Escape from Hong Kong - The Final Hours

Stoker A/B Albert Leonard Downey DSM D/J109308

8th December 1907 - 4th November 1979

 

Stoker A/B Al Downey

Photo from the Downey family collection ©

When the escape party started swimming out to the MTBs it was necesary to send a skiff round the Islet of Ap Lei Pai to pick up Admiral Chan Chak who not only had one leg but was also shot in the arm. Len took the oars with Henry Hsu and Yeung Chuen round the Islet into the line of enemy fire to pick up the wounded Admiral. Not finding him where Henry had left him they returned to get more men. Cdr Yorath and Bill Robinson then joined them and they made the trip again this time locating the Admiral by whistling. He had somehow climbed up the slope after hearing the sniper taking pot shots at MacDougall and Ross erlier. Yorath recorded "The Admiral was practically at the top of the hill, although it was a difficult climb. I think he must have gone up there to die - Chinese like having their graves on hillsides. We lugged him down and got him in the boat. He must have suffered agonies. As we rowed back, he sat facing me in the stern and crossed himself which rather surprised me."[43]

After 3000 miles travelling overland through China and Burma he arrived in a deserted Rangoon. There he joined Lt Kennedy along with Bill Dyer on the Burmese Minesweeper Somagyi. After six and a half weeks they left Akyab (Sittwe) onboard the five thousand ton British India Steam Navigation Company " SS Ellenga" bound for Calcutta along Lt Kennedy and forteen other flotilla ratings, and over two thousand refugees crammed on deck.⁹ From Calcutta it was a thirty six hour train journey across the Indian sub-Continent to Bombay where they boarded the Cunarder " RMS Laconia" bound for the UK via Cape Town.

Lt Kennedy onboard the 'Larconia' 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 leaving Freetown they had to sleep fully dressed 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]

Al Downey joined the Royal Navy on his eighteenth birthday in 1925 after earning a living as an Errand Boy in Devonport. In March 1938 he was stationed at HMS Vernon with MTB's for six months prior to joining HMS Tamar [MTB 11] in September 1938. After escaping on Christmas Day 1941 with Admiral Chan Chak and the Chinese Liason Party he arrived back in the UK on the 1st June 1942. Downey was awarded the D.S.M in June 1945 while serving on ML 196 in the D Day landings at Gold Beach, Normandy. He retired from the R.N. as a Petty Officer after 22 years service in 1948 and joined HM Customs and was a skipper of the custom launches for twenty years before retiring to Totnes in Devon where he died aged 71.

 

 

 

 

 

C.P.O. Gilbert Thums, P.O. Charlie Moore, A/B Downey, & Cox P.O. Prest in Kukong.

 

 

 

MTB 11 on patrol with the flotilla.

 

Photo from Downey family collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stoker A/B Al Downey, Cox P.O. Jixer Prest, & ?? arrive in Shaoguan (Kukong) 6th January 1942.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 11 being worked up at HMS Vernon after completion in July 1938 & laying depth charges on exercise in 1940.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telegram confirming Al Downey's escape from Hong Kong

Photo from the Downey family collection ©