16th January

We eventually left by train for Luchow the capital of Anhui province at 03.00 on the Canton-Hankow railway. Buddy Hide recorded "We caught a train at 3.0 in the morning; had five days train journey subjected to bombing." The scenery was spectacular as we ran along the banks of the Fei River through the mountains. Sub-Lt Legge recorded "They then got us a private train in which we continued our journey, through Henyang in Hunan, Kweilin and Luchow to Chin Shien Chiang. This took us another five days one or two being wasted being shunted about on sidings with no apparent reason and with the most appalling bumping and crashing. The journey was at any rate very interesting and the country pretty." We eventually stopped at Ping Shek, a village on the Kwangtung border. Here we saw what can only be described as a "Rock Forest" which was just amazing natural beauty. Then it was across the plains of Hunan Province covered in rice fields. At Hengyang our carriages were split from the rest, and the Hunan-Kwangsi Railway Administration Authority laid on a special supper for us in the waiting room decorated with allied flags painted on cardboard. Then it was onto Kweilin [Guilin] and by morning we were in Kwangsi Province still rolling across the plains. As we approached the city of Kweilin [Guilin] we wound our way through more rock forests. Another air-raid warning was in progress. We were here long enough to visit the Seven Star cave with its spectacular stalactites which was also used as an air raid shelter. Les Barker recorded "Stopped at 11pm at Kwii-Lin east and party went to visit some caves. One in particular was a huge cave called ‘The seven Star Cave’ which was only discovered 5 years ago and said to house 300,000 and was being used as an air raid shelter. Carried on again at 8, travelled through the night."

 

21^st January

Up at 05.00 and on the road at 06.00 hrs. On arrival at Ichang [Railhead] Lt Ashby was treated for Typhoid with a temperature of 104⁰ F. Here we hired four trucks at a cost of CN$80,000 borrowed from the Adjutant-General, IV^th Chinese Army while in Liuchow. We embarked upon the trucks and had a two day journey to Kweiyang [Guiyang]. Fine rain makes the dusty road treacherous, sometimes with drops of thousands of feet with no barriers even on the many S bends. There was much traffic and lines of Shetland like ponies with bells. Spent the night in a 5th rate hotel.

22^nd January

Lt Ashby HKRNVR suffering with Typhoid was left at Tukshan.

23^rd January

As fuel was very expensive the Chinese drivers had a habit of switching off the engines on down-hill runs. This resulted in one of the Lorries with Lt Collingwood's crew onboard overturning in the rain 90k from Kweiyang, three men suffered broken bones. Luckily the truck landed upside down with the tail resting on an upright fuel drum it had been carrying. Sub-Lt Legge suffered a cut to the top of his head which required seven stitches in the medical centre five hours later after getting in the next lorry when it arrived, he recorded "My truck, which was second in the convoy had about fifteen men inside with me in the back between two fifty gallon gasoline drums looking out backwards. My Captain was in front with the driver. Going round a steep corner, we started to skid. On the off side was a drop of several hundred feet. Luckily we hit a large stone at the outside of the road, turned around across the road and turned over. I didn’t realize what was happening until I found myself sitting in the mud in the road with the truck on top of me. The truck had only iron hoops and a canvas cover and we would all have been squashed had it not been for the fact that one of the gasoline drums fell on end with the end of the truck sitting on top of it." They eventually arrive at the Chinese International Red Cross headquarters in Kweiyang now Guiyang, four thousand feet up in the mountains, which is the medical centre for the Chinese Army. Dr Lim met them on arrival, he was educated at the "George Watson College" in Edingburgh and an Edinburgh trained physiologist married a Scots woman. He had served on the Western Front with British forces in the Great War of 1914-18. He set up the Chinese Red Cross after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1937. He was also a former golfing partner of Admiral Chan Chak. Lt Ron Ashby arrived later by ambulance. There they attended to the party's injuries to the best of their abilities and Lt-Cdr Gandy procured funds which enabled the party to do some essential shopping.

 

There was also a visiting American Army surgeon with the American Military Mission to China (AMMISCA), Dr. John Grindlay, a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve who recorded in his diary "About 2 p.m. great excitement -- the 40 refugee sailors & Officers who escaped Xmas day from Hong Kong arrived -- 32 in the first bunch. Rain & mud on road & one truck had skidded off & turned on side -- resulting in several injuries -- lacerations. Nearly all bearded. The overturned truck came on a little later than first 2 & it was evening before Gandy & several officers & a sick man [Ashby] with] suspected typhoid came on. Altogether 16 officers, rest "ratings" Brewer, Legge, Collingwood, Kennedy, Gee, & Parsons were younger officers. First men all slipped & skidded through mud to new barracks. These cleaned up & fires in gas drum stoves going. I am sure the arrangements pleased the men, also sure they didn't know at what effort that had been arranged, & the cost of things procurred -- as the entire Chungking gin supply of Bobby's they drank -- Dr T F Chang -- "They drank 16 catties (1 1/3 pints) of mine." Grindlay summed up Gandy as a "very thoughtless and demanding type." He had a long talk with Parsons who stated "Battle of Hong Kong a huge Brit disaster."^[37]

We were given the freedom of the City after a speech by General Wu at the City hall and each of us was given a card showing the primitive life of the Chinese tribes sealed with the Governor's private seal and signature. At 4 p.m. we had a cinema show put on by the Red Cross followed by a few sketches by the naval party which brought hoots of laughter. Red Cross Ambulances were supplied to take the party through to Kunming, the Chinese end of the Burma Road.

24^th January

Entertained by the Governor and his staff

25^th January

Visit to local park at Huachi followed by soccer match in the afternoon, losing 6-1 against the Red Cross training school. Dinner in the evening hosted by the Governor.

26^th January

Left for Kunming at noon reaching Anhsun late afternoon leaving Kelly & Deakin in hospital recovering from the lorry crash.

27-28^th January

Enroute to Kunming

29^th January

We arrived at Kunming in the Wuliang Mountains and contacted the British Council who arranged quarters 5Km up Burma Road Buddy Hide recorded "We arrived at Kunming, where we were put up by the Chinese travel hostel." Here we met the 1st contingent of Australian/British Marines of the 204 military Mission who had just arrived having travelled up the 'Burma Road', they were on their way Kiyang to join the 5th Battalion commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Chen Ling Sun. Under the top secret code name of "Tulip Force" they were to train the Chinese in commando/guerrilla tactics against the Japanese.^[5][46] We swapped our Chinese supplied padded jackets we had worn all through the mountains with them. Here we also saw our first friendly fighter aircraft flown by the American Volunteer Group, the AVG who were protecting the Burma Road. An enjoyable 28^th birthday celebrated for Buddy Hide. Jardines had a regional office in Kunming, and the agent immediately took on four of the former Jardine Matheson & Company staff in the escape party. The British Embassy in Chungking also required officers to work on ciphers. Lt Pittendrigh, Sub/Lt's Gee & Legge were chosen and made their way by air to Chungking.

Ahead lay the 684 miles [1100 kilometre] long Burma Road connecting Kunming high on the Tibet plateau with Lashio in Burma where the railhead is located.

30^th January

The Australian/British Marines of the 204 military Mission moved out heading for Kiyang.

31^st January

2nd contingent of 204 Military Mission arrived.