Subject: How we got home after the war was over

My name is Maida Harris now Campbell

We got out of Weihsien I believe it was early September to a wonderful welcome at the Edgewater Hotel in Tsingtao by the British troops.
We were given presents by the city.
Due to inflation the money for four of us bought one can of jam.
We were all British citizens and were given by the British govt a fare to wherever we wanted to go.
My father was British and my mother was Canadian but British since there was no Canadian citizenship until 1947.
However my aunt and grandparents also in camp got passages to Canada by American ships.
There were 3 families in camp who had an older child in Toronto in 1940 because it was safer than going to the UK.
These 3 families all wished to go to Canada but to get our way paid we had to go on a British ships.
There were to Canada and it was almost all American ships crossing the Pacific.
We travelled on an American troopship to Hongkong during or still feeling the effects of a typhoon.

Because of that we had to travel around Taiwan named Formosa then a minesweeper ahead of us to protect us.
Most of us were seasick so could not enjoy the wonderful food.
The trip was between 5 and 7 days and we arrived in Hongkong where we had wonderful food and accommodation and were treated very well by the British troops many new and young who were ready to invade Japan.
Later we wondered how many would have lost their lives if the Allies had had to invade Japan.

By the end of November all our group several hundred I think had got on British ships going to the UK.
In early December a British cargo ship was found for us that was going to Vancouver and had room for us 3 families.
It was an American-built ship that was leased to Britain.
We had almost a month trip and rough at times landing in Victoria where they dumped the ballast they had as cargo and then left us in Vancouver where we 3 families took the train and were united with the members of our families who had travelled to Toronto in 1940.
It was January 9 1946.
A group of relatives met us.
They must have found us strangely attired in clothes donated to us and not as emaciated as we might have expected having had 4 months of food given to us by Red Cross and other sources.
Maida Harris Campbell

Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2025 9:42 AM
To: 'Leopold PANDER'

Subject: Final departure -- October 18, 1945

October 18, 1945 is a date to remember.

It was our last day in Weihsien and I clearly remember Dad telling me ― in English ― to have a last good look because we would never come back to this place again. We were standing on the platform of that truck lumbering through the Weihsien gates with our meager luggage and belongings. I was four years old.
Indeed, we were finally airlifted back to where we came from ― Tientsin ― all of it professionally organised by the US Air force. Who else could have done that?
Thank you, America.

August 17, 1945 ― two long months previously, we were liberated by the Americans just two days after Hirohito's unconditional surrender speech recorded and broadcast for the whole world to hear. Evacuations were immediately scheduled in Weihsien, firstly by plane for those who needed urgent assistance. Shortly afterwards, a first full trainload of prisoners left Weihsien, bound for Tsingtao with the Chefoo kids and staff and many others.

And then, all stopped. No more evacuations.

Read dad's first letters home ― in Belgium ― to his family in French. [Click here] ―I trust that you will easily get them translated into English with your browser & A.I.
The Japs had surrendered, yes, but that didn't make China a peaceful country. There was a civil war going on. "They" were blowing up the railroad tracks all over the country and killing each other in an all-over turmoil amplified by the soviets on one side and the yanks on the other side.

October 18, 1945.
Many of you were already on their way home to England, Australia, East Africa, New Zealand, Canada, America (…) mostly by boat and we ― the last ones in Weihsien ― were airlifted by twin-engine-C-47s to our homes → to Tientsin as I have already mentioned.

We finally left China in 1948.
I am now in my eighty-fifth year and that day ― October 18, 1945 ― I will remember.
Thanks for reading me,
Best regards,
Leopold

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