Escape from Hong Kong -Admiral Chan Chak's Final Hours - The Definitive Account
With exclusive access to the Chan Chak diaries , this is an epic tale as told by those involved, there is no fiction
These events would stay locked in their minds for the rest of their natural lives.
Hong Kong could not be held but had to be defended: A Tribute to the people who defended Hong Kong
Preface
Admiral Chan Chak was onboard the Star ferry crossing over to Victoria the Island capital from Kowloon when the Japanese attacked Kai Tak airport at 08.00 hours on the morning of the 8th December 1941, just seven hours[70] after attacking Pearl Harbour with an overwhelming force outnumbering the Hong Kong garrison 4-1. Seventeen days of close combat face to face fighting followed, and when Christmas Day dawned none had any idea of the events that lay ahead. These events would be etched in their minds for the rest of their natural lives. With all Royal Navy ships except the 2nd MTB Flotilla and its support vessels scuttled the Royal Navy was now fighting as infantrymen in the trenches alongside the army on the front line.[19] During the morning the C-in-C Sir Marc Young ordered Battle box HQ to release the 2nd MTB flotilla to a Chinese Admiral. This was an unprecedented act within the Royal Navy and raised more than a few eyebrows. 
Certain Sino-British high ranking officials had to be got out from Hong Kong with the secrets they held at all costs. A Royal Navy Commander risked Court Martial by disobeying orders to move his flotilla immediately. They survived murderous machine gun fire in broad daylight tearing their flimsy craft apart, followed by non-stop bursts as they swam for their lives towards the nearest island. Those that survived thought they were safe once they fetched up on the rocky shore only to be targeted again with more machine gun fire and incendiary mortar shells. Under cover of darkness they located the motor torpedo boats hiding on the south side of the island in a bay and made an audacious high speed escape being targeted by a Japanese cruiser to land deep behind enemy lines in China where they had no choice but to scuttle the flotilla. The risk of being overpowered and captured by ruthless bandits and brigands eager to earn a reward by turning escapees over to the occupying Japanese forces was very real as recorded by later escapees. Those captured suffered public execution by beheading.[69] After secret negotiation with Chinese guerrillas who turned out to be notorious smugglers of both people and contraband, who it later transpired worked for none other than the one legged Chinese Admiral Chan Chak.[6] They endured a forced march carrying fifty pound packs over mountainous terrain, fording rivers and passing through the Japanese lines, all the time being guided by the Chinese guerrillas. 
They finally reached the relative safety of the bombed out city of Waichow now Huizhou in free China being subjected to yet another air raid. Some had bullet wounds, others injuries picked up during the march with more suffering severe illness. Some had footwear that fitted, some not, some had no socks. What lay ahead was a seventeen thousand five hundred mile, four month odyssey beginning with 3000 miles of hostile mountainous terrain across southern China and Burma by foot, river, truck, and train, all the time being targeted by Japanese bombers. They encountered the harsh Chinese winter, sometimes sleeping rough out in the open, in cleared out floating brothels, and places with bubonic plague.[9] Finally they reached their goal, Rangoon in Burma. They had triumphed over adversity only to be confronted with the Japanese invading forces in that place and were forced to escape all over again, sailing out straight through the middle of the Japanese armada.
Of the sixty eight men who landed at NanAo deep behind enemy lines 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 in 1945. Others 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 WW II. This truly was “A Great Escape”
The 2nd MTB Flotilla was formed in 1938 under the command of Lt-Cmdr D G (Knobby) Clark RN then in November 1940 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 Kong[47] then took over as Flotilla CO. Most of the RN officers were replaced with RNVR officers. On the outbreak of war with Japan in Hong Kong the Flotilla was the only effective naval presence. On 13th December MTB's 07 & 09 were detailed to evacuate 260 men of the Indian 5th Battalion 7th Rajput Regiment from North Lyemun to HMS Thracian.[15] & [52] They had been fighting a non-stop rearguard action while the main bulk of troops evacuated the mainland and earned the highest respect from the Flotilla. They took the full force of the enemy assault on the Island losing 100% of their British Officers & most of their Indian Senior Officers before finally being overun.52
MTB 08 was lost on the slip at Aberdeen on the 16th December when hit by a bomb splinter and blew up. MTBs 12 & 26 were lost in a daring daylight attack on Japanese landing craft on the 19th December.
Invasion
The Japanese army invaded Hong Kong Island from Kowloon on the night of 18/19th. The following morning the flotilla attacked the Japanese landing craft at full speed with MTB 07 leading the attack in broad daylight. The Ashby family motto was Be just and fear naught. Their orders 
were to "Proceed into harbour and shoot anything inside". [5] They attacked in sub-division pairs with 09 one cable astern of 07 as Chief Engineer Acting Petty Officer Buddy Hide at the controls next to the Coxswain on the bridge took her up to full speed approaching North Point they came under attack from all sides with a hail of machine gun, mortar, howitzer and light artillery fire, as well as three IJA aircraft. 07 made "Act independently" by hand signal and altered course to port opening up with all five Lewis guns at point blank range and proceeded down the line of flimsy craft overturning them with their wash, dropping depth charges as they went. As 09 proceeded north to Kowloon Harbour. Ron Ashby as always was wearing his watch on the inside of his wrist to save damaging it against the bridge in the violent manoeuvring of the boat then came about to ensure that no survivors would reach Hong Kong Island and tore through the remains of the sinking craft at full speed coming under intense air attack again from the aircraft with machine gun and cannon fire raking the stern and mortally wounding the 2nd engineer L/Stoker Reg Barker as well as knocking out the starboard engine. With the speed reduced down to 32 knots from 37 the Telegraphist was sent aft to administer first aid and assist in the rapidly flooding engine room. 09 kept to the Kowloon side shooting up enemy craft trying to get back to harbour, and any small craft within range. 07 was again raked across the stern by machine gun and cannon fire from the IJA killing the Telegraphist and 2nd engineer along with the port engine reducing the speed down to just twelve knots on the centre engine. As both boats extricated from the action zigzagging furiously Ashby signalled 09 "Stand by me" and as they made way at 12 knots the central engine died, they were a sitting target but managed to hit two of the IJA aircraft with Lewis gun fire. Lt.
Kennedy on 09 saw their predicament and came alongside lashing the two boats together. As they shaped course for Aberdeen via Green Island they signalled "God speed" by aldis lamp as 11 and 12 accelerated to full speed in a straight line heading for the lines of Japanese craft but none could be found. 12 took a direct hit crashing into the Kowloon harbour wall with all but three hands lost. 11 returned alone being dive bombed, the remaining boats of the flotilla were stood down, but 26 for reasons unknown proceed to attack and was last seen lying motionless with a lone Lewis gun blazing away. The flotilla paid a high price for this daring daylight attack with the loss of some twenty personnel and two out of the seven remaining boats of the flotilla. On returning to Aberdeen Ashby raised his glass and gave his customary toast "Justice." This heroic action was later dubbed "The Balaclava of the Sea". [5] [8] [9] [21] [63]
The following signal was received during the afternoon.
To V2 (Gandy) from Commodore Hong Kong.
"The attack carried out by the Flotilla was most gallant and an inspiration to everybody. Regret losses incurred but like you proud of their devotion to duty 1435/19".[15]
That same afternoon the Commodore ordered all remaining naval craft except HMS Cicala and the MTBs along with their tenders to be scuttled. [19]
When it was realised that Hong Kong would have to surrender after seventeen days of of nonstop face to face fighting against an overwhelming force of 4-1 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 out of Hong Kong. This the 2nd MTB Flotilla accomplished in the most dramatic circumstances on Christmas Day 1941 ending with the flotilla being scuttled deep behind enemy lines at Nanao on the Dapeng Peninsula in Mirs Bay, China in the early hours of 26th December 1941.
Also fifty four year old Cmdr Hugh Montague R. N. (Rtrd) escaped with a crew of two officers and four other ranks after salvaging the Dockyard diesel launch C-410 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.
The contents of this website led to a considerable number of escapee families contacting me and now each other, and remains the principle source of contact and private information for the spinoff projects that have followed. The personal accounts enabled me to record the complete and true account of this remarkable episode of Sino-British war time co-operation. The information compiled here has directly resulted in a museum exhibition in Hong Kong, a re-enactment of the escape in Hong Kong and China, a book just published, and a movie drama and also a documentary in the making.
Some accounts published quote statemants made years, sometimes tens of years after the events, where the facts have been blurred in the mists of time.
Thank you all for your contributions, may our forefathers be remembered.
Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
Caudae Spiculum Caveo