Military Attache in China, was the guest of honour at yesterday's weekly tiffin meeting of ihe Raya: Air Force Association and proved to be one of the most humorous speakers which the club has heard in recent months.
In introducing Col. Burkhardt, Mr. W. E. Holland, chairman of the RAF.A, said that the new Military Attache has been in China longer than himself. Originally gazetted in 1903 as a second lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Col. Burkhardt came to China in 1913 where he took a language course.
When the world war broke out, Mr. Holland added, Col. Burkhardt returned home and judging by his record, he must have seen service at nearly every front. After the armistice, he was connected until 1923 with a Committee of Control stationed in Germany, returning to Tientsin in 1928. Subsequently he was transferred to Peking where he was appointed Military Attache in 1934 only to be transferred to Singapore and Hongkong later.
"In 1938," Mr. Holland continued Col. Burkhardt retired and to use his own words, returned to England to catch butterflies." When the war broke out, Col. (Burkhardt was appointed Military Attache here, and we are therefore once again having the pleasure of his compan; Col Burkhardt replied in a few words, humorously describing conditions prevailing at home now. He Pointed out the important function which Britons in China were performing at their posts and assured members that they would be called upon when their services would be required.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.