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Bergen - RAF©UF - VSN - Roald Atle Furre-Christine Urquhart Furre | all galleries >> Galleries >> Johan Wilhelm Normann Munthe - Bergen - Beijing - Peking - China - Kina > By Leonebel Jacobs - General Johan Wilhelm Normann Munthe. Also a Freemason.
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By Leonebel Jacobs - General Johan Wilhelm Normann Munthe. Also a Freemason.


Ridder av 1. klasse av St. Olavs Orden 16.okt 1907, kommandør 22. august 1910 og til kommandør med stjerne 30. juni 1915
1. Johan Wilhelm Normann Munthe , f. 27. jul 1864, Bergen, Hordaland- d. 13. mai 1935, Beijing, Kina (Alder 70 år)
2. Ingvald Christian Munthe , f. 18. november 1865, Bergen, Hordaland - d. 31. juli 1907 (Alder 41 år)

http://www.sveaas.net/getperson.php?personID=I137922&tree=tree1

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Alf Birger Adriansen Munthe

Født 10 Nov 1894 Bergen, Hordaland

Person ID I137923 Sveaas Genealogy
MUNTHE, John Wilhelm Nermann,
Lieut.-General Chinese Army. Address:
Hsiao Tien Shui Ching Hutung. Born 1864
at Bergen. Nationality Norwegian. Tel.
No. 241 E. Came to China 1887, joined the
Customs Service, Volunteered for Chinese-
Japanese War, 1894-95. Organised the
cavalry of the New Imperial Army at
Hsiao Chan under-the^then Director
General, Yuan Shih-k'ai, 1895-1900. At-
tached *o the Russian General Staff dur-
ing the Boxer trouble, 1900. Took part
in all the engagements in and around
Tientsin. Relief of Seymour's column,
March to Peking, and taking of Peking on
the night of August 14th 1900. Decorated
by the Russian Government with the
Cross of St. George for having displayed
conspicuous gallantry during the x whote
disturbance in China. His Excellency
Yuan Shih-kai appointed him Colonel
and aide de camp 1902-1909. Promoted
to Major General 1909. Upon his retire-
ment in 1909 rejoined the Customs Ser-
vice as Acting Deputy Commissioner in
Charge Native Customs Tientsin, 1909-
1911. Promoted Lieut-General 1911.
Upon His Excellency Yuan emerging
from retirement in 1911 was attached to
him and remained so till his death in
1916. Organised the Chinese Legation
Guard in 1914 and still in command of
same. Decorations: Grand Cross St.
Olav, Norway; Knight Commander
Danebrog, Denmark; Knight Commander
"The Crown" Russia, Commander of ihe
Legion of Honour, France, Commander
•The Crown" Italy; Officer d' Institution
Publique, Prance ; Knight of the Military
Order of St. George, 4th Class, Russia;
War Medal 1900-01, Russia; Inauguration
Medal of President Yuan Shih-k'ai, In-
auguration Medal of President Hsu Shib-
chang.

Mor Alida Helene Adriansen, f. 06 Nov 1868, Lenvik, Troms - d. 17 Jan 1937, Bergen, Hordaland- (Alder 68 år)

3. Ragna Albertine Munthe , f. 29. oktober 1867, d. 17 Jun 1942, Bergen, Hordaland (Alder 74 år)
4. Dagny Christopha Munthe , f. 12. mai 1869, d. 20. okt 1893, Bergen, Hordaland (Alder 24 år)

http://www.askart.com/artist/Leonebel_Jacobs/5027359/Leonebel_Jacobs.aspx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sftrajan/7256907780/
CHAPTER XXX

http://archive.org/stream/chinaallies02landuoft/chinaallies02landuoft_djvu.txt
Munthe, Mr., ii. 174, 177, 338, 352,

174 CHINA AND THE ALLIES

which was to follow the next morning. The night was very
dark, and at eleven o'clock it rained so heavily that the Rus-
sians were able to extend their reconnoitring much further,
than originally intended. They actually reached the Tung-
Pien Men (gate) of Peking without being discovered. Find-
ing the enemy unprepared, General Vassielevsky decided
not to lose his chance of making a bold stroke.

Along the wall there is a moat with water, which can be
crossed by a small bridge. Vassielevsky ordered his men
to creep silently over the bridge and make an attempt to
force the gate. The Chinese soldiers on the bridge guard-
house awakened, sprang out and gave the alarm. There
were some thirty of them, and all came to an untimely end.
Those who were not shot were bayonetted. The Chinese
on the wall immediately opened a heavy fusillade on the
Russians, but the night being pitch dark at the time they
did comparatively little damage. Two guns were brought
up close to the gates, and firing at once commenced to
break them open. This particular gate was strengthened
with heavy iron sheeting. After some twenty shots had
been fired an aperture had been cut large enough for a man
to squeeze through. The Chinese, who suspected this,
continually fired in the direction of the gate. Two fear-
less men, General Vassielevsky and Mr. Munthe (a Nor-
wegian acting as guide on the staff of the Russian Gen-
eral), rushed in — the first two men of the Allies to enter the
Chinese city of Pekin — and ordered the soldiers to follow.
Once inside they were under a terrific fire in the small
walled court which is found between the outer gate and
the inner. The Russian infantry quietly crept in through
the small aperture, and answered as best they could the
rifie fire poured upon them from the wall. The fusillade

UNDER MURDEROUS FIRE

175

at close range on both sides was terrific. It was a regular
pandemonium. The savage yells of the Chinese from
above, the flashes of musketry playing along the edge of
the wall, the deafening din of their gingals and of the Rus-
sian rifles, drowned the moaning of those unfortunates who
fell, wounded and dying, in scores. It was a scene of the
wildest excitement.SPLENDID EXAMPLE OF VALOUR 177

but as it was still dark and raining heavily, the damage done
was not so great as might otherwise have been the case.
General Vassielevsky decided to hold the position until re-
inforcements arrived.

At daybreak, when objects became distinctly visible, the
firing of the Chinese became perceptibly better and more
confident. They still occupied the higher wall, on which
they were well under cover, and were therefore able to in-
flict great damage on the Russians.

To the south of the gate occupied by the Russians, the
top of the wall was studded with mat-sheds, which had been
used as tents by the Chinese soldiers. Three Chinese flags
were still seen flying on the wall. As it was of the utmost
importance to ascertain whether the position was still oc-
cupied by the enemy, a few volunteers, led by the brave Mr.
Munthe and a sergeant, rushed the position under very
heavy firing, only to find one soldier, who was, there and
then, duly despatched. The flags were captured and the
party returned to the gate.

The firing from the Tartar wall was now becoming more
and more violent, and the Russian position was further-
more shelled with remarkable accuracy from the city. All
the Russians could do was to keep quiet, since it was impos-
sible for them to return the fire from the exposed position
they held. General Vassielevsky was all the time in the
most exposed place on the wall, a splendid example of
valour to his men, as well as a first-class target to the Chi-
nese riflemen. In fact, a Mannlicher bullet struck him in
the right of the chest and he fell, apparently mortally
wounded. He behaved with much fortitude, and ordered
his men to continue the defence, while Munthe, and, later,
Yanchevetsky, offered him what assistance they could. It
Vol. II.— 12



lyB CHINA AND THE ALLIES

was impossible to carry the General clown from the perilous
place in which he lay, and in two attempts that were made
two Cossacks who carried the stretcher were mortally
wounded one after the other. It was not till ten o'clock
in the morning that Russian reinforcements could be seen
approaching, but instead of advancing immediately, and
unaware of the position occupied by their advance guard,
they stopped to bombard the high tower on the south-east
corner of the Tartar wall. From this tower, still occupied
by the Chinese, a stout resistance and continuous fusillade
were kept up. Along the same wall (the Chinese city wall),
occupied by the Russians, and to the south of them, a large
force of Mahommedan soldiers was seen approaching, wav-
ing their flags and standards, and easily distinguishable
from the other Chinese troops by their white clothes and
pointed blue caps. They advanced courageously towards
the Russians in such masses that the latter found them-
selves in a very precarious position, but succeeded in hold-
ing their own, and by firing volley after volley into them
kept at bay the swarm of fanatics. At eleven o'clock re-
inforcements began to arrive, and soon after, an American
flag was seen waving from the wall itself, in the position
where Munthe and his brave companions had at sunrise
captured the three Chinese flags. Later still a number of
plucky American soldiers managed to scale the wall and
reach the Russian position. They were about twenty in
number, under Captain Crozier, and their deed was a won-
derful bit of work, doing much credit to the American boys.
More reinforcements arrived. In fact, the whole Amer-
ican main force advanced through the gates burst open by
Russian artiller>'. The Americans had been informed that
the gate had been captured by the RussiansThree ways to Pekin — Order of the attack on Pekin — A well-
deserved but never-obtained rest — Terrific firing in the direction
of Pekin — A Russian reconnoitring expedition — General Vassie-
levsky — A bold stroke — At the bridge guard-house — An aperture
cut into the gate — Two fearless men — Mr. Munthe, a Norwegian
scout, — A scene of wild excitement — Pushing the artillery
through — Retiring Chinese — A murderous fire — Eighteen horses
down — A gallant rescue of guns — Appalling loss of life — Russian
concentration on the wall — Three Chinese flags captured by
Munthe and a few volunteers — An exposed position — A splendid
example of valour — Vassielevsky mortally wounded — Mahom-
medan soldiers approaching — Reinforcements arrive — An Ameri-
can flag hoisted on the wall — ^^Plucky American soldiers — A halt
necessary — An unopposed march 172

35^ CHINA AND THE ALLIES

sessed by a desire to get away as soon as possible so as not
to see more beautiful things. One's brain after a while
got so crammed full of dragons, pagodas, bronzes, long-
legged images of the phoenix, tablets, lotus-flowers, bridges,
lakes, Buddhas, and capricious ornamentations, that really it
was impossible to grasp any more. One can have a great
deal too much of beautiful sights. Besides, Munthe re-
minded me that night was coming on, that he had to ride
fourteen miles to get back to his quarters, and I two miles
further than he, or sixteen. The roads were not safe at
night.


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