Escape from Hong Kong - The Final Hours

Stoker A/B John Holt; D/SSX13894 (Burnley Lancs)

5th March 1915 - 25th March 1963

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John (Jack) joined MTB 27 of the 2nd MTB Flotilla after training at HMS Defiance, the Royal Navy's torpedo school at Plymouth on 14th february 1939.

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 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]

 

 

 

John (Jack) in 1933 having just joined the Royal Navy.

 

 

Photo from John (Jack) Holt's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lt Collingwood RN, Sub-Lt Brewer HKRNVR, Warrant Officer Wright HKRNVR, Lt Ashby HKRNVR & Lt-Cmdr John Yorath RN (Rtrd) with ratings. A/B Jack Holt is 3rd from left with PO Ed Brazel HKRNVR is front row right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27, Thornycroft 55 foot ex Kuamintong CMB Kuai 20 completed 10th September 1938 loaded with depth charges and torpedos getting an XDO inspection in February 1940 with Lt Kilbeee as her C/O.

 

 

 

 

Photo from C J Collingwood collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 underway with Lt Kilbee in command in March 1940.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 alongside.

Photo from C J Collingwood collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 loaded with depth charges in lieu of torpedos alongside HMS Robin.

Photo from C J Collingwood collection ©

 

 

MTB 27, ex Kuamintong CMB Kuai 20 leaving harbour for exercises in March 1940 with Lt Kilbeee as her CO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 launching a torpedo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John with Edith his wife in the 1950s.

 

 

Photo from Jack Holt's collection ©