Bishop Francis Hollis (1884-1955) was a British clergyman in the Anglican church.
He first came to Sarawak in 1916 to serve as assistant priest at the St. Thomas Cathedral at Kuching until 1923.
Hollis then served among the Bidayuh at St James Church Quop for five years. In 1928, Hollis was appointed as the Principal of St Thomas’ School where he held the position for the next five years.
Then in 1934, he was made Archdeacon of Sarawak before his consecration as Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak in 1938.
During World War II (WWII), he was interned at Batu Lintang Camp by the Japanese. After the war ended, a series of internment stories were published at The Sarawak Gazette monthly. One of the stories was of Hollis’ experience being interrogated by the Japanese.
Bishop Francis Hollis of Sarawak addressing the congregation at a thanksgiving day service held in Batu Lintang Camp. Civilians are seated in the foreground most of whom had been internees under the Japanese (Taken by Photographer Lieutenant A. W. Horner on Sept 12, 1945). Copyright -Public Domain.
Bishop Francis Hollis being called out for questioning during his internment at Batu Lintang Camp published in The Sarawak Gazette:
His Lordship the Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak is called out for questioning.
“You, you’re a priest?” says the Japanese officer by way of beginning the interview.
“Well, no, no, not exactly,” replies His Lordship with his customary diffidence, “you see I’m the bishop,”
“Oh! (pause) Roman Catholic bishop?”
“No, I’m not a Roman Catholic bishop?”
“Roman Catholic priest, then?”
“No, you see I am not a Roman Catholic.”
This is a little too much for the military mind.
“You are bishop, but you are not priest and not Roman Catholic. Then what are you?”
“Well, you see, the fact is, that is to say that the fact is, that I am a bishop of the Church of England.”
“Church of England? Church of England? Roman Catholic Church of England.”
“No, no, just Church of England. The Church of England is not Roman Catholic.”
Light dawns. With a smile of relief at his success in at last unraveling so untangled a mystery the officer heaves in his breath and blows it out again.
“Ah-ah-ah! Now I understood. Henry Eight!”
