Admiral Chan Chak Escapes from Hong Kong with The 2nd MTB Flotilla

Waichow; 29th The Waichow group photo; Click here for larger photoDecember 1941

Waichow

Four days and eighty miles after escaping from Hong Kong the party are through the Japanese lines in Waichow, Free China

 

Safety at Last

Members of the escape party at Waichow in Free China after their bold escape by MTB's from Hong Kong





The Long Trek

Run the curser over the photo of the men to see who have been identified

Run the curser over the photo of the men to see who have been identified. Click on a person to see their profile Vice Admiral Chan-Chak Click here to read more on the Admiral Cmdr Hugh M Montague, Senior Naval Officer Aberdeen & on the escape Lt-Cmdr G H Gandy R.N. C/O MTB 10 & Flotilla Commander Click here to read more on Gandy Lt-Cmdr Henry Heng Hsu Click here to read more on Henry Hsu Acting P.O. Stoker Buddy Hide of MTB 07 Click here to read more on Buddy Hide Ted Ross of the Ministry of Information Click here to read more on Rossy Coxswain Leading Seaman: William Schillemore [MTB 09] Click here to read more on Schilly L/S Albert C [Pony] Moore MTB 27 Click here to read more on Pony Moore A/B: Francis [Frank] Edwin Penny of MTB 09 Click here to read more on Frank Penny P.O. Stoker: Robert. H. Stonell [MTB 11] Click here to read more on Bob Stonell C.P.O.: Gilbert Thums [HMS Cicila & acting No 2 of MTB 10] Click here to read more on Thumsy P.O. Tel: Christopher Meadows [MTB 10] Click here to read more on Chris Meadows A/B: Leslie [Lofty] Gurd [MTB 09] Click here to read more on Lofty Gurd A/B: Stoker George [Bones] Arnold [MTB 07] Click here to read more on Bones A/B: Robert Hempenstall [MTB 09] Click here to read more on Hemenstall Lt Alexander Kennedy of MTB 09 Click here to read more on Kennedy Lt Tommy M Parsons HKRNVR MTB 27 S/Lt Tommy Brewer [MTB 09] Click here to read more on Tommy Brewer S/Lt David Pauncefoote Legge [MTB 11] Click here to read moreon Davo Acting P.O.Stoker: Ronald J C (Jez) Priestley [MTB 09] Click here to read more on Jez A/B: Leslie S Barker [MTB 11] Click here to read more on Les Barker A/B: Stoker Jack Thorpe [MTB 11] Click here to read more on Jack Thorpe Tel Harold P Hill of MTB 09 Click here to read more on Hilly Coxswain Yeung Chuen was at Admiral Chan Chak's side at all times as his body guard. Click here to read more on the Admiral's Coxswain A/B Stoker; Albert Leonard Downey [MTB 11] Click here to read more on Downey Merchant Marine Charles Skinner Escaped on C410 Able Seaman: Charles S Deakin MTB 27. Acting Petty Officer Alfred Burrows MTB 11. Able Seaman Leonard A Rann MTB 27. Merchant Marine Norman Halliday Skiff to MTB's from Aberdeen with Lt-Cdr Yeorath Merchant Marine A. Marchant Escaped on C410 Midshipman Holgar Christiansen Tug C 410 A/B Pawley ??? P.O. William C Dyer Warrent Officer William Morley Wright HKRNVR Merchant Marine E Cox-Walker Capt Peter Macmillan R.A. Bill Robinson [Indian Police Intelegence] HMS Cornflower's launch Squadron Leader Max Oxford RAF Click here to read more Lt A Pittendrigh RNR Lt R R W Ashby HKRNVR MTB 07 Click here for more on Ronnie Ashby A/B: Alexander Kelly MTB 11 Lt Cuthbert J Collingwood RN MTB 11 also second in command of the Flotilla, A/B: Lewis.R. Whatley MTB 10 ?? Tel: Raymond Brogden MTB 10 Sub-Lt Gee R.N.V.R. MTB 07 L/St: Charles Evans MTB 07 Tel A/B: Eric W J Purchase MTB 07 A/B: Albert E Rutter MTB 07 P.O.: Charles H Moore MTB 27 Lt-General Wong A/B: Edmund H Brazel A/B Stoker: John Holt MTB 27 Lt-General Chen Lt-Cmdr John Humphrey Yorath RN XDO staff Major Arthur Goring attached to General's staff at HQ ? Click here to read more on Major Goring Capt Reginold [Freddie]Guest 1st Mdsx HQ staff P.O. Stoker: Samuel Carr MTB 10 A/B: Edmund J Charleson L/Tel Steve Gavaghan? Maj-Gen Tong Maj-Gen Yu Ow Young ??? Tel: Arthur McQueen MTB 11 A/B Mechanic Charles Foster MTB 09 A/B Stoker: Fred Quixell MTB 10 A/B Stoker: Kenneth Holmes MTB 11

62 Members of the escape party with Chinese Officials at Waichow on 29th December 1941

Back: Christiansen M.M,   A/B Pawley, A/P.O.Hide R.N, Ross B.M.I,  P.O. Dyer, W.O. Wright R.N.V.R, Cox-Walker M.M, P.O. Stonell R.N,  C.P.O.Thums R.N,   P.O. Tel Meadows,  Brazel,   Gurd,   Arnold,   Hempenstall,  McQueen,  Foster,   Quixell

3rd: Halliday M.M, Marchant M.M, Skinner M.M,  Holmes,   Whatley,   Brogden,  A/P.O. Priestley R.N,   Kelly,   Downey,   Holt,  Evans,  Purchase,  Rutter,  Penny,  P.O. Moore R.N,  Thorpe, Barker,  Schillemore,  Carr,  Hill,  Charleson,  Burrows,  Rann,  Deakin, Gavaghan?,  Pony Moore.

2nd: Capt Macmillan R.A, Supt Robinson I.P, Sq-Ldr Oxford R.A.F, Lt Pittendrigh R.N.R, Lt Ashby R.N.V.R, Lt Collingwood R.N, Lt-Cmdr Gandy  R.N,  Cmdr Montague R.N,  Adm Chan-Chak, Lt-Gen Wong, Lt-Gen Chen, Lt-Cmdr Yorath R.N, Maj Goring H.Q. Staff, Capt Guest 1st Mdlx, Lt Parsons R.N.V.R, Lt Kennedy R.N.V.R.

1st: Sub-Lt Gee, Maj-Gen Fu, Mr Ow Young, Coxswain Yeung Chuen, Lt-Cdr Hsu Heng,  Maj-Gen Tung,  Sub-Lt Legge R.N.V.R,  Sub-Lt Brewer R.N.V.R.

 

 

The 12 survivors of the Cornflower launch party

VIP Escape party Supt Bill Robinson, Indian Police Click here to read more on Supt Robinson W.O. William M Wright HKRNVR Capt Peter Macmillan R.A. Click here to read more on Peter Macmillan Capt Freddie Guest 1st Mdsx HQ staff Click here to read more on Guest Coxswain Yeung Chuen Click here to read more on Coxswain Chuen Ted Ross of the Colonial Office, Ministry of Information [BMI] Click here to read more on Rossy David MacDougall of the Colonial Office, Ministry of Information [BMI] Click here to read more on MacDougall Admiral Chan Chak Click here to read more on Admiral Chak Major Goring Click here to read more on Major Goring Squadron Leader Max Oxford Click here to read more on Max Oxford MM Holgar Christianson Lt Cmdr Henry Heng Hsu Click here to read more on Lt Cmdr Hsu

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

2nd: David MacDougall B.M.I., Admiral Chan Chak, Major Arthur Goring staff, Squadron Leader Max Oxford

1st: Merchant Marine Holgar Christianson, Lt Cmdr Henry Heng Hsu

The escape party left Aberdeen in HMS Cornflower's launch down Aberdeen South channel where they were shot up by the Japanese from Pill Box 12 and Brick Hill. Colonel Yee Shiu Kee could not swim and stayed on the launch along with the badly wounded Captain Damsgard. Both survived after spending the night on a beach. Yee Shiu Kee escaped with the help of local fishermen to China. Damsgard who was shot through both legs was treated for his wounds in Hong Kong. Foster and D Harley [2nd Engineer SS Yatshing] were both shot and presumed dead.

 

The Royal Navy escape party at Kweiyang [The Chinese Red Cross medical centre] on 24th January 1942, 1380 miles & 30 days into their 2880 mile trek from Hong Kong to Rangoon.

The Governor of Kweichow Province, General Wu is at the front centre wearing white gloves.

The officer who came to meet the British Royal Navy party was Dr Robert Lim, who spoke fluent English. Dr Lim was educated in Edinburgh [George Watson's College] & married a Scotswoman. He was an old friend & golfing partner of Admiral Chan Chak.

Just click on a person to see if there is a link in order to identify them Lt Kennedy [MTB 09] A/B: Stoker George [Bones] Arnold [MTB 07] Click here to read more on Bones Lt-Cmdr Gandy R.N.[MTB 10] & C/O of the 2nd MTB Flotilla C.P.O Gilbert Thums of HMS Cicala then acting No 1 on MTB 10 Acting Stoker Petty Officer Buddy Hide of MTB 07 Click here to read more on Buddy Hide Lt-Cmdr Yorath R.N. XDO staff ? Lt Tommy Parsons: Lt. H.K.R.N.V.R. Sub-Lt Legge H.K.R.N.V.R. [MTB 11] Merchan Marine Charles Skinner C410 General Wu Merchant Marine Norman Halliday C410 ? Lt Collingwood RN MTB 11 Lt Pethic HKRNVR ? P.O. Stoker Sammy Carr MTB 10 ? ? ? ? ? ? P.O. ? P.O. ? P.O. ? ? Sub-Lt Arthur Gee RNVR MTB 07 ? A/B Edmund Brazell ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Sub-Lt Tommy Brewer HKRNVR MTB 09 ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

48 Members of the escape party with General Wu

Known Personnel on the Escape:

MTB 07

MTB 09

MTB 10

MTB 11

MTB 27

C410

Skiff to MTB's

HMS Cornflower's Launch

Special Operations Executives [Force Z]

Citations posted in The London Gazette on the 13th October 1942 For daring and resource in Far Eastern waters:


The Distinguished Service Cross.

Temporary Lt Ronald Robert Wilson Ashby, R.N.V.R.

Mention in Despatches (Posthumous).

Telegraphist Tom Greenwood Duckworth, P/JX202851.


Mention in Despatches.

Lt-Cmdr Gerard Horace Gandy, Royal Navy (Retired).
Lt Alexander Kennedy, R.N.V.R.
Petty Officer John William Prest, P/JX128494.
Acting Stoker Petty Officer Stephen John Hide, P/KX82873.
Acting Stoker Petty Officer Ronald John Charles Priestley, P/KX81900.
Leading Seaman William Arthur Schillemore, P/JX142194.

Other awards:

K.B.E. : Admiral Chan Chak

C.B.E. : Colonel Yee Shiu Kee

M.B.E. : Guerilla leader Liang Yung Yuan

O.B.E. : Lt-Cmdr Henry Heng Hsu

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