Page 111 - GFA – A Different Drumbeat

GFA – A Different Drumbeat 111

GUSTAV TORNVALL AND HENRY EKVALL

Gustav Tornvall of the Scandinavian Alliance Mission, in charge of their Mission station at
Pingliang, was well known to GFA. They had a lot in common. Both were born in China of
missionary parents. Both grew up absorbing the language and the culture of their birth
country. They were both widely known and deeply respected. Tornvall had been acting as
Business Manager for the road building projects of the Famine Relief Commission.

It was with a great deal of foreboding that GFA received the following telegram on 4th
August. Edwards, who signed the
telegram, was one of the
American committee members of
the Famine Relief Commission,
working from Peking, who would
have had oversight of Tornvall.
The fact that the telegram was
sent to Chefoo would indicate that
GFA had returned there, probably

in early June after the rescue of Captain Baker.

GFA moved up to Peking and then to Sian where
he made exhaustive enquiries through his trusty
helpers.

With Gustav Tornvall was Henry Ekvall of the Ford
Motor Company in Hankow, who was returning
from Lanchow after a profitable sales visit and had
stayed with Tornvall at Pingliang before travelling
on with him by car to Sian. They were
accompanied by a Chinese Ford agent and a
Japanese business man. They left on July 22nd
and were seen the next day, but after that -
nothing.