Christmas Day dawned bright and clear, none had any idea of the events that lay ahead. Those events would be etched in their minds for the rest of their lives.

They survived murderous machine gun fire in broad daylight, followed by more bursts as they swam away to the nearest island. Those that survived thought they were safe once they got ashore only to be targeted again followed by incendiary shells. After an eighty mile forced march with fifty pound packs over mountainous terrain, and fording rivers through bandit infested country and the Japanese lines, all the time being guided by local guerrillas they reached the relative safety of Free China. Some had bullet wounds, others injuries picked up on the march. Some had footwear that fitted, some not, some had none at all. What lay ahead was 3000 miles of hostile mountainous terrain by river, truck, and train, being targeted by Japanese bombers. They encountered the harsh Chinese winter, sometimes sleeping rough, in floating brothels, and places with bubonic plague. Finally they reached their goal Rangoon,they had triumphed over adversity only to be confronted with the Japanese invading forces and escape all over again.
Of the sixty eight men who landed at NanAo on the Dapeng Peninsula in Mirs Bay sixty four survived the war to witness peace again, some were back to witness the Japanese surrender in Hong Kong. Some went on to hold high office as Law makers, Governors, Mayors, and Olympic Committee Members. One went on to be hailed as arguably the most famous Coastal Forces Commanding Officer of WWII. This truly was “The Great Escape”

This is a true story, there is no fiction

It is their story compiled from official reports, MTB 07's ships log, private diaries, personal letters, along with oral & video accounts from those involved.

The 2nd MTB Flotilla was formed in 1938 under the command of Lt-Cmdr D G (Nobby) Clark RN until November 1940 when Lt-Cmdr Boldero RN Rtrd took over until he lost an arm in an accident in May 1941. Lt-Com Gerard Gandy RN (Rtrd) who was the Naval Provost Marshall Hong Kong⁴⁷ then took over as flotilla CO. It was also decided that most of the RN officers would be replaced with RNVR officers. On the outbreak of war with Japan in Hong Kong the Flotilla was the only effective naval presence. When the Japanese army started to invade Hong Kong Island from Kowloon the Flotilla tore into the fray in daylight led by MTB 07. Losing two boats in the heroic action, it was dubbed "The Balaclava of the Sea". A third was lost on the slip at Aberdeen when hit by a bomb splinter. When it was realised that Hong Kong would have to surrender it was decided that the Senior Service be called upon to get the Chinese liaison party led by Admiral Chan Chak and certain senior military officers who opted to flee out of HongKong. This the 2nd MTB Flotilla accomplished in the most dramatic circumstances on Christmas Day 1941 ending with the flotilla being scuttled at Nanao on the Dapeng Peninsula in Mirs Bay, China in the early hours of 26th December 1941.

Also Cmdr Hugh Montague R. N. Retired escaped with a crew of two officers, and four other ranks after salvaging the Tug C410 and joined up with the MTB's in Mirs Bay the following day.

The flotilla & escape party were honoured with twenty one awards for their exploits in Hong Kong and subsequent escape:
1 K.B.E. 1 C.B.E. 1 M.B.E. 2 O.B.E.s 2 D.S.C.s 14 M.i.Ds.

Their escape plan was put together by David MacDougall of the Ministry of Information and was most successful, largely due to the courage & resourcefulness of the 50 year old one legged Chinese Admiral Chan-Chak²¹, liaison officer between the Sino-British authorities, and Commander of the South China Navy known as the Nelson of the East. The survivors landed on the coast of the Dapeng Peninsula in Guangdong after scuttling the MTB's. One of them was my late father 27 year old Acting Stoker Petty Officer Buddy Hide, R. N. from Lewes, England. Buddy Hide was married in Lewes eleven days after sailing into Glasgow one hundred and forty eight days after escaping from Hong Kong. On the voyage home he sent a two worded telegram Homeward Bound after over two years away. He had served nine of his twenty-two years in the Royal Navy.

"We returned from patrol about dawn on Christmas Day, and were told to find a secluded spot West of Ap Lei Chau. My boat MTB 07 along with 09 went into Telegraph bay between Mt Davies and Aberdeen and lay alongside the Dairy Farm pier close to Pill Box No 4.. We were to hide and await orders for the pre-arranged escape later in the day from Aberdeen just prior to surrender. We covered our boats with straw and branches of trees & canvas as the Japanese bombers were targeting the Flotilla²¹; we were able to procure some cream etc from the farm and had a reasonable Christmas Dinner considering the circumstances. There was an impromtu truce to hostilities was inniciated by the Japanese at 09.00 till noon, when Major C M Manners & Mr A L Shields came accross from the Japanese lines under a white flag. They told of the artilery and troops in reserve and urged His Exelency the Governor Sir Marc Young the C-in-C & Major Malby that it was futile to continue. During the ensuing emergency defence meeting it was decided there could be no talk of surrender. Although the ceasefire was observed by the ground troops, the IJA operating out of Canton seemed unaware and continued bombing. The bombardment of Hong Kong Island resumed in earnest at 12.00 precisely. At 1515 hours Malby advised H.E. The Governor and C.-in-C. that no further useful military resistance was possible and then ordered all Commanding Officers to break off the fighting and to capitulate to the nearest Japanese Commander, as and when the enemy advanced and opportunity offered. This was forty five minutes before the agreed time with Admiral Chan Chak after 17 days of some of the fiercest close quarter combat of WW II. The Fortress HQ War Diary was concealed and brought away.

 We were standing by in Telegraph Bay with MTB 09 most of the day. MTB 10, 11 & 27 were hiding in the lagoon at the South Western end of Ap Lei Chau where Lt-Cmdr Yorath and Mr Halliday a Merchant Navy officer rowed out to them by skiff with orders from the XDO to go. Yorath and Halliday elected to join the escape and the Flotilla C/O Lt-Commander Gandy agreed.  The flotilla had lost three MTB's, 08, 12, & 26 in the battle for Hong Kong.  Admiral Chan Chak who led what was effectivly the shadow Government in the Colony and his party had a gentleman's agreement with the British authorities that they would be returned to Free China in the event that the Japanese over-ran the Colony.  

At about 15.45 Hrs on 25th December [Christmas Day] Ted Ross a Canadian reporter and David MacDougall, both in the Ministry of Information who had moved their office to the Gloucester Hotel in Queens Road on the corner with Pedder Street, went over the road to the Kings Theatre where Ted had parked the Buick he had taken from the vehicle compound ²⁹ behind the Hotel.  Meanwhile Freddie Guest & Peter Macmillan had gone up to Chan’s office on the fourth floor of the Pedder building next door to the Gloucester Hotel and collected Chan and his staff³⁰. They came down the stairs and while Henry went round the back to collect a canvas topped Austin he had prepared in the car park, Chan & Co walked the short distance up to Queens Road. There were five British officers from Fortress HQ in all, Sqd/Ldr Max Oxford [RAF], Major Arthur Goring, [Military Intelligence], brought in from Delhi to deal with the 5th columnists, Supt Bill Robinson of the Indian Police intelligence, Capt Peter Macmillan, of the R. A. and Capt Reggie [Freddie] Guest, of the Middlesex Regiment [The Diehard's]. Ted drove the Buick with four passengers while Henry Hsu followed in the Austin with three, leaving Goring & Oxford to source another vehicle. The two cars drove down a deserted Queens Road and almost ran down "Two-Gun" Cohen en route, Morris Cohen poked his head in the window and enquired what they were up to, upon being told of the escape plans he declined a lift saying he would take his chance with the Japanese and then sauntered off up the road.^{29 & 30}

Ted gunned the car and on they drove, past the Queen Mary Hospital, and unbeknown to them right past two of the MTB's hiding in Telegraph Bay, arriving at the deserted Aberdeen Naval Dockyard [now rebuilt as the Aberdeen Centre] at 16:15.There they found Commander Montague who said that the MTB's had been ordered to go more than an hour previously. There were some of HMS Cornflower's officers & crew trying to get the ships 25 foot motor launch with a cabin³⁰ going¹⁹ at the wooden pier in Stauntons creek, it had no fuel or battery. Ted, along with a Navy rating  dashed off to the Naval store in the Buick and returned with sixteen gallons of petrol.²⁹ While the others filled the boat  with canned food, water, and rifles, the third car arrived with Goring & Oxford and using the battery from the Buick they got the boats engine started. The cars were then pushed into the creek and now Numbering sixteen, they finally got under way at 1645 hrs on a bright sunny afternoon.  Because Aberdeen harbour was heavily mined they decided to port and go down Aberdeen Channel South.  Going past Bennets Hill¹⁵ they were spotted just five or six hundred yards down the channel and just 200 yards from the coast as they came under attack from the Japanese occupying Pill Box 12 ³⁰ at the South West point of Brick Hill [Nan Long Shan] and the AA battery above. The Japanese opened up with everything they had, rifles & machine guns, ⁷.

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The boat was riddled, with Damsgard shot through both legs, Engineering Sub-Lt Forster who served on HMS Cornflower was killed outright, and Harley was also shot and drowned. Yeung-Chuen the Admiral's coxswain could not swim. Chan gave him his life jacket and as he waved Yeung-Chuen over the side he took a bullet in his wrist. MacDougall was hit in his left shoulder blade. A second bullet went clean through his tin helmet, and a third clipped the sole of his shoe.²⁷ Henry helped the Admiral remove his false leg made of aluminiom, in which he had hidden $HK40,000⁶  As Henry stripped down to his shirt and shorts⁷ Chan said "What should we do!!" Henry replied "Pray, Pray to God" (Henry is Christian). Chan, who was not, said "If we make it out of here, I'll convert to be a Christian!" Jumping overboard and hiding on the lee side of the boat Henry prayed and finally the shooting eased off, then swam the 500-600 meters across to Aberdeen Island opposite Aberdeen village^{7 & 27}. Ted also decided to strip off before diving in and abandoned his clothes, gun, and money, $HK2000.²⁹ and swam to Aberdeen Island with the water a mass of spouts from the bullets and shells. He also heard Harley drowning very noisily. One of the first ashore was Ted who clung to the rocks frozen stiff in just his underwear . Others swam in and later MacDougall came floating in on his back fully clothed, and with a pistol strapped to  his waist even though he was a poor swimmer. He had somehow managed to kick his shoes off after going under twice. Chan eventually came in after swimming with one leg and one arm.

The Japanese kept firing after they landed, spraying rock splinters all over the place, even firing incendiary shells over⁷. After dark those who could climbed the short hill to get to the protected South West side in the hope that the MTB's were still there waiting for dark. Christiansen who had gone up first and round the smaller hill to the west spotted the MTB's in the bay and ran down to the shore about 200 yards from where the three MTB's were anchored shouting. He was so excited they thought he said "There are ten Japs following with machine guns". Christiansen swam out to the MTB's. What he actually said was "There are ten chaps following being machine-gunned". As others were spotted coming over the hill Sub-Lt Legge on 11 gave them a warm reception by opening up with the stripped down Lewis gun³⁶ he was manning on the conning tower as he was on aircraft watch.¹⁸ Luckily McEwan of the SOE did not have a magazine attached to his Bren gun.¹¹ Gandy ordered 11 to go and find 07 & 09 in Telegraph Bay. But two of 11s engine starters had packed up so Gandy had to lash alongside and tow her in while 27 picked up the escape party. 07 made her way to Aberdeen, arriving at dusk as Freddie Guest swam out. Guest was hauled onboard by Talan the SOE agent. While drying out and donning clothes supplied by the crew Guest spent some time talking to Buddy Hide and other crew members while they awaited orders to depart. When Ted reached the top of the hill he saw three MTB's at anchor in the bay to the South West of the Island, then two of them put out to sea. Ted then decided to go back for Mac and they made a slow trip over the Island being targeted by a sniper from behind. They were almost down to the water's edge, when suddenly a voice in beautiful English shouted, "It's okay, come on down" . "I don't believe I've ever heard anything so beautiful and gratifying as that voice" Ted recorded.²⁹ They scrambled down and were picked up in a small skiff.

The Admiral had somehow climbed to the top after hearing the sniper taking potshots at Ted & Mac, and was eventually picked up by Lt-Cmdr Yorath and Bill Robinson who were whistleling to attract his attention. Chan finally threw a stone down and they made contact. Yorath later wrote "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 Just as Admiral Chan was being helped on deck at the western end of Aberdeen Island at 21.15 hrs the remaing MTBs arrived¹⁵. Colonel Yee Shiu Kee could not swim and was presumed dead. Of the sixteen who set out on "HMS Cornflower's" launch, twelve made it to the MTB's. They were all provided with dry clothes and enjoyed hot coco and rum with the Admiral donning Gandy's uniform which he wore for the duration of the escape. Gandy relieved his 1st officer Lt Kilbee as the numbers were rising, and told him to go ashore to look after his crew¹⁶. Kilbee subsequently spent three and a half years as a Japanese POW. There was much discussion on where to make course for with the army favoring Bias Bay^{7 & 30}, some suggested Macou, even Singapore. The boats were in no fit state for a long sea passage and finally they decided on the Dapeng Peninsula in Mirs Bay as there was a trusted Customs post there at Nanao, and Admiral Chan Chak had guerrilla contacts in the area.⁷

In the meantime the tug C410 had successfully been refloated by her crew at high tide and Commander Montague stated that he intended to escape. The crew agreed to put C410 at his disposal so long as they were to crew her. C410 left Aberdeen at 19.00 heading south to lamma Island thence North-East Head before shaping course for NanAo in Mirs Bay where Montague knew that Admiral Chan Chak's party were to land.⁴⁹.

At 21:40 we were ready to slip and proceed. We had just three torpedoes between the five MTB's. We started the engines and tuned them up ready to make our get-away, the noise was tremendous and nerves were jangling. The Chinese called the MTB's Wind Thunder Boats with good reason. The 2nd MTB Flotilla proceeded at 22 knots on various courses with some well offshore^15. We on 07 went via the the East Lamma Channel keeping close in by the Stanley Peninsula and Po Toi^17. The Skipper could see his house on fire up on the hill at Stanley as we sped past where we were fired upon^{21 & 30}. It was one of the loveliest nights we had ever been out in. The sea was as calm as a millpond and the wind warm. Luckily the moon was not yet up and we got about ten miles out before it showed up. Shortly after we encountered a Japanese warship on the horizon who mistaking the roar of our engines for enemy aircraft was searching the sky with searchlights¹⁵, but we managed to slip them. They could not find us with their searchlights. We eventually arrived off the east coast of the crescent shaped Island of Tung Ping Chau in the North East of Mirs Bay at about 01:30 & all five boats tied up on MTB 10 at anchor^17.

C410 also encountered the Japanese cruiser which fixed them in her searchlight for a full ten minutes before switching it off and letting them proceed. On arrival at NanAo Montague was not sure which bay the Admiral's party were to disembark, they ran aground and as luck would have it ten minutes later they heard the roar of engines. Thinking it was the Japanese they were surprised when the engines cut they heard with great relief good old English lower deck cussing⁴⁹.

26^th December 1941

The C/O of the Special Operations Executive Mike Kendall, a Canadian along with the other two SOE agents went ashore in two skiff's with Lt-Cmdr Henry Hsu under cover of the MTB's manned Lewis guns.¹⁵ The locals fled into the hills at the sound of the Flotilla arriving. Henry assured them we were friendly and they brought the  headman back to liaise with the Chinese Admiral who was now dressed in Lt-Cmdr Gandy's spare uniform. Admiral Chan Chak then advised that the MTB's shape course with a couple of locals acting as pilots for the small village of NanAo on the Dapeng Peninsula in the province of Guangdong on the mainland that was not occupied by the Japanese. There Cmdr. Hugh Montague and six others met us who had escaped independently in the Tug boat C410, which had run aground on submerged rocks entering NanAo.

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The party now numbered sixty eight men along with Collingwood's dog Bruce, with Kendall taking charge of the whole party. It was here that the guerrilla's led by Liang-Yeung-Yuan met the Chinese Admiral and everyone was relieved. Liang told Chan that he would escort them to Waichow following the age old smugglers route to meet up with the Chinese Army,  and provide all expenses on the road.  Liang had also contributed 3 boxes of Chinese currency for the Admiral's cause. We immediately realised the power, influence, and respect the Admiral had. He was the President of the Southern Kuomintang, the party in Southern China.  We then started to bring ashore everything that was of value to our cause and to the guerrilla's. S/Lt Legge had the job of negotiating with the locals ashore as he spoke the language fluently. Then came the rottenest part: having to sink our boats, the boats we had lived in for the last two years or so. The 1st Officer of MTB 09 had ripped the boats bronze crest off but decided it was too heavy, and while in the process of abandoning it Kennedy decided to take up the challenge. He lugged it all the way across China and back to the UK.⁹ Time was something we did not have, as daylight was approaching. We had to use axes on the wooden hulls, and open the sea cocks to let the water in. The Chinese villagers piled rocks on board. The weight of the engines eventually took the remnants of the 2nd MTB Flotilla down along with C410. There was only two fathoms of water, which meant that the top few inches of the bridge and 12 feet of mast were visible above water. With heavy hearts we eventually landed ashore, and were ready to proceed on foot at 05.30  after working all night. An hour later the sun rose, and the full implications of what lay ahead dawned on us all.

Those next three days were absolutely hell on earth, and our feet were cut to ribbons. "Marching by night and marching by day, climbing up and down several thousand feet of mountains and all the time being led and guided by the Chinese guerrillas.¹⁸ We split into three groups; each led by a member of the SOE, Mike [Kendall], John [Monia] Talan, & Mac [Colin McEwan]. Lt Ashby (07) & Lt Kennedy (09) and crews were in the third group under McEwan.⁹ Henry Hsu organised local coolies to help carry the supplies. When it was time to move Kendall barked out the order "READY TO MARCH". We soon came to dread that command as it was a relentless task in order to beat the Japanese before they could find us.

We were armed to the teeth with six Bren guns, two Tommy guns and every man had a rifle or a revolver; most had both. The Lewis guns were brought ashore and were to be collected later by the SOE, but alas they were never found again. The Admiral was near the front, carried on a chair lashed between two bamboo poles. Heading inland carrying our kit bags we did two hours forced marching and rested for the day at a small rice farm in the woods at Gaotie (Kautit) . Breakfast was a mixture of local rice with tinned provisions from the MTB's, and fresh tangerines straight off the tree which was a first for us. Here we bartered some excess weight, automatic weapons, ammunition etc. We then slept all day and started off again at 17.30 that evening back to Nanao, and following the coastline north along a scenic path before heading inland we marched 14 miles to Wongmu with ten-minute breaks every hour. This was the guerilla's headquarters, arriving there just before midnight . The whole party was extremely tired, and the going was tough and slow. We discarded unwanted gear as we went". We slept on the straw laden floor of the temple up the hill. There were people in all stages of dress, one wore gym shoes split down the middle because they were too small. Some had boots, some shoes, some socks, some none. In all, the pack of each person weighed a good fifty pounds. The worst thing was that there was no proper equipment for carrying things, like shoulder straps, haversacks, water bottles, etc. It would have made the load much more comfortable in each case but the navy was not meant to make route marches".¹⁸

It was now decided that it was safe to march by day and the guerrillas were incredible: they had an excellent system of intelligence and knew at all times exactly where the Japs were. Henry managed to organise a gang of coolies to carry our kitbags leaving us to carry oil skins, blankets, small arms, and haversacks. We passed within a few miles of the Japs several times without them being aware of us." We were bitten from head to toe with vermin picked up in the huts we slept in. During one break the Chinese Guerrilla's challenged us to a shooting match, but our ammunition was wet. The main weapons of the Guerrilla's was the German Mouser which with a clip on extended stock could be used as a rifle. Some of the Chinese Guerilla's were very young, just boys or girls not yet into adulthood. That night we slept in a temple on straw. Three or four of our party were ill, one with dysentery and another suspected of having cholera. It was no wonder, when I think back on the food we had been eating. It was indeed fortunate we were traveling in the coldest part of the year, when disease was at its lowest ebb. We almost froze each night, but that was far better than falling sick.

27^th December

We set off at 08.00 after a breakfast of tinned sausages and cocoa. David MacDougall now needed a chair due to the bullet he was carrying in his shoulder, received while swimming ashore at Aberdeen Island with Admiral Chan Chak. It was very rough going with Lt Tommy Parsons collapsing with heart trouble as we crested a steep climb of about 2000 feet [610m] over the mountains. So now we had three being carried in makeshift sedan chairs.

We had to cross an icy cold shallow river before the East-West Highway which was a supply route for the Japanese to Hong Kong near the town of Danshui. The Admiral's right hand man Henry and some of the Guerrilla's went ahead to scout and returned to say all was clear. We crossed the Jap-patrolled road at 20.00²⁹, and carried on marching crossing another shallow river until 02.00. Arriving at a village we were informed that the Japs came there every morning at 06.00, so we had to continue for another four hours. "That day we marched 31 miles and slept in an orchard under trees. It was wintertime with a strong breeze, and the coldest night we ever slept out in"⁸.

28^th December

The days marching brought us in contact with Chinese Regular troops under Gen Yu Han Mow, which was re-assuring to us. We arrived at the village of Chunlung after another 16 miles where accommodation was provided in what appeared to be an old temple. "Really good Chinese food provided by our kindly hosts - plenty of variety and very hot."¹⁷

29^th December

The following day we reached the outskirts of Waichow, where we had to wait for the all clear before entering as an air raid was in progress. "Pony Moore produced his harmonica and lifted all our spirits as we set off again at a quick pace"¹¹. Bicycles had been sent out to us from Waichow when we were about ten miles from town and we split up into groups of four because of the air raids²⁹. Some of us had a ride as pillion passengers as we were suffering with feet problems, Ted Ross peddled MacDougall as he was suffering with the bullet in his back.²⁹ At four o'clock we arrived and fell in to march into the town centre with Pony Moore & co playing "the beer barrel polka" on his harmonica followed by Macmillan's rendition of "I dont want to be a soldier",¹¹ Kelly & Purchase, the two youngest members carrying the White Ensign and Chinese National Flag either side of the Admiral and the town Mayor²⁴ past the Chief Magistrate, amidst firecrackers and all the noise the locals could muster. Here we rested for two days at the American "Wai On hospital" complex by the river where the walking wounded were treated by Doctor So and his staff. A wooden leg was fitted for Admiral Chan Chak as well as a pair of wooden crutches supplied. Gandy was quick to attempt to re-establish rank with full naval etiquette. We had then covered 80 miles which had cost Leung-Wing-Yuen thousands of $ in bribes through the bandit country. That evening we had a banquet laid on by the Chinese Army, consisting of Chicken, Duck, Pork and much more washed down with an endless supply of rice wine. "Ron Ashby somehow managed to dress with collar and tie looking every bit a senior Naval Officer"¹¹. The escape party arriving in Waichow made front page news that same day in "The Miami Daily Post".

30^th December

After a simple breakfast of rice with fish & ducks eggs an air raid warning went off as we assembled for the legendary Waichow group Photo taken by the local photographer with his last glass plate. We then had a chapel service with the British on one side & the Chinese the other. After the Chinese made some political speeches hailing the allied powers etc with a reply from Com Montague, Mike Kendall started to sing the National Anthem accompanied by the naval party using their combs wrapped in toilet paper as harmonicas. Afterwards we were each presented with an orange, cigarettes, a packet of biscuits, and a hand towel by local children.

31^st December

After resting two days at the American Missionary Wai On hospital, staffed by excellent Chinese nurses. We left at 18.00 in two charcoal burning motor house boats [MHB's] known as a Walla-Walla by the locals, towing sampans for a 140 mile journey up the East River to Lungchun which Lt-Col Hector F. G. Chauvin R. A, who led the British Military Mission in China had arranged. The three SOE agents  left us at Waichow to head back and pick up the heavier weapons from the MTB's that were left behind after Mike kendall had gone through a blood brother ritual with Liang-Yuing-Yuan. Liang-Yuing-Yuan was once again our guide as the river was notorious for pirates. They were about seventy feet in length; the Walla-Walla with charcoal/gas 6 cylinder lorry engines. The boats were very crowded with the crew's of MTB's 07 & 09 in one Sampan, and 11 & 27 in the other with the rest in the MHB's. The sampans were open ended and it was bitterly cold with the wind. As well as our party there were some Chinese regular troops as well as some of our guerrillas as guards. The motors were  very unreliable especially Chan Chak's MHB. In the morning we transferred to the MHB and cast the sampan off. We stopped for lunch at Guon Yom Kok a small village where we were able to purchase toffee, oranges, green bananas, eggs, etc. We then paraded at 14.15 before taking our leave. The going was slow with many sandbanks encountered and some of us walked along the riverbank by day. We eventually arrived at our next stop Hoiyoen some ten hours late arriving in the early hours of the morning and consequently missed out on a big dinner that was being laid on for us. The other MHB turned up a bit later waking everyone up and then moving on ahead. Come the morning and another MHB arrived from Waichow and we transferred, and later in the day when we caught up and the crews of 11 & 27 came aboard. It was more comfortable and better food as well as faster, now all three MHB's were together. The following morning we arrived at Liusing first and got the welcome that was laid on for Chan. We left before Chan's boat arrived and eventually we arrived at Luncheong and the four MTB crews formed up and marched into town to a firecracker & dog welcome. A hotel was available for the officers, and we the ratings messed in Middle School. Here speeches were made and a feast laid on. The town was given special dispensation to slaughter a cow which they can only normally do on certain days of the month. After an eventful five day river journey, on a meager diet of two small bowls of rice per day, and with many engine breakdowns we made the most of it. Lt-Colonel Harry Owen-Hughes, who had left Hong Kong on the last plane out, and now staying at the Mission in Kukong, was seconded as liaison officer to the Chinese Army, met us just before we arrived at Lungchun. He had been charged with organising our transport through Southern China. He also had much needed funds which meant we were less dependant on local hospitality.

5^th January

We left at 06.00 in five trucks and a car for the Admiral and David MacDougall, to take us through the Nan mountains to Kukong [Shaoguan]. One of the trucks soon stopped with two broken front springs. Harry Owen-Hughes had arranged Chinese Army padded jackets for us, which we were very thankful for as it was winter. Due to delays with punctures, and running out of fuel as we climbed over the nine peak mountain. We stopped at Junsing at 10am for a meal, followed by coffee and biscuits with Father O' Brian from the Maryknolll Mission. After an hour we were on the road again, this time the road was not so jolting but more mountainous rising steeply to 5000 feet and down again via hairpin bends. At 14.30 we arrived at Lumping where we were put up in the Middle School for the night with the officers being billeted in a hotel.

6^th January

Up at 04.00 and on the road by 04.30 we pressed on stopping at Loonshing for breakfast at 09.30. for half an hour. On the way we overtook the Chinese Army on the march, mile after mile of them on both sides of the road. They were on their way back to Kukong having been too late to defend Hong Kong. Stopping for lunch at Taihangchow. Some trucks were not able to stop at Nan-Hai a Buddhist monastery where there were three mummies, one of which was Lok Tsu, the sixth reincarnation of Buddha, and about 1200 years old. The Temple was being renovated by the monks under the energetic direction of their 93 year old Abbot. The car carrying Admiral Chan Chak and four others arrived ahead of the trucks. On the approach in mid afternoon to Kukong [Shaoguan]. the locals greeted us and pinned  rosettes to our lapels as we disembarked from the trucks to do a cemonial march into town. We were soon back in the trucks for the final few miles in town where photographers and press were waiting for us. This was our first chance to pick up international news which was not good in the Far East, also Tokyo Rose was broadcasting propaganda forecasting doom for the escape party. We then headed for a very large sampan on the East bank of the Mo Sai river about one mile north of the Y junction⁴⁵. This was no ordinary sampan; this was the Sea Palace, a flower boat, or brothel. Harry Owen-Hughes had arranged with the owner to clear it out and rent it for our stay in Kukong. His excellency the  Governor of the Province General Li laid on a huge reception in the Headquarters of the Provincial Government where it turned out that his ADC had been at Cambridge with one of the H.K.R.N.R. Officers. General Yu Han Mow who had been in command when Canton fell to the Japanese, and now holding office as the Commander-in-Chief of the extensive seventh War Area was also present. Admiral Chan was presented with a shield as well as flowers to him and Cmdr Montague. The Royal Navy party were so hungry they finished off all the 'Chow Fan', a customary dish of fried rice at the end when etiquette required it only to be toyed with to show the Host had provided more than enough food. The following day we had a Grand reception laid on in the town hall. We stayed here for a week while transport was being arranged for further up the line. Gandy was able to procure funds for transport, food, & accomodation, and paid $100 a week to officers and $20 per rating,¹⁵ this gave us a chance to enjoy the local hospitality and hone our bartering skills. We had air-raid alarms every morning and it was here that Admiral Chan Chak had the photo plate developed and presented each of us with a copy of the Waichow group photo. The Admiral was now in bad shape and was admitted to hospital soon after arriving, we did not see him again.

We played a seven a side small football match here against the local YMCA in the gym with a crowd of 2500, losing 8-2 to the locals, the excuse was that the ground, the ball, and opponents were all too small. we also found time to play tennis during our week long stay⁴⁹. Admiral Chan Chak and Major Goring stayed at the Mission run by the New Zealand Presbyterian Church. Chan was operated on to remove the bullet from his wrist by Dr S H Moore of the Methodist Missionary at the "Ho Sai" Hospital and was also suffering with ulcers and had a blood transfusion with Peredur Jones of the Missionary donating his blood⁴⁴. We were invited out by the Methodist missionary to a high tea which we all enjoyed greatly¹². The Mission was located on the West bank just where the Y junction in the river.⁴⁵

12th January

Lt Ashby & Sub-Lt Brewer went ahead by train today.

14th January

Today we went for anti typhoid treatment and just after lunch the VIP party departed for Chungking. The Senior Staff and Intelligence officers started to depart here to make their way to Chungking to be debriefed on the fall of Hong Kong and see what lessons could be learned.  David McDougall went to Chengtu, Szechwan by plane where he was operated on at the Canadian Mission Hospital at the West China Union University - the best equipped in Free China. There were two others with him, and after a pleasant week’s stay in KunMing they caught a plane to Chungking. That left us the Naval party numbering 50 carrying on towards Burma under our Flotilla Commander Lt-Cmdr Gandy who had been given Chinese$14,000, though this sounded a lot the reality was that each $ was worth only one penny.

16th January

We eventually left by train to Luchow [Hefei] the capital of Anhui province at 03.00 on the Canton-Hankow railway, and 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. 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 Hengyan our carriages were split from the rest, and the railway company 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 Kwangzi 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 Park/cave before embarking for Liuchow.

21^st January

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 Chinese$80,000 borrowed from the Ajutant-General, IV 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. Much traffic and lines of Shetland ponies with bells.

23-27^th January

The first lorries arrived in Kweiyang [Guiyang] at 14.00 hours. 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 80k 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. Kweiyang is the medical centre for the Chinese Army. There they attended to our injuries to the best of their abilities and Lt-Cdr Gandy procured funds which enabled us to do some essential shopping. There was also a visiting American Army surgeon, Dr. John Grindlay.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. 4pm we had a cinema show by the Red Cross followed by a few sketches by the Naval party which brought hoots of laughter. Here we were supplied with Red Cross Ambulances to take us through to Kunming, which is the Chinese end of the Burma Road.

28^th January

We arrived at Kunming in the Wuliang Mountains where we were put up by the Chinese travel Hostel with Australian commandos of the 204 military mission . The commandos were training the Chinese in commando tactics.⁴⁶ Here we also saw our first friendly fighter aircraft flown by the American Volunteer Group, the AVG who were protecting the Burma Road. Jardines had a regional office in Kunming, and the agent immediately took on the Jardine staff in the escape party. The British Embassy in Chungking also required a couple of officers to work on ciphers.

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

1^st February

Today our ever decreasing party proceeded to travel down the most famous road in the World, the Burma Road in trucks supplied by the Chinese Red Cross. After 192 ks we stopped at the small village of Tonying and were billeted with a group of Australian Commando's heading into China. "We were the only sailors to have traveled the whole length of it. Although some of the views were breathtaking it was a seven-day nightmare, what with the several inches of dust, the real tortuous S-bends, and the road barely wide enough to pass an oncoming vehicle, and the several thousands of feet drop. It was a real nightmare."²¹ It is impossible to travel after dark on this road; we saw a lorry smashed every two miles on average. It was 700 miles from Kunming to Lashio. We stopped at Chuxiong, and again at Xiaguan for truck repairs. While at Xiaguan twenty of us visited Dali to see the monastery by the lake. "On the whole of this journey the hospitality of the Chinese was wonderful. We were passing through the poorest part of the interior of China, but what ever place, no matter how large or small, the people gave us the best they could, of course it was all Chinese Chow, poor class Chinese Chow, which is all rice boiled dry, no milk or sugar, and sufficient meat for one Englishman was shared amongst ten of us; the same with the greens, which was nearly all garlic. We all became very adept at the use of chopsticks, we had to be or else starve."²¹

6^th February

Arrived at Wantung the Burma/China border town at 5pm and crossed into Burma staying in the army billet for the night celebrating on British Sovereign Territory at last.

7^th February

Wantung to Lashio by trucks supplied by Dodwell and co who Lt Ashby had worked for previously. At Lashio we we were billeted with the RAF and entertained with good food and facilities after arriving at 17.10. Here we waited for five days for orders. While here some of us acted as firing party at an RAF pilot's funeral. Lashio was divided , old town & new town as supplies were stockpiled here for onward transport into China. The new town was out of bounds at night due to bubonic plague.⁹ Lt Parsons was hospitalised after a night on the town at the "Lashio Club" with severe head injuries after vanishing down a slit trench in the dark.

11^th February

The SNO Commander Gandy flew ahead to Maymyo.

We left Lashio in Burma by train without Parsons at 23.00 arriving in Maymyo the following morning at 11.15. Here we were entertained at the Bush Warfare school. Then it was 45 miles by truck to Mandalay where once again we were entertained at a club. We then boarded a train to Rangoon [arriving on 14th February 1942] which was deserted after 3182 miles [5120 km] overland from Hong Kong. Rear Admiral Cosmo Moray Graham was flown in from the Persian Gulf to take over as Commodore Burma Coast Command and had Lt's Collingwood & Kennedy as his staff officers. We were in Rangoon for five weeks loading merchant ships, as well as doing special guard duties, which included stopping looters. Some of the Flotilla crew were deployed as gun crew on armed Merchant ships. "One night we caught 50 Burmese with a Japanese Officer trying to land, they were all shot."²¹ We left Rangoon but returned three times, the last time to blow up the go downs, jetties, piers, wireless station, and all military places. We then proceeded downstream and stopped to blow up the oil refineries, dumps, and works. Some members of the Flotilla were allocated to armed merchantmen as gun crew, others stayed. We left Rangoon on the 8th March 1942 aboard the Danish ship H. T. "Heinrich Jessen" under her 31 year old master George Rhod Hansen R.I.N.R. which was the Commodore's HQ and the last Merchant ship to leave, sailing out through the Japanese war ships coming in. We could see the fires 40 miles out at sea. Two hours after we left the Japanese 21st armored Regiment arrived in Rangoon. The "Heinrich Jessen" was later commandeered by the Royal Navy and re-named HMS Barracuda as a depot ship during the Arakan campaign and sailed back into Rangoon when the Japanese were defeated in 1945. We arrived in Calcutta on the 12th , we left on the 24th and traveled overland across the Indian sub-Continent to Bombay, where we departed onboard the "SS Narkunda" on the 26th at 15:30 hrs along with survivors from HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales. After stopping at Durban, we took onboard 657 Italian POWs before shaping course for Cape Town, arriving on Sunday 12th April. The Cunarder "Laconia" was just ahead of us and to our surprise the other half of the 2nd MTB Flotilla crews were aboard her, including Kennedy, Bill Dyer, & Al Downey who had been seconded onto the RBN minesweeper "Somagyi" . They then joined us on the "Narcunda" and 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. Of the 68 who escaped, Gandy, Ashby, Kennedy & 27 fellow ratings finally arrived in the King George V dock, Glasgow late afternoon on Friday 22^nd May 1942 onboard the "Narkunda".