68 – Our Leaders from International Headquarters
The Salvation Army International Headquarters is in London. The Army is currently at work in 124 countries and for administrative purposes divided into five zones – Europe, Americas and the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia and South Pacific and East Asia. Each Zone comes under the leadership of an International Secretary who is accountable to the General. The Chief of the Staff is the Second in command of The Salvation Army.
During our term in Hong and Taiwan, we worked directly under the following International Secretaries - Commissioners Edwin Marion, William Cairns, Robert Bath and John Clinch. All of them visited the Command of Hong Kong and Taiwan for reviews or inspections as well as conducting meetings. (The Command is now known as Hong Kong/Macau Command. The change was made in 1997 when Hong Kong reverted to China)
It was during the time of Commissioner Cairns that the current Headquarters at 11 Wing Sing Lane was officially opened by the Governor Sir Edward Youde in April 1985 Commissioner Cairns prayed the dedicatory prayer.
On the way from Hong Kong to Sydney his next destination, he had a heart attack which caused us a great deal of concern. Maybe the heavy programme the Command put on for him triggered it! We hope not! Anyway he recovered fairly quickly. In fact later at the High Council he accepted nomination for Generalship, but the vote went to Eva Burrows.
On an earlier visit to the Command I met him in Taiwan and together with the Regional Commander toured the whole Region from Taipei to Tainan. Then he came with me to Hong Kong and spent Chinese New Year with us. We built up a friendship that lasted for many years till his promotion to Glory. In his retirement he was approached by the then Officer Commanding in Singapore Lieut. Colonel Ivan Lang to write my biography called “The Shy Singaporean.” He worked extremely hard, contacted our family and many friends who had worked with us in the past. He collated the information and in a very short time completed this book published in time to coincide with our retirement from active service in 1997.
The first General to visit Hong Kong in our time was General Jarl Wahlstrom. He and his wife were very humble people and easy to entertain. It was such a joy to have them for a few days. I think they were taken aback by the crowds in Hong Kong particularly along Nathan Road where the old Army Headquarters was. We had a great time with them during Congress.
When we visited Finland some years later to conduct the Territorial Congress, General Wahlstrom was one of my interpreters. He and his wife gave good support to the territory. At that time the Territorial Commander was Colonel Mauri Palmonuksa who had been a session mate with me at the International College for Officers in 1963 the 33rd Session. What memories!
In April 1990 General Eva Burrows was the leader of our Command Congress. The General was warmly welcomed to Hong Kong by the Governor Sir David Wilson and Lady Wilson. Advisory Board members under the chairmanship of Mr. David Li, Command Headquarters’ Officers and local officers (lay people) were included in the reception hosted by His Excellency the Governor at His residence.
The Chief of the Staff Commissioner Caughey Gauntlett and his wife the President of Women’s Organisations paid their visit first to Taiwan then to Hong Kong. The South Pacific and East Asia College of officers was in session and the Chief was able to include in his busy itinerary visit to talk to the delegates and conduct the Covenant Service. That year I was the principal of the College with Captain Keith Cheng, our Social Services Secretary as the Vice Principal.
Commissioner and Mrs. Gauntlett became very good friends and twice billeted us when we were invited to conduct meetings at St. Albans Corps the Corps where they soldiered.
We were blessed in that we had very good staff. Our General Secretary, Major Moira Wright was a tremendous worker and put in more hours than the average person. We had a good team of officers who gave excellent support that made our term in Hong Kong and Taiwan a very happy one.
Commissioner and Mrs Gauntlett were very caring and understanding. They had worked for many years in Africa and Europe and quite used to cross culture setting. We kept contact with them even in retirement and twice we were billeted at their home at St. Albans when we visited their Corps to conduct weekend meetings.
We received many visitors to Hong Kong as it is a quite a tourist attraction. Our own family - both Gladys and Kum Pui and later Stephen and Dolly came and spent their holidays with us while we were in Hong Kong.
No comments:
Post a Comment