Escape from Hong Kong - The Final Hours

Lt Ron Ashby H.K.R.N.V.R. on patrol in MTB 07 in Hong Kong 1941

Lt Ashby tranferred from C/O of MTB 26 to C/O of MTB 07 on the 26th April 1940.

Ashby was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, DSC for his action while attacking the Japanese invading forces in Kowloon Harbour on the 19th December 1941.

Later as Commander he added a bar to the DSC for operations on the Arakan Coast.

The Flotilla C/O Gandy reported: "I strongly recommend him for promotion to Lieutenant Commander, Imperial R.N.V.R. for his general efficiency and reliability in this MTB Flotilla. (As a Lieutenant only, his powers are not being used to fullest capacity, and he should continue in more modern MTB's".)

Ashby kept the ships "Fair Log" covering the events in Hong Kong and subsequent escape which his son kindly relayed to me as well as photos.

After 3000 miles travelling overland through China and Burma he arrived in a deserted Rangoon. After five weeks he left onboard the Armed Merchant Cruiser Heinrich Jessen bound for Calcutta along with Lt-Cmdr Gandy, Lt Collingwood, & Jix Prest, Buddy Hide, Charlie Evans, Al Rutter, John pawley, Jack Holt, Les Barker, Ron Priestley, and others. From Calcutta it was a thirty six hour train journey across the Indian sub-continent to Bombay where they boarded the armed merchant cruiser "Narkunda" bound for Durban where they took onboard 657 Italian POW's before shaping course for Cape Town.

Lt Kennedy onboard the 'Larconia' in Cape Town wrote, "The "Laconia" was followed into harbour by another troopship, the "Narkunda", and to our surprise Gandy and the other half of the M.T.B. party were on board. The "Laconia" party received a warm welcome, perhaps not so much as old ship-mates but as extra hands to share duties of guarding the six hundred Italian prisoners-of war being taken to England in the ship". On board the "Narkunda" the MTB party was almost complete." ^[9] We set sail again on the 19th April, but had to return due to engine trouble. This time we anchored in Table Bay with no ships boats for a run ashore. We finally got under way on the 28th with a ten-day passage to Freetown.

After two days in Freetown re-victualing the Narcunda shaped course for the UK. A concert called "The Killjoys" had been arranged and organised by Lt-Cdr Gandy, Lt Ashby, PO Stonell, & L/S (Pony) Moore and performed by the combined ships companies onboard of HMTBs, HRT "Narcunda", HMS "Ranchi", "Cilicia," & "Birmingham" on Thursday 15th May 1942. The performers from the MTBs were (Pony) Moore, Al Rutter, & Eddie Charleson. As they headed north frequent life boat drill exercises were carried out and the order to sleep fully dressed was given as they negotiated the U-boat packs in the north Atlantic continuously zigzagging enroute for the UK. Gandy, Ashby, & Kennedy along with 27 ratings finally arrived in the King George V dock, Sheildhall, Glasgow late afternoon on Friday 22^nd May 1942 onboard the "Narkunda."^[15]

Ron Ashby and fellow officers referred to the highly tuned thoroughbred boats of the Hong Kong Coastal Forces as the "Hong Kong Costly Farce"

 

 

Back Row: Lt Kennedy RNVR, Lt-Cmdr Henry Hsu CN, Lt-Cmdr Gandy RN (Rtrd), Lt-Cmdr Yorath RN (Rtrd), Supt Robinson Indian Police, Lt Parsons HKRNVR, Lt Ashby HKRNVR, Lt Collingwood RN,

Front Row: Sub-Lt Gee HKRNVR, Sub-Lt Brewer HKRNVR, Sub-Lt Legge HKRNVR, and nurses at Waichow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1943 while he was the Commanding Officer of the 33rd MTB Flotilla he was responsible for sinking two German U-boats 180 nautical miles west-north-west of Cape Finisterre, Spain on the 4th May 1943 when the U-Boats fired on the flotilla thinking they were a convoy. The flotilla caused such high speed mahem round the U-boats causing them to collide. It was only when some of the twelve survivors that he picked up did not all know each other that he realised that two U-Boats were sunk, U-439 and U-659.

 

Lt Ron Ashby four days into the escape at Waichow 29th December 1941

Quote  from the diary of SOE agent Colin McEwan : Wednesday 24th December 1941:
“One last feat of gallantry worth recording is that of that gallant sailor Lieut. Ashby who, when a shell burst, instead of going flat, bowed gracefully showing a shiny polished blue serge ‘bottom’ as his means of all round defence. Again, though, one had the feeling that it was good to be with such people.”
Published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch Vol 45 2005

Click here to read Ron Ashby's obituary

 

The crew of MTB 07 in Kowloon 1940

• Lt: R.R.W. Ashby DSC
• Sub-Lt: ???
• P.O. Coxswain: John.W. Prest P/JX.128494 [MiD]
• Telegraphist: T.G. Duckworth [killed 19th Dec 41 MiD]
• A/S.P.O.: S.J. Hide P/KX.82873 [MiD] Joined MTB 07 on 1st January 1940
• Leading Stoker: R. Barker [Killed 19th Dec 41]
• A/B: Albert E Rutter
• A/B: Pawley
• A/B Stoker: G. [Bones]Arnold [C/JX.154986]

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo taken in Summer 1941

 

 

Lt R A M Hennessy RN and crew of MTB 07

26/09/1914 - 01/07/1996

Hennessy was C.O. of 07 September 1938 -April 1940
A/B Kenneth Holmes is front row right
Lt Hennessy went on as Senior Officer of the 7th MTB Flotilla [MTB 59] from mid 1942 to May 1943.
From there he went as S.O. of the 8th MTB Flotilla 

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection ©

 

 

 

For more information on Ron Ashby click here.

 

 

 

 

Lt Ron Ashby with S-Lt McGill on the bridge

Note the depth charge racks each side

 

Photo from Ron Ashby's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 07 alongside in Mirs Bay

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

A 1/24 scale model of MTB 07 takes to the water in 2009 in memory of Ron Ashby & the crew. MTB 07 on patrol in Hong Kong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo from Ron Ashby's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 07 on high speed patrol in Hong Kong waters 1940

Photo from Lt Collingwood's collection

MTB 07 on high speed patrol

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection

MTB 07 Fair Log entry for 2nd July 1941:

10.36; Dropped depth charges; 9 seconds.

10.40 -11.10; Fishing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 07 on patrol with the 2nd MTB Flotilla in Tathong Channel Hong Kong

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entry from MTB 07's log:

Tues, 21st October 1941.
1804.
Stopped, cut engines to pick up 4 Chinese from smashed and overturned junk. Chinese said they were bound from N of Taishan Bay to Hong Kong with a cargo of sweet potatoes when they were stopped by a Jap trawler, their cargo stolen and themselves beaten before Japs wrecked junk and left them.

1818 Proceeded into Deep Bay.

1828 Stopped to put 4 Chinese on a junk.

 

Photo from Ron Ashby's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hiding in Telegraph Bay

 

 

MTB 07 alongside the stone pier with 09 covered in straw and branches hiding from enemy aircraft in Telegraph Bay on the day of the escape, Christmas day 1941. 07 still has a full complement of depth charges on deck.

 

Photo from Ron Ashby's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTBs 07 & 09 hiding at the dairy farm pier in Telegraph Bay on Christmas Day just hours before the escape that evening.

 

 

 

Lt Collingwood RN, Sub-Lt Brewer HKRNVR, Warrant Officer Wright HKRNVR, & Lt Ashby HKRNVR Lt-Cmdr John Yorath RN (Rtrd) with ratings. A/B Jack Holt is 3rd from left with PO Ed Brazel HKRNVR front row right.

 

Photo from Ron Ashby's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the road to Mandalay

 

Lt Ron Ashby got a surprise when they reached the Burmese border at Wanting and found that the trucks that had been commandeered were from Dodwell and Co, for whom he used to work in Hong Kong before it fell. At last they were entering British territory and this was "celebrated in suitable manner." The trucks then took them to Lashio, where they waited five days for a train to Rangoon.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo from Ron Ashby's collection ©

Ron Ashby's tally of medals including his Distinguished Service Cross gained in Hong Kong and Bar.

 

 

 

 

 

The medals are, from left to right

The D.S.C. and bar
The 1939-1945 Star.
The Atlantic Star
The Africa Star, with clasp North Africa 1942 to 43.
The Pacific Star with Burma clasp
The Italy Star
The Defence Medal, for service in Southampton and Felixstowe in 1942 with the 33rd MTB flotilla.
The 1939-1945 Medal, sometimes known as the Victory Medal, with oak leaf clasp for Mention in Despatches in Arakan, 1945.
The Volunteer Reserve Decoration (VRD) for more than 20 years' service in the RNVR.

The DSC is awarded to all ranks of the armed services in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy at sea

Ron Ashby on the bridge of the ex Scott-Paine designed Admiralty MGB 56 named Morning Flight on the Norfolk Broads in 1955 on which he lived for forty one years.

Note he wears his watch on the inside of his wrist, a legacy from his war years engaged in high speed manoeuvering on MTB's

 

 

 

 

 

Morning Flight

Named after a house-boat he used when shooting in the New Territories before the Japanese invaded Hong Kong.

Run the cursor over to see Ronnie Ashby waving his hat on the original Morning Flight

 

 

MTB 07 was scuttled along with the remaining boats of the 2nd MTB Flotilla deep behind enemy lines at Nan'ao in Mirs Bay on 26th December 1941