The Flying Scotsman
by Alison MacRae
Canada
November 2018
When writing my story on the Rev. Caskie I came across Eric Liddell. In 1924, on the day of the Sabbath, Eric had gone to the Scots Kirk Church in Paris. That was the day Eric did not compete in the 100-meter running race in the 1924 Olympics.
by Alison MacRae
Canada
November 2018
When writing my story on the Rev. Caskie I came across Eric Liddell. In 1924, on the day of the Sabbath, Eric had gone to the Scots Kirk Church in Paris. That was the day Eric did not compete in the 100-meter running race in the 1924 Olympics.
Memories of the movie that Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams were featured in, "Chariots of Fire" flooded my mind.
He was a Scottish runner and he was also a missionary. His story was so very interesting. I realised that was all I really knew about this man, so I decided to delve deeper and find out more.
So now, let me tell you my story about Eric Liddell.
This man was certainly what he preached in life, Eric was also was clear of any vainness and could have gone on to be a professional sportsman if he had so desired. He chose to continue his work as a missionary. I also found he was a man of great integrity and of course great faith.
Eric Liddell was born in 1902 in Tianjin, China to Scottish Missionaries. He had an older brother a younger brother and a sister. All born in China.
Eric and his older brother Robert attended Chinese school, and as you can imagine, learning the Chinese language was difficult. It was a long-term endeavour. It took about 5 years of language study and work for a missionary to function in China.
They were both sent to Eltham College, located in London. This was for the sons of missionaries. These pupils came from all over to attend this Christian college. They spent 12 years at this boarding school. Eric and his brother's summer vacation was spent in Edinburgh, as his parents used to come to Edinburgh on their furloughs from the missionary so that they could all be together. He then started at Edinburgh University to take his degree in Pure Science.
During this time he also proved to be a good athlete as he gained 9 caps in the rugby representing Scotland, he excelled in cricket ( Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a 20-metre pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps) but was outstanding in the running. He was exceptional in the 100-meters breaking records that took years for anyone else to beat.
In 1924 he was picked for the Olympics that were held in Paris, France. That was when he came to everybody's attention. Eric was considered the favourite to win to run the 100-metre race. He would not compete in the heat to qualify for it as it was being held on a Sunday. No amount of persuasion not even by the Prince of Wales would shift him. He said he would run the 400-meter race, shocking the British Olympic Team, as Eric was known for running short distances only.
The pipe band of the 51st Highland Brigade played outside the stadium for an hour before Eric was scheduled to run his race. He also competed in another race and got the bronze for that.
After the Olympics he could have become a professional athlete, this was not what he wanted as he was following his heart and his parents' wishes. Eric was determined to be a missionary. He went back to the University of Edinburgh for another year and graduated, with his Bachelor of Science degree.
He then accepted a position in 1925 in China as a missionary teaching at an Anglo-Chinese College. This college was for wealthy Chinese students. Eric used his athletic experience to train the pupils in a number of sports. in the city of Tianjin. One of his many responsibilities was also the Sunday school at Union Church where his father was the Pastor. A plaque that commemorates his residence has been placed where he used to reside. While in Tianjin he helped built the Minyua Stadium. He had suggested copying the layout from his favourite running ground in Fulham. Which is the playing field of the Chelsea Football Club that he had competed in running races.
He was later transferred to Xiaozhang, in Northern China, an extremely poor area that suffered during the country's civil wars and had become a treacherous place to live as the Japanese were starting to invade China.
During this time Eric did compete in running competitions and was victorious. The Chinese have claimed this proud Scottish sportsman as the first Olympic champion because he was born and died in China.
In 1932 he had gone to Scotland on a furlough and was ordained as a minister of religion. Later that year when he returned to China he married Florence MacKenzie, her parents were missionaries, they were from Canada.
In 1941 advancing Japanese army was the deciding factor that it was no longer safe for his family to be in China. Eric sent his wife and two girls to stay with her parents. Eric never saw his third daughter who was born in Canada or his family again.
The missionary had also contacted Eric to tell him to leave China as they said it was not safe anymore, this he refused as he felt he was needed in China so stayed.
Eric went to a rural mission place which was harder for him as he was kept busy dealing with the streams of locals who would turn up at all hours of the day and night looking for food and medical treatment. These things all attributed to Eric's ill health as he did not get enough sleep and used to go without food in order to help the locals.
In 1943 the Japanese had reached the area where Eric was working and interned him along with other foreigners. The shortage of food and lack of medical supplies, would not have helped Eric, as he developed a brain tumour and was malnutrition.
It was also found out in later years that Winston Churchill had managed to get him an exchange of captive transfer out of the camp to come back to Britain, this he also refused and let another captive who was a pregnant woman take the exchange instead, another act of putting other people before himself.
He continued helping the people in the camp. Eric even coached the kids on a Sunday to play football (the British football) as he felt it was important for them to keep out of mischief and from being bored. He was always there to help anyone in need he gave so much of himself in these horrible conditions he never lost his faith. He had risked his life many times to help people and he had helped to look after a lot of the typhoid victims. Eric had been a missionary for 20 years before being held captive by the Japanese. He had been married 10 years.
The missionaries in China made the exodus between 1943 - 1953. After the victory of the Chinese communist army in 1949. Suppression of religion and all missionary societies departed or were expelled.
On the day of his death, he had written to his wife, he said due to overwork he was suffering from a nervous breakdown.
He died Wednesday, February 21, 1945, 5 months before the camp got liberated.
Eric Liddell was what he preached. He gave so much to others. He risked dangerous times by helping to rescue and help the injured during war times. Very strong in his faith. He died too young.
His grave was marked by a plain wooden cross and his name written in boot polish. In 1991 the University of Edinburgh erected a memorial headstone made from the Isle of Mull granite and carved by a mason in Tobermory at the former campsite in Weifang. North East China. The inscription came from the Book of Isaiah 40.31 – "They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary."
He was a Scottish runner and he was also a missionary. His story was so very interesting. I realised that was all I really knew about this man, so I decided to delve deeper and find out more.
So now, let me tell you my story about Eric Liddell.
This man was certainly what he preached in life, Eric was also was clear of any vainness and could have gone on to be a professional sportsman if he had so desired. He chose to continue his work as a missionary. I also found he was a man of great integrity and of course great faith.
Eric Liddell was born in 1902 in Tianjin, China to Scottish Missionaries. He had an older brother a younger brother and a sister. All born in China.
Eric and his older brother Robert attended Chinese school, and as you can imagine, learning the Chinese language was difficult. It was a long-term endeavour. It took about 5 years of language study and work for a missionary to function in China.
They were both sent to Eltham College, located in London. This was for the sons of missionaries. These pupils came from all over to attend this Christian college. They spent 12 years at this boarding school. Eric and his brother's summer vacation was spent in Edinburgh, as his parents used to come to Edinburgh on their furloughs from the missionary so that they could all be together. He then started at Edinburgh University to take his degree in Pure Science.
During this time he also proved to be a good athlete as he gained 9 caps in the rugby representing Scotland, he excelled in cricket ( Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a 20-metre pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps) but was outstanding in the running. He was exceptional in the 100-meters breaking records that took years for anyone else to beat.
In 1924 he was picked for the Olympics that were held in Paris, France. That was when he came to everybody's attention. Eric was considered the favourite to win to run the 100-metre race. He would not compete in the heat to qualify for it as it was being held on a Sunday. No amount of persuasion not even by the Prince of Wales would shift him. He said he would run the 400-meter race, shocking the British Olympic Team, as Eric was known for running short distances only.
The pipe band of the 51st Highland Brigade played outside the stadium for an hour before Eric was scheduled to run his race. He also competed in another race and got the bronze for that.
After the Olympics he could have become a professional athlete, this was not what he wanted as he was following his heart and his parents' wishes. Eric was determined to be a missionary. He went back to the University of Edinburgh for another year and graduated, with his Bachelor of Science degree.
He then accepted a position in 1925 in China as a missionary teaching at an Anglo-Chinese College. This college was for wealthy Chinese students. Eric used his athletic experience to train the pupils in a number of sports. in the city of Tianjin. One of his many responsibilities was also the Sunday school at Union Church where his father was the Pastor. A plaque that commemorates his residence has been placed where he used to reside. While in Tianjin he helped built the Minyua Stadium. He had suggested copying the layout from his favourite running ground in Fulham. Which is the playing field of the Chelsea Football Club that he had competed in running races.
He was later transferred to Xiaozhang, in Northern China, an extremely poor area that suffered during the country's civil wars and had become a treacherous place to live as the Japanese were starting to invade China.
During this time Eric did compete in running competitions and was victorious. The Chinese have claimed this proud Scottish sportsman as the first Olympic champion because he was born and died in China.
In 1932 he had gone to Scotland on a furlough and was ordained as a minister of religion. Later that year when he returned to China he married Florence MacKenzie, her parents were missionaries, they were from Canada.
In 1941 advancing Japanese army was the deciding factor that it was no longer safe for his family to be in China. Eric sent his wife and two girls to stay with her parents. Eric never saw his third daughter who was born in Canada or his family again.
The missionary had also contacted Eric to tell him to leave China as they said it was not safe anymore, this he refused as he felt he was needed in China so stayed.
Eric went to a rural mission place which was harder for him as he was kept busy dealing with the streams of locals who would turn up at all hours of the day and night looking for food and medical treatment. These things all attributed to Eric's ill health as he did not get enough sleep and used to go without food in order to help the locals.
In 1943 the Japanese had reached the area where Eric was working and interned him along with other foreigners. The shortage of food and lack of medical supplies, would not have helped Eric, as he developed a brain tumour and was malnutrition.
It was also found out in later years that Winston Churchill had managed to get him an exchange of captive transfer out of the camp to come back to Britain, this he also refused and let another captive who was a pregnant woman take the exchange instead, another act of putting other people before himself.
He continued helping the people in the camp. Eric even coached the kids on a Sunday to play football (the British football) as he felt it was important for them to keep out of mischief and from being bored. He was always there to help anyone in need he gave so much of himself in these horrible conditions he never lost his faith. He had risked his life many times to help people and he had helped to look after a lot of the typhoid victims. Eric had been a missionary for 20 years before being held captive by the Japanese. He had been married 10 years.
The missionaries in China made the exodus between 1943 - 1953. After the victory of the Chinese communist army in 1949. Suppression of religion and all missionary societies departed or were expelled.
On the day of his death, he had written to his wife, he said due to overwork he was suffering from a nervous breakdown.
He died Wednesday, February 21, 1945, 5 months before the camp got liberated.
Eric Liddell was what he preached. He gave so much to others. He risked dangerous times by helping to rescue and help the injured during war times. Very strong in his faith. He died too young.
His grave was marked by a plain wooden cross and his name written in boot polish. In 1991 the University of Edinburgh erected a memorial headstone made from the Isle of Mull granite and carved by a mason in Tobermory at the former campsite in Weifang. North East China. The inscription came from the Book of Isaiah 40.31 – "They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary."
Eric and Florence Liddell