GREEN GLORY

A Missionary Life:
Rev. J. Wesley Day
China, Malaysia, Indonesia

Side Trip: Japanese Bombers - August, 1937

A Letter from China, August 28, 1937 (The Missionary Record, October 1937, page 21)

...Returning August 13 from T'aiyuan to Tatung, and finding weather cloudy, I took night train to Kalgan.

Next day it rained hard all morning, insuring Kalgan against air attack, or being cut off by bombed bridges, for that day. (Kalgan had been bombed during previous two days, but none at mission were hurt.) During day, Williamses completed turning over mission affairs to Chinese Committee, we packed up our more important possessions, and left by midnight train. (During days following, Kalgan was bombed severely, hundreds were killed, buildings destroyed. One bomb landed in empty dugout in Three Cornered Yard, in Mission. From our latest information, August 28, no one injured at our mission, and no other damage of importance. Other missions were hit, with some damage.

With us leaving Kalgan was Mrs. J. H. Ingram, retired American Board Missionary from Peiping, and her three little granddaughters, whose mother was in Peiping.

At Tatung, Shansi, the Williamses and Ingrams rented rooms in city, belonging to Anglican Mission, while I stayed in Anglican Hospital. Tatung seemed out of immediate dnager, missionaries there had no intention of leaving, and we stayed several days.

Hundreds of wounded soldiers arrived by train from Nankow, and were receiving no medical attention. In conjunction with Salvation Army, Horace and I volunteered our car and ourselves, and on 21st, 22nd, and 23, carried wounded soldiers from station to hospital, or other places of rest, government supplying gasolene. There were hundreds of soldiers more than could be cared for by all facilities, including a new thousand patient hospital.

Tuesday, the 24th, after only a few hours sleep (we had been transporting wounded half the night), Mr. Williams called me, said he felt we should go that day. So we packed in morning, left in afternoon. We had gone a few blocks in city when three shots were fired, warning of air attack. We continued, and were an hour on our way when planes arrived. As planes came near we put American flag on car, hid in fields of hemp. Then we watched smoke rise from bombing of Tatung. Foreigners fleeing Tatung that night tell us that Williams-Ingram house was hit--an hour or so after we left it, ruining house and killing two Chinese.

We have promised to evacuate Tatung missionaries with our car if they have no other way to safety, but I am writing them to get out and not count on us, as notice by telegraph may be impossible, roads there dangerous, and T'aiku missionaries in need, when their time of emergency comes.

"Green Glory" (car we gave Mission last year) is in T'siyuan, but I shall get it here if roads open up after recent bad rains. I shall keep in touch with Kalgan if mails are open. As T'aiku is perfectly safe for the present, and the missionaries, mostly women, most cordial ready to help if the need arises.

Please don't worry, but pray for us all -- especially the Chinese who cannot leave, as we do. Very sincerely, Wesley Day.

Letter from Horace and Margaret Williams, Hankow, Lutheran Home, September 1, 1937 (The Missionary Record, October 1937, p. 20)

We reached here day before yesterday from Shansi, where we left Wesley with missionary friends. Yesterday we interviewed the United States Consul who said he would forward a message to you for us....

Just what is best to do is our greatest problem. A few missionaries (Norwegian) remained in Kalgan. Following Consular advices, we came this way. Our hearts are in Kalgan with our friends. Heavy fighting has been going on for some days. The Japanese claim to have captured the city; the Chinese say it is theirs. I believe there is no clear victory yet. It is true that the Japanese are very near.

This means more suffering for our friends. The last we heard stated that no Christians had been seriously injured, nor had our property been damaged. We give thanks to God for His keeping care. But at the same time only bombing had been experienced, now real fighting has begun.

It is a terrible experience to be under those huge bombers realizing that the Japanese are ready to blow up civilians and wounded soldiers as well as anyone else. Two Russians were killed in Kalgan, no one was really safe. As we travelled southward we found every city and every Railway Station preparing for probable air raids...

On Saturday we heard of wounded soldiers due to come, and at request of local Salvation Army we volunteered our truck. So Saturday night we went to Army Headquarters and took out five days supplies of gasolene in tins).

The wounded were held up over Sunday on account of fighting just west of Kalgan. They arrived Monday noon. Swedish and Norwegian missionaries aided Salvation Army in giving First Aid. Wesley and I changed at the wheel, alternating in hauling wounded soldiers. It was after midnight Monday night when we got to bed, 670 wounded having come that day. There was a report that hundred more were coming.

After a few hours sleep I was awakened with the feeling that we should move that day. Everyone was willing for me to make the decision for them. During the forenoon some packed while I excused ourselves for not helping the wounded further.

It was about 2 PM when we finally left the city. We were going down the main street when the airplane alarm was given. An hour later we were going nicely through the country having passed through the city gates, etc, when we were stopped by soldiers who pointed to airplanes behind us. Hurriedly, we abandoned the car, hiding in a hemp field. Over Tatung we could plainly see four Japanese bombers. Then we heard dull explosions and later we saw huge clouds of smoke ascending. It reminded us of Lot leaving a doomed Sodom.

Two days later in Taiyuan we met friends who had left Tatung after that bombing. The engineer of the hospital where they were staying had visited the place we just evacuated. He reported that the building which we had lived in was the center of a large bomb explosion and that two Chinese in the same yard (caretaker's family) had been killed.

As we wait in Hankow, not knowing what to do nor where to go, we ponder on the goodness of our God and ask for clear instructions that we may now how to praise Him aright for delivering us from such great destruction.

It may be that we must leave China, but we do not wish to leave while our Kalgan friends are in the midst of such a great calamity. We are hoping that the fighting line will move from Kalgan. If so, it is possible that we could return (temporarily if not permanently.)...

It is impossible to get money in Chahar and Shansi. Even here in Hankow funds are not too plentiful But I am sure we can get enough for our needs. If Japanese forces occupy Kalgan we'll try to get money through from Manchoukuo.

With best wishes to you and the whole church, Sincerely, Horace and Margaret Williams.