Escape from Hong Kong - The Final Hours

 

Stoker A/B Lenny Rann, P/KX106555, MTB 27 ( Whippingham IOW)

On arrival in Rangoon Lenny Rann was assigned to Motor Launch (ML) duty which eventually took him up the coast to Akyab (now Sittwe) arriving on 13th March.

He eventually left Akyab (Sittwe) onboard the five thousand ton British India Steam Navigation Company's "SS Ellenga" bound for Calcutta along with Lt Kennedy, and fifteen other ratings including Bill Dyer and Al Downey and over two thousand refugees crammed on deck. From Calcutta it was a thirty six hour train journey across the Indian sub-Continent to Bombay where they boarded the Cunarder armed merchant cruiser "RMS Laconia" bound for Cape Town.^[15] Leaving on 28th March just two days after the other half of the escape party onboard the armed merchan cruiser "Narkunda" bound for Durban.^[66]

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]

 

Lenny Rann wrote an account of his escape which was published in the Isles of Wight "County Press" in 1942

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lt-Cmdr Gandy with his back to the camera, A/PO Burrows, Stoker A/B Lenny Rann,
A/B Les Barker, & S.P.O. Carr falling in to march into Kukong on the 6th January 1942

Photo from Ted Ross collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/P.O. Al Burrows,Stoker A/B Len Rann, S.P.O. Charlie Moore, & Lt Collingwood & his dog Bruce, S.P.O. Buddy Hide is in the background with the escape party at Kukong

Photo from Admiral Chan Chak's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 underway with Lt Kilbee in command in March 1940

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 alongside

Photo from C J Collingwood's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Photo from C J Collingwood's collection ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTB 27 launching a torpedo