Japanese Incident, 1938

During our second visit to Peitaiho (in 1938), it was necessary to check on our route from the port of Chinwangto (usually a train journey of some 20 miles), as the railway line was cut (Sino-Japanese skirmishing was going on), a small group of us had to take a different route along the sea shore which took several hours We went on donkeys and it was most essential to have a local guide as we had to traverse quicksand’s. It was impossible for us to see the safe way, but he guided us there and back without incident. We had heard of people disappearing without trace, so were very thankful to arrive safely at Peitaiho. By the time the holiday came to an end, the railway had been repaired. However, on our return journey to Shanghai, the following incident occurred. We had taken (as before) our Amah and a manservant and spent another happy holiday there. We travelled on a Kailan Mining Administration ship (the K.M.A. ships were coal carriers plying between Shanghai and other ports and the North) which had only two cabins, very comfortable and spacious, known as Owner’s cabins. We had booked our return journey as these cabins were very much in demand. The sea trip took four days and we were landed and embarked at the port of Chinwangto. When we had travelled the 20 miles from Peitaiho to Chinwangtao and were waiting, children, domestics, luggage and me, for a little local train to take us to the ship.

The little train and courier had not arrives but the station master said it would come very soon and would we wait on the platform. He seemed a little nervous and very quickly disappeared. I wondered why, and soon realised that there was not a single Chinese man or woman to be seen, only Japanese soldiers with rifles slung over their shoulders and with bayonets fixed. We had only been there a few moments when they approached us and spoke to Amah, an attractive Chinese woman, and made suggestive remarks and gestures which were so obvious that she quickly understood, though she did not speak Japanese and they had no Chinese or English. She came very close to me and said “Missie, they want me to go with them, please don’t let them take me”. I reassured her, of course. We were soon surrounded by what seemed like half the Japanese army, dirty, unshaven, sour-smelling, their numbers increasing as we stood there. After what seemed like time without end, the small train arrived, to my great relief. The courier would be able to help us, I thought. I signalled him to come through the crowd surrounding us, but he made negative signs and stayed on the train, not daring to attempt to get us through the crowd of grey-clad men.

There was not a Chinese in sight, including our man-servant, Koo Lee; the Japs were in command in the area, and no-one dared oppose them. We just stood there, the soldiers pestering Amah, but I got her into position between me and our considerable luggage, and they could not easily touch her. Two or three of them unslung their rifles, and made as if to stab Amah with their bayonets; she was petrified with fear and clung to me, but they were enjoying what was to them a huge joke, and laughed and laughed. When they found that they were getting nowhere one of them went to fetch a senior officer. He marched up to me and saluted. He was quite different from his men, clean uniform, lots of gold braid, shiny top boots and a bristling little moustache. I greeted him in a friendly way and said that I was very pleased to see him, and felt sure that he could help us get under way and onto the small train for Chinwangtao as we were already delayed. It very soon became obvious that he was not there for small talk. To my amazement he said that they wanted Amah for questioning as she was a spy and had been receiving letters by post and maps of the area whilst in Peitaiho, and sending letters and documents from there. I told him that this was pure invention and quite ridiculous as she was illiterate and could not even sign her own name. This was not strictly true, though I knew she had neither received not sent any letters, I said that she knew no-one in the area and had not been away from the bungalow at any time since our arrival unless with me and the children. “We are taking her for questioning” he said. I replied quite calmly but very firmly that no-one was taking her from me for any purpose whatever, that I was responsible for her and would answer for anything connected with her whilst she was with me. I repeated that we were keeping the train waiting and also the ship, which I knew would not leave without us. “What is your nationality?” he enquired. “British” I replied. “Give me your passport” he said. I replied that my passport was my property and that I was not giving it to him or anyone. “What are you doing here?” “Where do you come from?” “What is your name?” All of which questions I answered. “What is this woman’s nationality” he asked. “Obviously Chinese” I replied. “I want to see her passport” he said. “She hasn’t one” I replied. “Ah so, she is a spy” he almost crowed triumphantly. I then pointed out that as she was a Chinese national travelling in her own country she did not need one. He was quite taken aback at his own stupidity. He realised that nothing short of force would get her away from us and he could find no valid reason for delaying our departure. He made one final effort. “At what time does your ship sail?” “Five o’clock” I said. He looked at his watch and said “It is now 3.30; we will take her and return her to you in time for you to catch the ship”. I said very firmly “You are not taking her for questioning or for any other purpose whatsoever, and I, as a British subject, ask you not to delay me any further and to allow me and my family to get on the train immediately”. He was absolutely furious at having lost face in front of his men. He almost spat at me, “You will hear more of this”, but before he allowed us to go he asked me for my address in Shanghai. I gave it to him in two words “British Embassy”. He shouted an order to his men and we were at last able to get on with our journey. Our manservant, who had disappeared at the beginning of the trauma, reappeared as unobtrusively as we got on the train, almost as if he did not know us. He knew well enough what his fate would have been had he appeared to have been connected with us. As a matter of fact, when we were under way and safely travelling towards the port, the courier apologised for not having been able to help us but said had he done so he would have been killed when he returned to the area (which, of course, he would have had to do in the course of his job).
On arrival at the port I was met by the shipping office staff who were just about to set off by road to see what had delayed us. I wished they had taken to the road earlier!! The “Japanese Incident” (as we called it for a long time) had delayed us by over two hours. I wrote a hasty letter to friends left in Peitaiho telling them what had happened and advising them not to leave unless in a party and certainly not without male escort. The office staff said, too, that they would accompany passengers in future. When we got onto the ship Amah quickly disappeared into the Amah’s room, bolted the door firmly and did not reappear until she heard to ship’s engines turning and knew that we were at sea. When I reached Shanghai four days later and recounted my experience to husbands and fathers of families still in Peitaiho, they arranged to go up and collect them in groups. I must point out that we were not then at war with the Japanese. Had we been, the outcome would undoubtedly have been very different, but then I would not have been there. My husband was interned by them later on and was very glad that we were not there in camp, but free in England.

We came on leave from China in 1939. We travelled on the Potsdam, a German ship, in April. There were, of course, German travellers as well as other nationalities, and a fair proportion of British passengers. When we had been on board a couple of weeks a meeting was called which every German passenger had to attend. Some with whom we had become friendly were reluctant to attend, but told us their names would be taken and recorded were they absent, besides which they wanted find out who was the leading Nazi on board. They knew it was not the Captain; it turned out to be the head Chef. Anne’s 11th birthday was on April 20th - the same day as Hitler - and she was given a wonderful party by the ship’s company to which all the other children on board were invited. War broke out and we decided that I would stay in England with out two children and my husband would return to China until the situation was a little clearer.

Entered by Petersfield Library

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