Escape from Hong Kong - The Final Hours

MTB 10 was scuttled along with the remaining boats of the 2nd MTB Flotilla deep behind enemy lines at NanAo in Mirs Bay on 26th December 1941

 

Lt-Commander G H (Holly) Gandy R.N. (Rtrd) 1896-1987

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection ©

 

 

Gandy gave his No one uniform to Admiral Chan Chak who wore it throughout the escape, hence there are no photos of Gandy with his cap.

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, Lt Ashby & 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]

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Some of the senior officers with nurses at the Wai on Mission in Waichow

1908-1912 RN College, Osborne and Dartmouth

1912-1915 Midshipman HMS Thunderer

1915-1916 Acting Sub-Lt HMS Arabis (Sunk in night action 10^th February 1916)

1916-1918 Sub-Lt & Lt HMS Victory. (POW in Germany) Promoted Lt R.N. September 1917

1919 Lt HMS Renown

1919-1920 Lt (N) HMS Hearty (4^th class surveyor)

1920 Lt (N) HMS Flinders (3rd class surveyor) Retired Voluntarily as Lt RN with gratuity May 1920. Promoted Lt-Commander RN (Retd) September 1925.

193? Appointed Land Surveyor Hong Kong

1933 Joined HKRNVR as Cadet being promoted to Sub-Lt then Lt HKRNVR

1936 Ceased active training, remaining on emergency list HKRNVR

1939 Called up for service as Lt-Commander RN in HMS Tamar 12^th September 1939 as Naval Provost Marshal Hong Kong⁴⁷

1940April, Lt-Commander HMS Tamar (Cicala) in command.

May 1941, Lt-Commander Gandy RN HMMTB 10 as Senior Officer 2^nd MTB Flotilla in Hong Kong gained a "Mentioned in despatches" for his action while attacking the Japanese invading forces in Kowloon Harbour on the 19th December 1941.

Gandy relieved Lt-Commander Boldero who had been the flotilla SO since 1st December 1940.and had lost an arm in an accident.

[ 4448 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 13 OCTOBER, 1942 ]

Escaping as ordered after capitulation with remainder of Flotilla on 25^th December. Then scuttling deep behind enemy lines in Mirs Bay and bringing MTB party of 45 across China to Rangoon.

1942 February, Served under Commodore Burma Coast until evacuation by sea on 8^th March

1942 April-May Lt-Commander in charge of Naval draft guarding 657 Italian POW's onboard HMT Narkunda on passage to UK

1942-1944 Lt-Commander RN HMS Osprey (Kingfisher) in command. Kingfisher employed in experimental work and submarine escort duties at Clyde and Western Approaches.

1944 February, Lt-Commander RN joined combined operations HMS Copra as squadron Commander Major Landing Craft. Training in Clyde Area under Captain MLC. Later under Rear Admiral Landing Ships and Craft, unallocated, at Troon.

1945 March, Acting Commander RN serving as Squadron Commander "L" LCT Squadron in Antwerp and Holland under Flag Officer Holland Vice Admiral Sir G C Dickens. Serving for relief of Holland and transportation of German POW's in North Holland. The Squadron peaked at 72 Major landing craft under Squadron Commander's Command.

1945 July L squadron disbanded, transferred to P squadron.

1945 6^th October Demobbed

1946 8^th May promoted to Commander on the retired list

194? Returned to Hong Kong as head of the Survey department

195? Retired

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