Schlager who were known to us as "Holy
Rollers"
I distinctly remember while my father was
stirring our watery "stew" in kitchen No. 1 a pigeon flew in through
the window and dropped in to the large gwoh whereupon it was immediately fished
out, plucked and brought to our room for my brother Eddie was very ill at the
time. Dad always said that pigeon saved his life. I also remember my father was
blackmarketeerding with Mr de Zutter keeping watch but when the Japs came he
forgot to say the warning phrase, "Well good night" and he left. Dad
(Pop) heard the guards and ran back into the room with two bottles of bygar,
plonked them on to our table and jumped into bed fully clothed. Mum gave him hell the next morning because
had the Japs entered they would have found it. I remember my 10th birthway
wristlet watch was used for barter.
I remember
one lady brought tinned foods into the camp with which she paid my mother to do
her share of the peeling etc but when the tins ran out my mother refused to do
her share so she had to do it herself.
When ex
internees get to the camp during the re-union look for the insulator cups still
on the walls from the electrified wire.
They were still there when I visited the camp with my husband and Stan
and Jane Fairchild in 1986.
See you at
the re-union. Joyce Bradbury.
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Dances at Weihsien
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
I know why
the dances were held near blocks 23 and 24 - I think they were the single mens'
and single womens' blocks which makes sense. Joyce Bradbury
PS - Mary I
am doing my best to spread the word about the re-union. jb-----
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Fw:
Dances at Weihsien and reminiscences Joyce Bradbury.
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
Fascinating
memories! There must be many, many more!
When you
mention the "
The
Japanese used to allow some of our young boys, at one time, to leave the camp
and retrieve some of those balls. I think my own classmate, Kenneth Bell, quite
an athlete in his own right, got to go out for those balls. Today I would love
to have one of those historic "home-run balls" bearing Aubrey
Grandon's autograph!
You
certainly have some wonderful memories Joyce!
I hope you will keep them coming
David Birch
De: "
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Dances at Weihsien and reminiscences Joyce Bradbury.
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
You will
get the names of all the bandsmen on the Camp list on Leopold's web
site
Rgds
**
De: "Ron Bridge"
<rwbridge@freeuk.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: A few map questions.
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005 11:13
The White
Elephant hut which the
against
the wall almost opposite the south end of Block 24 David Mitchel
inthe
boys war has shown it as kiosk but the wrong side of Block 24
Rgds
De: "Natasha Petersen"
<np57@cox.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: LILLA'S FEAST by Frances
Osborne
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
Dear
Gladys,
I would
love to borrow your copy of Lilla's Feast.
My address is:
Natasha
Petersen
Thanks,
Natasha
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: A few map questions.
Date: mercredi 22 juin 2005
David,
Sometimes
in one's life an opportunity comes along to participate in the ongoing process
of creation. This is one of them, and
it's a gift - to use Mary's terminology - to be able to be part of it. It's very personally rewarding on many
different levels.
I'm sure
that Leopold feels the same.
Donald
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: More Map Questions
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005 4:50
Dear All,
Here are
some more map questions:
1. Which buildings contained classrooms used for
instruction (as opposed to living)
2. What was the function of Bldg #50, which had
a very impressive facade.
More Qs later.
Donald
De: "Donald" <dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: A few map questions.
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
Ron,
It looks to
me like David's map has the White Elephant between block 24 and the outer wall,
west of block 24 (marked with letter "E"). Gertrude Wilder's painting of it looks like
it abuts the outer wall, which is also west of block 24. By saying David has it on the "wrong
side" do you mean that it was east of block 24?
Now that
you mention it, were there two kiosks, one on each side of the gate to the
general store or only one? David's map
shows a round and a square kiosk.
Thanks
again.
Donald
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: More Map Questions
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
Re your
first questions, I think classrooms that were NOT used for living purposes were
very rare.
In
Weihsien, all classes that I attended were held in bedrooms - mostly in a
girls' dorm in the hospital
(Block 61).
There was
one room in the attic of the hospital where Mr Bruce and other masters used to
hold morning and evening prayers.
Somehow I do not recall that this room doubled as a bedroom. It was more
of an assembly hall. There were
old-fashioned seats each equipped with a wide "desk-type" arm which
could be used for taking notes. I never
had any classes in this room but it's very likely that some of the older boys
did.
In the room
where I had my classes in the hospital, there was a central square table
surrounded by four wooden forms. Two boys sat on each side of this table.
The room,
as I said was really a girls' dorm, and the girls sat on their beds, mostly
around the perimeter of the room.
Living
space at Weihsien was at a premium. It would have been an almost unaffordable
luxury to have had class-room space which would have been exempt from bedroom
use.
When I
first arrived at Weihsien, some months before I was transferred to Block 61, I
lived for a while in a large room in Block 23.
Block 23, which contained the bell tower, was originally I believe a school
building constructed by the Presbyterians who maintained a school for Chinese
students in their mission compound.
Block 23
had at least four of these very large rooms and I'm sure they must have been
classrooms originally.
We did have
classes in these rooms but they were our bedrooms.
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: draft base map for visual tour
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
Dear all,
If you get
this, please tell me about any corrections or additions you notice.
Thanks.
Donald
De: "Alexander Strangman"
<dzijen@bigpond.net.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Dances at Weihsien and
reminiscences Joyce Bradbury.
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
For those
'Sticklers' for detail!
Did we get
a dispensation on the curfew that night?
I don't know!
As a matter
of interest,
can anyone remember what the normal curfew hours WERE ?
Another
location for some of the dances was out in the open air, one was held where our
roll call site was, in the vicinity of Blk50. There could have been others, I didn't attend all of them.
With regard
to the band members, as to who they were, etcetra..................... that's
covered in detail, else where.
Sorry Joyce, but I have to
correct what you said about "
You got him
mixed up with Earl West, who did in fact marry a very
attractive lass in camp, and they did have a little girl.
For those
who must have the rest of the details, the girl in question was Deidrie Esmond
(I think she was better know as Betty). Her mother was
a lovely lady with whom she shared a room, and it was a shame when Mum had to move
out for Earl, even if he was a real nice fella.
By the way,
did anybody know that Jonsey played in a band with Louis Armstrong
???
A(zandy)
Strangman
De: "Natasha Petersen"
<np57@cox.net>
À: "weihsien"
<weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: school in Wehsien
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
Hello everybody,
Those of us who were not children of missionaries, went to school in
the church building. Our teachers were
those who had taught at
Natasha
De: "Albert Dezutter"
<albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: school in Wehsien
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
I remember
going to classes in a room facing south in Block 24 with Mrs. Moore of the
Albert de
Zutter
De: "Albert Dezutter"
<albertdezutter@worldnet.att.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: school in Wehsien
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
Earlier I
said I went to school in Block 24. I was mistaken. It was Block 23.
Albert de Zutter
De: "Ron Bridge"
<rwbridge@freeuk.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: school in Wehsien
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
Natasha is
only partly correct in that the School in the Church only went on for a limited
time my teacher was Miss Rudd, she of the walking stick
Rgds
Ron
De: "Ron Bridge"
<rwbridge@freeuk.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: A few map questions.
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005 20:11
That is
correct it abuts the outer wall but the map in Shanting Compound has it to the
West in the idle of the space south best of Blocks 23 and 24
Rgds
Ron
De: "Ron Bridge"
<rwbridge@freeuk.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: More Map Questions
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
Answer
1. None
unless the Chefoo school had some internal arrangement.
2. IT was a
men’s dormitory block see the list of inmates.
Rgds
Ron
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: More Map Questions
Date: jeudi 23 juin 2005
I don't
think that the
The room
was in the attic of the hospital (Block 61) and opened into a wide corridor
where we had a table and washbasins for our daily ablutions. This hallway also
had doors opening into several smaller bedrooms containing about four boys each. The table also held a large bowl where Mr
Bruce kept a quantity of pieces of stale bread which we could help ourselves to
in order to fill our bellies when we were hungry between the skimpy camp meals.
I remember that I regularly availed myself of the snacks of stale, dry bread.
Sincerely
David
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: school in Wehsien
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 0:33
Same as Albert
Dezutter I was taught by Miss Moore, Principal of the Peking American School
and I still have my diploma signed by her and titled "Peking American
School". I also remember Sister Donatilla and Father Keymolen who taught
us French. Some of our classes were in the dining room and others under a tree
where we sat on a bench and on the ground in the Summer.
Joyce
Bradbury.
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Dances at Weihsien and
reminiscences Joyce Bradbury.
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 0:53
Thanks
Zandy. I can visualize them but can't seem to put the correct names to the
faces. Joyce.
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: draft base map for visual tour
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 1:18
I remember
when we were visiting the camp in 1986 I had difficulty finding some places
because there seemed to be many more buildings than originally and as the newer
buildings were built in the same style it was difficult to orientate myself. Is
it possible to indicate the camp's dimensions? We did find the church and hospital
of course but the present (1986) main gate was quite close to the hospital. I
think the original main gate had disappeared.
Correct me
if I am wrong. Joyce.
De: "Raymond Moore"
<raym82@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: front gate
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Yes, the
front gate into "The Courtyard of the
The gate
has disappeared and there is no access in to the area from here at all. The two fir trees (or whatever they are!)
which are visible over the top of the wall are in the area of Eric Liddell's
memorial. I believe that it is situated
just beside where the front gate used to be.
Looking at my picture again, there is a section of the wall just behind
Frank in which the brick work changes.
That might be the actual position of the old gateway.
I love all
your letters and memories. I am bathing
in nostalgia and enjoying the swim!
Ray Moore
De: "Dwight W. Whipple"
<thewhipples@comcast.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: school in Wehsien
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Hi~
Yes, I too
remember Sister Donatilla and Sister Blanda who taught some of us
"younger" kids (age 7). My
wife, Judy and I had hoped to get to the reunion in August but we are unable to
go. We will be thinking of all of you at
the old site in August. Could someone do
a simple journal of the activities so those of us who can't make it will be
able to share in the memories? What a
great discussion of memories this event has generated!
~Dwight W.
Whipple
De: "Alexander Strangman"
<dzijen@bigpond.net.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: school in Wehsien
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Dwight, what a great suggestion.
I was
thinking along those lines too. And with all the 'diggy snaps' I expect will be
taken, we (who won't be fortunate enough to be there) might be able to, in a
way at least, share the experience.
Zandy
De: "Dawei Beard"
<phoenix7788@hotmail.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
Objet: Re: draft base map for visual
tour
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Hi Joyce
Yes, it is
possible to indicate the CAC Weihsien's dimensions. The map I am using in
preparation for our visit to Weifang is to the scale of 1:1600. It gives the
surface of the whole compound as: 83200m2. It also gives a scale reading of 100
yards (a bit dated, sorry), so it is easy to calculate the dimensions. Sorry I
can't send it as an attachment, as it's in TIF and too big to send. Not to
worry; I and others will have maps which on arrival at Weifang we can hopefully
get photocopied.
Regards
David Beard
De: "Alexander Strangman"
<dzijen@bigpond.net.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Do you remember?
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
With all
the 'recalls' on camp personalities, can anyone tell me about Ronny Masters ?
I remember
him being an outstanding athlete (at our level) amongst us, teenagers.
Incidentally,
I first met him in 1937 or 38, as an 8/9 year old Chefoo boy & a fellow
passenger, on a boat from HK to Taku Bar. And I still have a little b/w snap to
prove it.
After he
arrived in camp, he developed noticeably both in physique and athletic
ability. He soon stood out whether he
was playing soccer or softball, at top level.
And he won
his events at the Empire Day activities, as well !! (I
know that, because I'm close to the one he eclipsed.)
My listing
shows a T.F.R. Masters in 61/31, and what appears as father and daughter in
48/5.
I'm
surprised I'm yet to notice a mention of him.
I always considered him a Chefoo school boarder. Hopefully, someone from the Chefoo group can
remember him? Does he show up in any of
the later group photos?
If I've
raised this question a couple years ago, forgive me, I had the misfortune recently, of
loosing everything with a hard drive failure.
Zandy
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: draft base map for visual tour
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 6:10
Joyce,
Some of the
published maps have a scale that indicates that the camp was about 200 yards at
its widest (East to West) and 150 yards North to South, not counting the
"out of bounds" area. I don't
know how accurate this is, but it was obviously not large in relation to the number
of people confined within it.
Donald
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Another Map Question
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Hello
again,
Here's
another question. Did the camp's own
discipline committee have any punishments available to it to help maintain discipline? Specifically, was there a detention facility,
other than the Japanese jail? What kind
of disciplinary actions was it authorized to take with people who broke camp rules?
I'm sure
that the answer is in Gilkey's and others' books, but it's more fun to ask you
who were there.
Donald
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Another Map Question
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Donald!
Good for
you! This is a wonderful exercise in remembering the everyday events of six
decades ago!
I'm quite
certain that our inmate leaders, specifically the discipline committee, did not
have the authority from our captors to imprison any of their fellow inmates for
whatever reason. Nor do I think they
would have wanted to have that responsibility - think of the scandal that would
have resulted had a detainee managed to commit suicide for example!
The
Discipline Committee, headed up by Mr Ted McLaren, did have the authority to
post notices on the
Mind you,
there were a few instances of unofficial physical correction which did take
place. I recall a very fat Latin
American "crook" who was rumored to have been involved in
"organized crime" in
Showers,
where I pumped water as a twelve and thirteen-year-old, personally gave
"Uncle Jacob" a black eye once for his unwillingness to cooperate by doing
his share of camp physical labor. I'm
quite certain the Discipline Committee, while not officially condoning Mr
Stewart's action, nevertheless quietly overlooked the matter!
Mr Stewart
was a real hero to us younger teen-age boys, having organized us into a sort of
"cadet corps" where he drilled many of us rigorously during afternoon
roll call while we waited for the Japanese guards to reach the hospital (Block
61) where the sixth and final stage of roll call was held.
School
children, at least in the
I
"needed" this portion of the tree so that my roommates at the time
(Jim Young, Kenneth Patchett, and Kenneth Bell) and I could have our own
Christmas tree. Mr Bruce (Pa) permitted
us to keep the tree but gave me three strokes with his trusty cane. Corporal punishment was never excessive at
Weihsien, and we younger lads tended to be quite proud of our
"stripes" which we exhibited when taking our weekly shower at the
Men's Showers!
David
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: draft base map for visual tour
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 7:46
Sounds
great, Dawei!
David Birch
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Another Map Question
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 9:54
Hello,
When
building up
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/NormanCliff/NoticeBoard/Oukaze/p-Dicipline.htm
I also
remember of a discipline "incident" in John Hersey's book: The Call:
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/NormanCliff/Diary/TheCall/txt_TheCall.htm
--- make a
search on the word "punish" ("Ctrl-F")
Did our Japanese
captors ever punish us? badly ???
Father
Scanlan was imprisoned after being caught smuggling eggs into camp.
Father
Palmers was caught by the Japanese after manipulating the main-switch ---
""Father Palmers was taken to the
guard house at the entrance of the camp. The guards yelled at him and wanted to
torture him. Father Palmers remained stoical. They put chopsticks between his
fingers, and while pressing the whole hand, were furiously moving the
chopsticks between the fingers.""
---
David, your
story is first hand --- It's great! It is a precious add to all we have.
Thanks
again!
A+
Leopold
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 10:03
RE
PUNISHMENT BULLETIN BOARDS ------A dear lady friend of ours in the camp (who shall remain
anonymous) who had bribed my mother with tinned goods to do her share of
vegetable peelings had her name pinned on the board much to her humiliation and
that of her family for pilfering vegetables that she had stuffed down the front
of her dress after she had taken up her duties in the peeling section because
she had no more 'tinned food bribes'. (That's a mouthful of words!)
Of course
many will remember FrAloysius Scanlan who was put in the guard house for
smuggling (for the benefits of the children etc) by the Japs and released after
driving the commandant mad with his chanting of prayers. He was greeted by the
Salvation Army band on his release together with many inmates and the
blackmarketeering re-commenced the same night he was released. Another time Fr
Scanlan was accosted by two Jap guards at night when he had six dozen fresh
eggs under his black gown and squatted when asked by the Japs what he was doing
there after lights out and he replied, "Doodse tung" which means
"Sore tummy:" and the guards left him because we all had some
abdominal problems (even the Japs no doubt)
I remember
my first job. When I turned 14 years. I was given a
bucket and told to get hot water from the boiler room, and also given a brush and
a bottle of Lysol. My uncle Bob Cooke had to teach me how to clean the toilets.
I became very good at it. I am sure you will all remember the toilets. I
remember if you don't! Christian Chatham
reminded me about them as she too had to clean them. I saw her a few years ago
when she visited
My interest
in seeing the dimensions of the camp is prompted by the difficulty I had when I
visited in 1986. Due to my hazy recollection of the geography I found I had
wandered some hundreds of yards from the church into areas which I now realize
must have been outside the walls searching for the ball field. Confining it to about 100 - 150 yards will
keep me in perspective when I attend the re-union. The map will be invaluable
to ex internees who make the trip.
Keep up the
dialogue. I am enjoying it immensely. It brings up so many memories. Joyce. PS
- Who was the young man who received a present of a dozen eggs for winning the
rat catching competition but found they were all bad. Norman Cliff said once
that it was not him. Who was it! JDB.
De: "Frances Osborne"
<frances@francesosborne.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: How to get hold of LILLA'S FEAST
by Frances Osborne
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 14:33
Dear All,
I am
thrilled and touched that you are all enjoying Lilla's Feast so much.
As it seems
that you might be having difficulties getting hold of copies, can I let you
know a way to do so. I understand that many of you will wish to borrow but if
you cannot wait for months this may help:
In the US
Firstly, the paperback is being released in September and can now be ordered on
Amazon.com for just $10.85. Secondly, the hardcover, and I KNOW that hardcovers
are expensive, is discounted to $16.47.
In
In the
Hope this
helps, and I am DELIGHTED that my wonderful great-granny's story (I knew her as
she lived to 100 ) is giving so much pleasure,
Frances
Osborne
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: The map
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 14:55
Dear Mr.
Shude,
Trying to
build something interesting about Weifang for my Web-Site I asked the
"Internet" all he could tell me about Weifang.
Well --- so
far, I've been focused on the Weihsien of 1943-45 and never imagined that
Weifang had become so big and so important through the years.
While
investigating, I met with a province map:
http://www.n-wisdom.com/map_volume/China_province_map/WEIFANG.htm
Then, found
a city-map:
http://www.n-wisdom.com/map_volume/China_city_map_collection/weifang1.htm
and,
following
David Beard's excellent idea, I superposed a transparent copy of our Weihsien
Compound on the City-map.
The problem is that your map is in Chinese
which I do not understand.
Nevertheless,
I turned the plan around for the North to coincide with the North of the
City-map. Then I looked for a hospital (a black cross on a yellow background in
a black circle) not too far from a river. If you look at the aerial view
photograph taken from a B-29 in 1945: http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/maps/pages/p_aerial-1000pix.htm --- the
sinuous path of the river coincides more or less with the river on the
City-map.
Question:
Are we near
No.2 Middle School?
Is the size
of the compound correct?
Do you have
a more detailed representation of No.2 Middle Class School?
Many thanks
in advance for your help ---
Best
regards,
Leopold
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Another Map Question
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
David!
Thanks. Your memories and those of others are
bringing the Weihsien community back to life for all of us, those who were
actually there and those who care about people who were there - a glorious
resurrection indeed!
Donald
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Reporting on Weifang
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Donald Menzi
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
Sent: Jun 24, 2005
To: Nicky & Leopold
<tapol@skynet.be>
Subject: Re: Block 50
Hello, all.
Yes, I'll
have a laptop and can send some messages.
The best place for photos would be Leopold's web site. We'll have a digital camera, and maybe I can
email photos to him to post for everyone to see. We'll try it out beforehand.
Donald
---
Dwight said
it.
Zandy too
---
I think the
same ---
For all
those who won't be present in Weifang for the celebrations --- how can they
"participate"??
You will all have cameras and camcorders
and, if I understand well, --- Donald will have his computer with him. Will you
write your daily "adventures" on Topica for us to read? Will Donald
have a website with all the photos? --- once again: so
many questions!
Best
regards,
A+
Leopold
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: The map
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Leopold,
Good try,
but I don't think the camp hospital would still show up as a hospital on modern
maps, considering its unusable condition in the recent photographs. You've got a good approach, though.
Donald
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re:
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 16:03
Joyce,
Thanks.
The story
of Fr. Scanlan's imprisonment is an interesting case of "oral
history" embellishment. According
to his own account, in his book, it was his singing of popular songs that
bothered the Japanese, and not because it woke them up, but because prisoners
in Japanese jails were required to keep silence, and they interpreted his
singing as a sign of disrespect. He says
the guards were very upset with him, but when the commandant came he was much
more lenient, and instead of punishing him offered to let him out after 10 days
instead of his full sentence of 14 days if he would stop. He noted the more gentle tone of the
commandant and says that he learned later that he was a Catholic.
When I
located a source for Fr. Scanlan's book I bought several copies. I'd be happy to send my surplus copies to
anyone who is unable to locate it - first come first served.
Donald
De: "Bob McKnight"
<bob_mcknight@telus.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Cc: <tapol@skynet.be>
Objet: RE: The map
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 16:17
To All,
Very
interesting discussion on the reunion!!
I have attached a Landsat image of Weifang. If anyone is interested I could do the same
for Yantai/Chefoo. Not sure if Topica
can accept 200KB files. I have another more
detailed image as well
Cheers
Bob
McKnight (PA Bruce grandson)
De: "Bob McKnight"
<bob_mcknight@telus.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Maps of Weifang
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Hi,
I have
emailed Landsat images of Weifang to Leopold since Topica won;t
take them. I could do the same for
Chefoo/Yantai as well
Cheers
Bob
McKnight (PA Bruce grandson)
Vancouver Canada
email:bob_mcknight@telus.net
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Weifang Bulletin Board
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Leopold,
Can you
create a "Weifang 60th Bulletin Board" page on your site. I will try
emailing you some mock "bulletins and digital photos to see if we can get
it working before the event.
Donald
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Maps of Weifang
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Hi,
Could you
also tell us where to go to get them ourselves?
Thanks.
Donald
De: "Bob McKnight"
<bob_mcknight@telus.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: Maps of Weifang
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005
Donald,
Use this
site
https://zulu.ssc.nasa.gov/mrsid/mrsid.pl
Unless
viewing using the online viewer and you download the large files
100MB+ you
will need a SID image viewer such as "MrSID"
Cheers bob
De: "Gay Talbot Stratford"
<stillbrk@eagle.ca>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Re:
Date: vendredi 24 juin 2005 21:10
I would
love a copy. PLease give me a price plus postage. Thankyou,Gay
Graham and
Gay Stratford
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: school in Wehsien
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005 0:10
I second
Dwight's suggestion!
For those
of us unable to attend, a recap of the activities, and some of the highlights
and memories, would be wonderful for us to have. I for one,
would be happy to help defray the cost of the printing and mailing. I know I
can't help toward the writing -- that would have to come from the hearts of
those who did attend.
Hope you
all have a wonderful time!
Pamela
Masters (AKA Bobby Simmons)
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Dances at Weihsien and
reminiscences Joyce Bradbury.
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005 0:24
Hi All --
The only
night I can remember that Auld Lang Syne was sung, was at the last dance in
camp, in October of
'45 -- and we didn't have a curfew anymore! Lord, it's funny how
often I think of that last dance, and that old favorite, when New Year's Eve
comes around...
Pamela
Masters
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Another Map Question
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005 0:25
The only
one I recall was the threat to turn the offender over to the Japanese if he, or
she, didn't straighten up. It always worked like a charm.
Pamela
Masters
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Fw: Dances at Weihsien and
reminiscences Joyce Bradbury.
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005 0:42
Talking
about Aubrey Grandon, reminds me that apart from his great looks and physique,
he was also a real mellow Irish tenor. I can still see him melting the hearts
of the dear old ladies in camp with his rendition of "Mother McCrae."
I'm not sure of the words, but I think the last verse went, "I love the
dear silver that shines in your hair, The brow that's
so furrowed and wrinkled with care, I love those dear fingers so toil-worn for
me, God bless you and keep you, Mother McCrae..." And when that last high note rang out, there
was hardly a dry eye in the old Assembly Hall.
Pamela
Masters
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Fw: Dances at Weihsien and
reminiscences Joyce Bradbury.
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005
Funny how
these reminiscences keep popping up! My main
memories of Aubrey Grandon were of his remarkable "at bats" when he
used to send the softball soaring away out over the wall of the camp in
"left field," and yet I too recall him singing at a camp concert!
It was an
outdoor concert in the beautiful park behind Block 23. And Aubrey Grandon sang
a song only a couple of lines of which I can still remember. It went like this, maybe some of you even know the song:
I'll sing you a song of the fish of the sea
Way down Rio!
Tra - la - la - la - la, Tra - la - la - la -
la -
la
For we're off to the
No one had
any difficulty hearing him - and yet we had no PA systems at Weihsien Camp!
I think
everybody loved Aubrey Grandon at Weihsien!
David
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Screenplay about Weihsien
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005
Hi, Wayne,
I don't
know if you've been following the topica.com discussions but there might be
some things that would be useful to you as background in the screenplay. For example the question
about how camp rules were enforced by the camp discipline committee.
How is it
coming, by the way, or shouldn't I ask at this point.
We're going
to the Weihsien reunion in August.
"We" will be a party of eight.
I'm working up a Powerpoint "tour" of the camp through the
eyes of the artists who painted it.
Best
regards.
Donald
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: A few map questions.
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005 10:48
Hello,
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/maps/images/BIGcacw-1945.gif
--- Another
link!! that will bring you to a map.
In attachment
is the copy of a part of the best original I have of Father Verhoeven's map.
He situates
the White Elephant Shop "IN" Block 24.
I guess
that after the priests left for
A+
Leopold
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: school in Wehsien
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005
From
Janette,
The
basement of Block-24 was transformed into 4 classrooms!
A+
Leopold
De: "Nicky & Leopold"
<tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Reporting on Weifang
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005
Thanks
Donald ---
All this is
excellent!
I am
preparing a new chapter for the Weihsien-60th-year-celebrations-at-Weifang-City.
The directory still has a lot of blank spaces as I am trying to anticipate with
all the *.jpgs and the *.gifs you are going to send my way! Comments?, links?, slide-show or not, *.mpegs or not. Many of our
visitors still have 56K-modems which means that we have to be careful with the
memory space for each picture.
I'm
crossing my fingers.
A+
Leopold
De: "Nicky & Leopold" <tapol@skynet.be>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Weifang Bulletin Board
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005
Hello
Donald,
Yes, please
do!
The chapter
is already open on my HDD. (not yet on the Internet) Send
me what you can by e-mail at tapol@skynet.be . I'll
put it on the net and we can discuss about it with suggestions from all our
Topica friends of course.
Hope it
works!
A+
Leopold
De: <suishude@sohu.com>
À: <tapol@skynet.be>
Objet: From sui
shude
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005
Thank you
for your email. I saw your map posted and the camp draw on it. I think the camp
draw is too big for the map, I mean the size of the draw. The location you put
is quite close. I am trying to find a detailed map of that area, not so far. I
said to David birch to find him one, but not find one yet. I am keeping the
try. Sui Shude
De: "Ron Bridge"
<rwbridge@freeuk.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: school in Wehsien
Date: samedi 25 juin 2005
I think
that Pamela has a great idea on the web with pictures and each can down load
and print if wanted
Rgds
Ron
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Some descriptive words, please
Date: dimanche 26 juin 2005
Hello all,
In working
up the powerpoint "tour" of the camp I realize that viewing the camp
through the eyes of the artists will probably make it seem like a very lush,
beautiful place, with lots of trees, a tennis court, basketball court, ball
field, playgrounds, etc.
Langdon
Gilkey's response to seeing Gertrude Wilder's paintings was amazement that she
found so much beauty in a place that he remembers as cramped, crowded, dusty
and dirty. Of course, that's what
artists do. Many people have spoken of
the constant hunger due to inadequate food, the heat and discomfort of standing
in the sun for constant roll-calls, beddbugs, etc.
I do not
want to leave the impression from the "tour" that internship was just
an extended vacation, though the community that the internees created obviously
had many positive aspects. So I'm asking
that some of you please provide me with some words that you would use to
describe the camp and the experience of being interned there. I don't mean the kind of "I
remember" memories that Leopold is collecting - just a few adjectives or
descriptive phrases that I can use that will help convey the essence of
internship to people who will be taking a visual "tour" and won't see
the deprivations of camp life.
Thanks in
advance.
Donald
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Some descriptive words,
please
Date: dimanche 26 juin 2005
I remember
the camp well. I did not see any beauty in the surroundings, nor can I forget
the scorpions, bed bugs and a few rats. Freezing in winter
and terribly hot in summer. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I
do not think it is appropriate to depict it as a place of beautiful memories in
the scenic sense. The people were beautiful of course. When I think of the camp my first memory is
of always being hungry and waiting for that meal bell or whatever it was that
called us to partake of the meager offerings.
I also remember having to borrow a decent white dress and shoes for my
graduation ceremony from Mrs. Wolfson and then having to give it back. So sad. I remember hearing the clanking of the Japanese
swords and the ever present fear particularly during the incessant roll calls
that we were about to be annihilated. I know my parents often warned us that
this could be the end.
It did not
happen of course but I was always afraid it would and I can remember thinking
"I am too young to die. I don’t want to die yet there are some many things
I want to see and do" Was I alone
in my thoughts?.
I remember the ladle used to dish out our watery stew being very small.
Was it the size of a small baked bean can? That is my memory. Am I correct? I
know it did not fill my tummy. Sure we had some great times and it was sort of
an adventure to start with but as I got older I began to realize what I had
missed. Joyce.
De: "Donald"
<dmenzi@earthlink.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Reporting on Weifang
Date: dimanche 26 juin 2005
Leopold.
I'll try
sending you some pictures in different resolutions in advance so we can see
what works and what doesn't.
Donald
De: "George Kaposhilin"
<gkapo@sbcglobal.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: RE: Some descriptive words,
please
Date: dimanche 26 juin 2005
Yes Donald,
I was also wandering about the mostly "adventuresome" remembrances
that were coming in. Keep in mind that we were all in our teens then and quite
capable of adjusting to what were in reality, horrible experiences. If you need
to have examples of "reality" at that time please read John Hersey's book: The Call.
http://users.skynet.be/bk217033/Weihsien/NormanCliff/Diary/TheCall/txt_TheCall.htm
This book
puts an adult perspective on the life in "camp" that no teenager at
that time can; sixty years later.
De: "Dwight W. Whipple"
<thewhipples@comcast.net>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Some descriptive words,
please
Date: dimanche 26 juin 2005
Hi
Everyone~
Donald's
message reminded me of one of the ongoing struggles in our family (four
children ages 4-12) plus cousins in the same block -- Block 1 -- (three children
ages 1-10). We would fight over who would get the crusts (heels) of the
bread. We found that the crusts filled
you up better. Even today I don't refuse
to eat the bread crusts. Our children and
grandchildren wouldn't think of eating them.
I, too, remember being hungry.
~Dwight W.
Whipple
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Some descriptive words,
please
Date: dimanche 26 juin 2005 19:11
Hi Joyce --
I don't
expect you were alone in your thoughts. Strangely, for me, every day was an
adventure; so different from my earlier life. I was so dumb; I didn't know
enough to be scared. Sure I was hungry a lot, but my hunger was always taken
care of by the wonderful bread from the bakery. I wonder if those hard-working
men realized that they saved our lives over and over again with the great bread
they baked!
I, for one,
have to admit that those lean, mean days in Weihsien prepared me for anything
life could toss my way, and taught me to enjoy even the simplest
pleasures. I hope I don't sound smug. I
don't mean to. I never got a chance to go through the hallowed halls of higher
education, but I always tease and say I graduated from Weihsien -- the college
of 'hard knocks.'
Hope you
all have a wonderful time at the
Pamela
Masters (aka Bobby Simmons)
De: "Pamela Masters"
<pamela@hendersonhouse.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: school in Wehsien
Date: dimanche 26 juin 2005
Ron, I like
your idea better!
The last
Old China Hands Reunion I went to, there were a whole slew of pictures taken,
which were then made into a very expensive memory book. But, of course, with
Weihsien Topica, you-all can post your stories and pix of the event, and we,
who aren't able to attend, will have the chance to pull them all up, print the
ones we like of friends we really know, and enjoy the reunion vicariously.
Isn't it great living in this wonderful century!
Pamela
Masters
P.S. Any
chance Attendees would mind listing all their physical addresses so that we can
keep in touch via snail-mail as well?
De: "Joyce Cook"
<bobjoyce@tpg.com.au>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>;
"Zartusa." <lportnell@juno.com>
Objet: Fw: Some descriptive words,
please
Date: lundi 27 juin 2005
The Balianz
family and the Sanosian family from
At first in
the camp there was no yeast and the bread was pretty flat. Then I believe one of our young inmates, a
pharmacist discovered how to make yeast out of sweet potato which thereafter
made the bread very palatable. I can only remember two slices of bread per meal.
Joyce.
De: "David Birch"
<gdavidbirch@yahoo.com>
À: <weihsien@topica.com>
Objet: Re: Fw: Some descriptive words,
please
Date: lundi 27 juin 2005
Compared to
However I
believe that we really were very seriously undernourished nevertheless. Some of us suffered very greatly even though
we may not have been conscious of hunger pangs during the war. I personally spent a year as a teenage
patient in a "psych ward" a couple of years after the war, having to
drop out of my senior year in high school.
My doctor who had great insight into these things said that I was
"suffering from 'adreno-cortical starvation' which was the result of
prolonged malnutrition in a Japanese concentration camp." My troubles were far from over when I was released
from the hospital and I have voluntarily returned from time to time for
psychological counseling.
In spite of
this I personally do not recall feeling "deprived" at the time of my
internment. After all, I was no
different from my fellow boarding school students. My meals and camp duties were the same as those
of my contemporaries. Bread and water
for breakfast became "bread porridge" (not a Japanese euphemism but a
term coined by our own inmate leaders).
Thin "soup" with a few sickly veggies became (on the Kitchen
One Menu Board) "Hash, Mash, and Splash."
My fellow
students and I learned by the example of our teachers who were in loco parentis
to us to "make light" of our woes which might otherwise have been unbearable.
Those of
you with a background in medicine please correct me if I am wrong but I
understand that the human stomach shrinks to accommodate the scanty meals provided
during times of malnourishment so that we actually do NOT suffer from severe
hunger pangs.
In fact so
unaccustomed were we to really full meals that some of my fellow students
actually became "sick" initially following our liberation when they
found themselves eating more than they could handle.
The square,
two sides of which were bordered by Blocks 23 and 24 were actually like quite a
pleasing park. This is thanks to the
Presbyterian missionaries (including old Dr Luce, father of TIME, LIFE and FORTUNE
founder Henry R Luce). The Presbyterians
majored in education - both secular and Christian. Old Dr Luce, for example,
was behind the "university movement" in
There were
many species of beautiful shade trees at Weihsien. I remember the lovely mimosa trees. There were also many plane trees and of
course locust (or acacia) trees with their beautiful fragrant blossoms.
In the same
area were delightful flower gardens thanks to a diligent Englishwoman, Mrs
Jowett who probably had one of the greenest thumbs I have ever known.
Mrs. Jowett
had many ardent young disciples, one of whom was your humble servant when aged
12 and 13. I grew watermelons, beans,
radishes, portulaca and lettuce, among other plants.
It's true
we did suffer - but Weihsien had its many blessings and contains, by the grace
of God many of my truly best boyhood memories.
Sincerely
David