History

Born 6th December 1912 Canton - Died 3rd February 2009 Taipei

Henry died peacefully in the Taipei Veterans General Hospital aged 96

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection ©

 

 

Photo from the Chan family collection ©

Henry Heng Hsu was buried with full military honours in Taipei on 16th March 2009 aged 96.

President Ma Ying-jeou attended the funeral service held in Taipei for the late International Olympic Committee (IOC) and HongKong Escape Re-enactment Organisation (HERO) honorary member Henry Heng Hsu, who passed away at the age of 96 last month. Hsu's coffin was draped with the national flag of the Republic of China, the flag of the ruling Kuomintang, and the flag of the IOC, making him the first ever Taiwanese citizen to be honored with an International Olympic Committee flag after his death.

The national flag was placed on the coffin by four government leaders, including Premier Liu Chao-shiuan and Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, while the IOC flag was laid on the coffin by IOC member Wu Ching-kuo, Sports Affairs Council Minister Tai Hsia-ling, Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC) Chairman Tsai Chen-chou, and Chi Cheng, a local 1968 Olympic bronze medalist, and the party flag was drapped by four former and incumbent senior KMT officials.

 

 

 

 

Hsu, an internationally renowned hotelier and staunch promoter of sports and education about Olympic activities in Taiwan, was an IOC member between 1970 and 1988 before he retired and became an honorary member of the world's top sports organization.

The IOC flag was flown at half mast at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland Feb. 3, the day the IOC learned about Hsu's passing.

Lt-Cmdr Henry Heng Hsu was Admiral Chan Chak's Aide de Camp (ADC) and right hand man. Henry who had been instrumental in keeping civil order amongst the Hong Kong Chinese and dealing with the Triads followed Ted Ross as they drove down Queens Road from the Kings Theatre heading for Aberdeen passing many dead bodies on the side of the road on the way. Here they met Cmdr Montague RN and commandeered a boat and left under heavy machine gun and mortar fire to make good their escape. Henry was awarded an Honorary Officer of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire in 1942 (OBE) for his assistance controlling civil unrest and the subsequent escape with the 2nd MTB Flotilla.

Born in Canton ^6th December 1912 and married to Amy (deceased); one son, two daughters

Educated at Whampoa Naval College (1932), Canton; National Chi Nan University, Shanghai (Bachelor of Law 1935); US Naval Training Centre, Commanding Officer Class, Miami (1945)

CAREER Honorary Officer of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)(1942); Member of Parliament at the Legislative Yuan, Chinese Taipei (1972-1986); National Policy Advisor to the President of Chinese Taipei (1987-2000); President of the Red Cross Society of Chinese Taipei (1988-2000); Advisor at the Legislative Yuan, ROC (2000)

Back: Supt Bill Robinson I.P., W. O. William M Wright HKRNVR, Capt Peter Macmillan R.A.,Capt Reginold Guest 1st Mdsx, Coxswain Yeung Chuen CN, Ted Ross B.M.I.

2nd: David MacDougall B.M.I., Admiral Chan Chak CN, Major Arthur Goring Probyns Horse, Sq-Ldr Max Oxford RAF.

1st: Holgar Christiansen MN, Lt-Cmdr Henry Heng Hsu CN

 

 

Photo from Ted Ross's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lt-Cmdr John Yorath RNR, Major Arthur Goring Probyns Horse, Commander Hugh M Montague RN [Senior Naval Officer Aberdeen, & the escape] with Mrs Muriel Jones of the "Methodist Mission" wearing a Chinese favour on her  lapel, and Admiral Chan Chak's ADC Lt-Cmdr Henry Heng Hsu CN. Police Supt Bill Robinson of the Indian Police is behind with the white neck scarf.

The New Zealand Presbyterian Church Methodist Mission at Shaoguan was run by Mrs Jean Martin & her Irish born husband known by his Chinese name Mooi with a staff of six missionaries and their wives. It was here that Admiral Chan Chak finally had the bullet removed from his wrist by Dr S H Moore at the "Ho Sai" hospital. The Admiral kept the bullet and had it mounted on a gold chain which he wore from his left lapel. Admiral Chan Chak also had a blood transfussion here after his gastric ulcer flared up with Muriel's husband Peredur Jones donating his blood.

SPORTS CAREER Gold medal in volleyball at the 9th Far East Games in Tokyo (1930) and in football at the 10th Far East Games in Manila (1934); gold medal in 50m and 100m freestyle swimming at the Hong Kong championships (1940); gold medal at the Hong Kong water polo championships (1948-1951); judge in swimming competitions at the 1956 Games in Melbourne

SPORTS ADMINISTRATION Chairman of Fortuna Athletic Association, Hong Kong (1953); President of the Chinese Taipei Amateur Swimming Association (1954-1965); President of the Chinese Swimming Association, Hong Kong (1960); Honorary President of the Hong Kong Volleyball Association (1960-1969); member (1962-1965), Vice-President (1965-1973) then President (1973-1974) of the “ Chinese Olympic Committee”; Vice-President of the Asian Amateur Swimming Federation (1966-); Council member of the Asian Games Federation (1966-1972)

DISTINCTIONS First Degree Education Culture Medal awarded by the Ministry of Education of Chinese Taipei (1996); Special Contribution Elite Award awarded by the National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Executive Yuan (9 September 1999)

Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1970 to 1988; honorary member since 1988; member of the Commission for New Sources of Financing (1983-1987) Honorary President of the HongKong Re-enactment Escape Organisation (HERO) 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wing Commander Max Oxford, Admiral Chan Chak K.B.E. & Commander Henry Heng Hsu O.B.E. 17th March 1944.

Henry eventually retired as Rear Admiral.

Photo from Admiral Chan Chak's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

Henry Hsu recounting the epic escape with the 2nd MTB Flotilla in 2006 with Admiral Chan Chak's sons Donald and Duncan. The webmaster is the sole copywrite © owner of the Henry Hsu filmed recount of the escape.. Henry stripped down to his shirt and shorts before jumping overboard abandoning his diamond encrusted tie pin which was a treasured wedding gift. Later he met Colonel Yee Shiu Kee in Chungking wearing his shoes. Colonal yee returned Henry's shoes and his bible, Henry never did get his tie pin back or Admiral Chan's $HK200.000.

Photo from Richard Hide's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

Henry Hsu with Admiral Chan Chak's twin sons Duncan and Donald Chan in 2006

 

Henry Heng Hsu OBE With Admiral Chan Chak;s twin sons Duncan and Donald Chan in March 2006

 

 

Photo from the Chan family collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to read The Guardian Obitury by Tim Luard