PERIL AND HARDSHIP IN ABYSSINIA

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 192, 11 May 1937, Page 11

PERIL AND HARDSHIP IN ABYSSINIA

Missionaries’ Account NEW ZEALAND WOMEN RETURN Dominion Special Service. Auckland, May 10. The perils and hardships to which missionaries in Abyssinia were subjected during the war with Italy have been fully experienced by two New Zea land women who arrived from Sydney by the Awatea on furlough from their work with the Sudan Interior Mission. One missionary, Mrs. M. E. Mitchell, has tragic memories of tlie country for her husband was killed by Arussi Galla Tribesmen while trying to reach Addis Ababa. The other, Miss M. A. McMillan, also has harrowing experiences to recall, for she and another New Zealander, Miss Freda Horn, were attacked and beaten by bandits and reached Addis Ababa only through the assistance of a friendly Christian native, “As long as there are any Protestant missionaries in the country we have got to be very careful,” said Miss McMillan. “I’m afraid that is one thing we can’t give information about.” She added when asked about the massacre that is reported to have taken place in Addis Ababa after the attempt on the life of the Viceroy, Marshal Graziani: “It was very terrible.” Before the war started Miss McMillan, whose home is in Dunedin, was stationed at Marako, in Curage province, which is four days’ south of the capital. “Things went on peacefully for us at first,” said Miss McMillan. “The people round about had known for some years that we were British, and as everybody had the greatest admiration for the British people we were in a good position when hostilities started, but when you consider the size of the province it. is no wonder that difficulty and suspicion existed.” Miss McMillan said that she and Miss Horn remained on the station aftdr the other missionaries had left on furlough. The field director of the mission, Dr. T. A. Lambie, asked if they would like to go into the capital, but they felt it was quite safe to stay on at Marako. Attack by Brigands. “We have always had the brigand element in our province and they tried to hold the country more or less in thrall,” said Miss McMillan. “They never dared to go near the homes of white people, but I suppose they had long cast envious eyes on our meagre belongings. When news came that the Emperor had flown they raided all Customs houses and released about 400 prisoners, who were reputed to be murderers. They came to our place on the next night .and looted it very thoroughly. We were beaten and bruised and knocked about a bit, for they wanted money, which we did not have.” Miss McMillan said they were rescued on the next day by a Christian native, who took them to his home, where they stayed for a month, as there were inter-tribal wars going on and the brigands said they would not let the missionaries go for fear that they would inform the Italians. The report that she had been rescued by Italian soldiers was incorrect. She and Miss Horn were in a good deal of peril during that month. Finally the Christian native arranged with his friends to get them through to Addis Ababa. They were given an escort of 30 men armed with a machine-gun and spears and rifles, and, although the roads were very perilous, 'whole caravans having been attacked and slaughtered, they reached the capital safely. Story of Husband’s Death. The story of her husband’s death at the hands of tribesmen in the Kasse Desert was told by Mrs. Mitchell, who is on her way back to Invercargill with her baby son. She was formerly Miss Myrtle Jenkins, and was married by the British Consul in Addis Ababa to Mr. George Clifford Mitchell, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Mitchell, Blockhouse Bay. Mrs. Mitchell said that after she and other missionaries went to Addis Ababa her husband returned south to Sidamo province with Red Cross supplies. “When the Italian army was advancing on Addis Ababa from the north my husband heard of it through a radio set belonging to a Belgian planter in Sidamo,” said Mrs. Mitchell. “He and Mr. Thomas Devers, a Canadian missionary, whose fiancee was in Addis Ababa, being anxious about our welfare, began a journey to the capital. On the third day out from Yerga Alem, capital of the Sidamo province, they were attacked in the Kasse Desert by a band of 200 or 300 Arussi Galla tribesmen,” continued Mrs. Mitchell. "My husband and his friend and their servants were all killed. We believe that some native men did escape, but we never met them. The attack took place on May 9, and I heard about it at the end of August. A Mr. Smith, another New Zealand missionary, went south to the Kenya border in July and sent news through to the British Legation in Addis Ababa.”