The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-07-28

WASHINGTON. D. CA ST.
year-old Negro linguist and world
traveller, who lost his Oldest son
10 a German firing squad, his moth
er and another son in London air
raids, and his wife and a third
son in Tokyo earthquake. is still
lighting the enemy through the
Merchant Marine. the War Ship.
ping Administration announced
this week.
THE SEA-GOING veteran OF two
world wars is Harold Donald
Harper OF 80 Myrtle avenue, Brook.
Ign. N. Y. Harper, who holds q
bachelor OF arts degree. from the
University OF Edinburgh and a
master OF arts degree from Berlin
university, Is still working in the
stewards branch of the Merchant
Marine despite the fact that ships
on which he was serving have
been torpedoed six times during
the two wars.
The War Shipping Adninistra-
ton cited Harper's varied back
ground in Its campaign to recruit
competent chefs. butchers. bakers
and messmen Of only for one voy-
age) TO assist In the task OF bring.
ing soldiers home from Europe.
The Service will accept men with
no sea experience in this drive.
Harper reads and writes eight
languages and speaks IL, fnclud-
ing French, German, Russian,
English. japanese, Arabic. Greek,
Gaelic, Icelandic, Hindustani and
Basuts. . Zulu dialect, the War
Shipping administration said.
HE LOST one son during an air
raid on London In the last war.
He lost another during the pres
ent war. when the Nazis captured
Louvain. Belgium, where the IT.
year-old boy was attending school.
According to the u. S. consul,
the boys were lined up and ma
chine gunned by the German in
vaders. Harper's mother died in
le4l OF injuries received during,
London air raid
At the age OF IL. Harper was
sent 10 an English boarding school,
from which he went to the Univer-
sity OF Edinburgh for his B A.
degree. His father then sent him
TO Vienna 10 study the piano.
Il was always crazy TO go 10
sea-" Harper said, so I decided
TO run away. | went 10 Hamburg
where I shipped out to the Cam
eroons as one of four messboys."
AFTER FOUR years at sea.
Harper had enough money saved
10 study al Berlin. When his IA
Their saw that the boy was in
tereSted in studying, he gave him
financial help. p
Upon graduation from the Uni
versity OF Berlin. Harper worked
for Thomas Cook and Son as a
guide and linEuist He was sta
toned at Brussels al the time the
city fell 10 the Germans in Octo-
Der. 1914. Because he was an
American citizen Harper was not
molested. Together with others,
he worked TO help free the famed
English nurse. Edith Cavell
Leaving Belgium in June. 1918.
he went TO Holland, a neutral coun-
try. To get 10 England, he shipped
on a Holland-American line vessel
and then booked passage on the
Arabic for London. On the way
over the Arabic was torpedoed off
the West Coast OF Ireland. The
survivors were picked up by a
tug and taken TO England
When his son was killed In an
air raid. Harper went into the
merchant service in England.
DURING the course OF the war
I was torpedoed four more times
Harper said. First in the Bay
OF Biscay, then in the Bristol
Channel. a third time in the Medi-
terannean and next en- route from
Norway 10 Newcastle. was one
OF three survivors OF my last tor