Martyr in China

Chapter 7. A Life given to save Others

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Fr. John Botton - A life in mission given to save those he loved

The rest of the story is taken from the diary of Fr. Ermanno Zulian.

April 29, 1944: The Japanese advance. Fr. Botton tries to keep my spirits up. There are a lot of people in the sisters’ courtyard, especially women. Botton went around encouraging everyone, especially sister Hung who was extremely afraid.

Towards midday, a sergeant entered the courtyard and, pointing his pistol at the fathers, accused them of spying. At the same time, Colonel Ly arrives with all his followers. Seeing the sergeant with his pistol drawn, he stood in front of him and said: “This is doctor Zulian and this is Botton, the director of the hospital. They are good friends and I advise you and all the soldiers to treat them well.”

April 30, 1944: I came back from the hospital at dawn after having celebrated Mass with the local Christians: I immediately called Fr. Botton, who was in church where he had just finished Mass, and told him to come outside because they were shooting.

A few low-flying aircraft appeared and fired upon us; from the ground someone replied with anti-aircraft weapons. Every one of us, nuns, women, teachers and Christians, went down into hidden cellar situated under my bedroom.

They are coming! I am going out, if not they will bomb and kill us all... Do not cry for me. I am happy it happened this way... “Lord, come and take me...” I am suffering greatly... I offer my life for China.
Fr. John Botton

The gunfire went on during the entire day and our garden was the target of the artillery and Japanese aircraft. The Chinese soldiers put up a tough resistance. Inside the shelter we were all praying the rosary. A bomb fell nearby, scattering glass, bricks and tiles. The sound of Japanese machine guns was coming ever closer.

Later, at about 5 pm, the sound of boots in the courtyard signaled the arrival of the Japanese!

Botton said: “They are coming! I am going out, if not they will bomb and kill us all”.

He went quickly up the wooden steps with a white handkerchief in his hand. In the doorway there were two Japanese with their bayonets drawn. Botton called out: “Italy! Italy”, then he cried out and rolled back down the stairs. The soldiers had stabbed him with the bayonets. One of the soldiers followed him down shooting. I shouted: “Italy! Catholic Church! There are no soldiers here!”

The soldier shouted angrily and shot again, then withdrew.

Fr. Botton was bleeding badly. He said to the Christians in Chinese: “Do not cry for me. I am happy it happened this way”. Then, with a sigh, he said: “Lord, come and take me…I am suffering greatly…I offer my life for China…”.

I said to him: “Courage. The Lord will help you”.

He replied: “I am seriously injured: I have two stab wounds in the stomach and four bullets in the chest and nothing can be done for me. I am dying”.

Shortly afterwards, we heard the sound of horses in the courtyard. Someone called out in Chinese: “Is there anyone in there?” We shouted back: “Yes! Catholic church”.

The voice translated into Japanese and then shouted: “Outside!”

We went outside and saw a Japanese official and a young Chinese interpreter; behind them there were dirty soldiers, covered in dust and armed to the teeth. They asked me my nationality. I told them that another Italian was dying inside the refuge. The official and the interpreter went down with us. The official apologized saying: “These are errors of war”.

They once again took me outside. A superior officer arrived, and the one already there spoke to him and he made a sign for me to follow him downstairs. Botton was racked with pain. He whispered a prayer and called on his mother.

I suggested a short prayer and he said: “I offer my life to the Lord for the salvation of China”.

I went outside with the commanding officer who closed me in a room. I later found out that Fr. Botton had died around midnight. I told the Christians that he had given his life to save theirs. They nodded in agreement and some of them cried."

Like the good shepherd, our beloved Fr. Botton gave his life for his sheep.  Fr. Botton was buried in the garden of the mission.  In Carmignano cemetery, in the chapel of the deceased priests, a memorial stone was erected in his memory:

Fr. JOHN BOTTON
Xaverian Missionary in China
1934-1944:
he gave his life to save the lives of his Christians.

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