Thank you “IDJ” for sharing such a thoroughly amusing General Cohen related find; penned, of course, in her Hello & Goodbye column by the colourful Hong Kong Daily Press features writer, Ms A.W. Hyer. (It was our mutual correspondent and aviation specialist, Ms Patti Gully, who first told me about Ms Hyer; who, when reporting on ship departures and arrivals, apparently glided effortlessly around the Kowloon Docks on roller skates – an interesting lady.) At the time of your discovered clipping, Israel Epstein was editor of the Hong Kong Daily Press, which acted as a mouthpiece for the Kuomintang in Hong Kong, for which General Cohen was in some part working. Mr Epstein recalls: “Soong Ching-ling (Madame Sun Yat-sen), knowing that I needed paid employment, asked Morris ‘Two-Gun’ Cohen, her husband’s former Canadian, though London-born, bodyguard who knew Hong Kong well and actually held the rank of Major General in the Chinese Army, if he could think of a preferably journalistic publication. He did: The Hong Kong Daily Press. Part-sold to the Guomindang it was being geared to promote China’s cause against Japan. It needed a new editor, and with their recommendation I applied. On the staff was a tall, bony American woman signing herself A.W. Hyer (I never knew her first name) who ran the shipping news and personal arrivals and departures column, and did not hesitate on occasion, to jovially address me with no hint of respect. I took it in stride since she did her job and was not an intriguer.” But returning to your found clipping, which describes in the most amusing manner General Cohen’s acknowledged sartorial splendour, the General was well-known to be of the opinion that “the Press is your best friend when you need it, and your worst enemy when you don’t.” The Hong Kong Daily Press was of course friendly to his cause, and this eye-catching mention by Ms A.W. Hyer was most probably published with the intention of deliberately telegraphing his movements to the enemy. To see what happens next visit: 1939 - Maj.Gen. Morris A. "Two Gun" Cohen photographed leaving the Bank of China building in Singapore on 19 may 1939 | Gwulo
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Ms A.W. Hyer & the Hong Kong Daily Press
Thank you “IDJ” for sharing such a thoroughly amusing General Cohen related find; penned, of course, in her Hello & Goodbye column by the colourful Hong Kong Daily Press features writer, Ms A.W. Hyer. (It was our mutual correspondent and aviation specialist, Ms Patti Gully, who first told me about Ms Hyer; who, when reporting on ship departures and arrivals, apparently glided effortlessly around the Kowloon Docks on roller skates – an interesting lady.) At the time of your discovered clipping, Israel Epstein was editor of the Hong Kong Daily Press, which acted as a mouthpiece for the Kuomintang in Hong Kong, for which General Cohen was in some part working. Mr Epstein recalls: “Soong Ching-ling (Madame Sun Yat-sen), knowing that I needed paid employment, asked Morris ‘Two-Gun’ Cohen, her husband’s former Canadian, though London-born, bodyguard who knew Hong Kong well and actually held the rank of Major General in the Chinese Army, if he could think of a preferably journalistic publication. He did: The Hong Kong Daily Press. Part-sold to the Guomindang it was being geared to promote China’s cause against Japan. It needed a new editor, and with their recommendation I applied. On the staff was a tall, bony American woman signing herself A.W. Hyer (I never knew her first name) who ran the shipping news and personal arrivals and departures column, and did not hesitate on occasion, to jovially address me with no hint of respect. I took it in stride since she did her job and was not an intriguer.” But returning to your found clipping, which describes in the most amusing manner General Cohen’s acknowledged sartorial splendour, the General was well-known to be of the opinion that “the Press is your best friend when you need it, and your worst enemy when you don’t.” The Hong Kong Daily Press was of course friendly to his cause, and this eye-catching mention by Ms A.W. Hyer was most probably published with the intention of deliberately telegraphing his movements to the enemy. To see what happens next visit: 1939 - Maj.Gen. Morris A. "Two Gun" Cohen photographed leaving the Bank of China building in Singapore on 19 may 1939 | Gwulo