THE STRAITS TIMES

Singapore

31 March 1933

(page 14)

MR. GERALD YORKE.

Freed by Order of Young Marshal.

Peiping, Mar. 11.

One of the last official acts of Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang last night was an order for the release of Mr. Gerald Yorke, Reuter’s special correspondent in Jehol, who was arrested yesterday by military authorities at Minyunhsien.

Mr. Yorke arrived here safely this afternoon, having been released at four o’clock this morning immediately the Chinese commander at Miyun, 20 miles south of Kupeikou, received Marshal Chang’s order.

Mr. Yorke rode into Peking on a pony as he rode out a fortnight ago to “cover” the hostilities in Jehol. He was returning here from Kupeikow, having been there when the Japanese were fighting for possession of the pass, when he was placed under arrest.

Mr. Gerald Yorke is the son of Mr. Vincent W. Yorke, J.P., of Forthampton Court, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, who is a Director of the Westminster Bank and a well-known financier of South-American railways. Mr. Gerald Yorke; who was educated at Eton and Cambridge, came out to the Far East some months ago and was connected for a while with the work of the Yangtse Flood Commission.

At the outbreak of the Jehol operations he went north under an arrangement to act as a special correspondent for Reuter in addition to their regular staff in the North. He went up into the fighting area and sent out a few dispatches.