“ I lived In China tor 15 years, and held the position of traffic superintendent on the railway which runs from Peking to Mukden during the whole of that time. This railway connects with the Chinese Eastern and Trans Siberian lines, and, before the war, the journey from Peking to London was done in 11 days.

The first five years I lived in Newchwang, the northern terminus of the line. I was stationed there during the Russo Japanese war, and was only 40 miles as the crow flies from the ground where the battle of Mukden was fought. The next ten years I was stationed at Tientsin, which is the port for the capital Peking, 87 miles inland.

During my stay at Tientsin, I was in the midst of three revolutions, and I saw a great deal of Chinese soldiery. My duties were to provide cars and arrange trains for the movement of troops, and at the same time endeavour to run passenger and goods trains for the public with the few carriages and wagons that the military did not require.”

He made a number of comments about Chinese justice and stated the following.

“In 1911 the Chinese troops looted and then burnt the native city of Tientsin. Twenty three Chinese civilians, who had picked out a few boots and clothing from the fire, were caught by the Chinese police, and ordered to be shot next day. A strong, healthy boy of 15 was amongst them. His cries for his mother attracted the attention of some foreigners who went to see the prisoners in the cage a few hours before the execution. They appealed to the chief of police to save the boy. His reply was that he had 23 heads to return, and if he let the boy go his own head might be wanted to make up the number. However, after some more talk the chief got an idea. There was a man in a goal not far away. He gave orders for this unfortunate fellow to be brought along: he was placed in the cage and the young chap was given ills freedom. Thus 23 men were shot. These men got no trial. I wonder how some of the people in this country who talk “hands off China” would like to live under these laws.”

Daniel and Catherine had four children. Margaret, in 1905, who was likely to have been born in China or Mongolia. She died an untimely death in 1945 with a burst appendix. Jack was in Mongolia in 1906. Joseph was born in China in 1908 and died a couple of years later. Daniel was born in Tienstin in 1913.

He was Superintendent of the line which ran from Peking to Mukden, which linked the Chinese Eastern and Trans-Siberian lines.

He was later to write in the Brisbane Telegraph that I was in the midst of three revolutions, and saw a great deal of Chinese soldiery. My duties were to provide cars and arrange trains for the movement of troops, and at the same time to run passenger and goods trains for the public with the few carriages and wagons that the military did not require .

He was decorated in 1915 by the French Government with the Order of Officer d’Academie for excellent international services . He was also decorated in that year by the Chinese Government with the Sixth Class of the Order of the Striped Tiger . In 1918 he was decorated with a second class silver medal by the Chinese Ministry of War.