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Captured by Pirates

English schoolgirls, seized off China's coast in 1935 and interned in the Second World War, talk to Kate Silverton. From 2010.

Kate Silverton uncovers the story of the English schoolgirls who were captured by pirates off the China coast, and later ended up in a Japanese concentration camp with Eric Liddell.

In 1935, the SS Tungchow was taken over by a dozen Chinese pirates as it emerged from the Yangtse River. They were expecting a cargo of gold bullion but instead found three lady teachers and seventy British missionaries' children, on their way to Chefoo boarding school on the North China coast.
Six years later, in 1941, these same children became enemy aliens when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour. They were imprisoned in the Weihsien Internment Camp, Shantung Province, along with 500 other children, half of them without parents. The morale of the girls and their teachers was greatly improved by two Brownie packs and a Girl Guide Company. Their sports were organised by Eric Liddell, (Chariots of Fire) until he died.

This is an extraordinary tale, and it's told by those who were there:
Margaret Holder, n茅e Vinden.
Beryl Goodland, n茅e Welch.
Kathleen Foster, n茅e Strange.
Mary Previte, n茅e Taylor.
Evelyn Heubener, n茅e Davey.

Producer Beth O'Dea
Programme consultant Janie Hampton.

First broadcast on 成人快手 Radio in March 2010.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Tue 10 Dec 2019 01:30

Broadcasts

  • Mon 22 Mar 2010 11:00
  • Mon 29 Jun 2015 11:00
  • Tue 17 May 2016 06:30
  • Tue 17 May 2016 13:30
  • Tue 17 May 2016 20:30
  • Wed 18 May 2016 01:30
  • Mon 9 Dec 2019 06:30
  • Mon 9 Dec 2019 13:30
  • Mon 9 Dec 2019 20:30
  • Tue 10 Dec 2019 01:30