Escape from Hong Kong - The Final Hours

Lt-Cmdr John Humphrey Yorath R.N. ⁵⁹

09/11/1898 - ??/??/???

 

Photo from Buddy Hide's collection ©

 

Lt-Commander Yorath of the XDO staff along with Norman Halliday of the Merchant Navy rowed out by skiff from Aberdeen under shell fire round Ap Lei Chau to instruct Cmdr Gandy RN to "GO" and elected to join the escape party with the MTBs at Aberdeen Island.^[15]

Gandy ordered A/B Downey to take Henry Hsu and Yeung Chuen round the Islet into the line of enemy fire to pick up the wounded Admiral. Not finding him where Henry had left him they returned to get more men. Cdr Yorath and Bill Robinson then joined them and they made the trip again, this time locating the Admiral by whistling. He had somehow climbed up the slope after hearing the sniper taking pot shots at MacDougall and Ross erlier. Chan heard the whistling and finally threw a stone down and they made contact. Cmdr Yorath later wrote "The Admiral was practically at the top of the hill, although it was a difficult climb. I think he must have gone up there to die - Chinese like having their graves on hillsides. We lugged him down and got him in the boat. He must have suffered agonies. As we rowed back, he sat facing me in the stern and crossed himself which rather surprised me."^[43]

 

 

Some of the senior officers with nurses at the "Wai On" mission in Waichow ©

 

Back Row: Lt Kennedy RNVR, Lt-Cmdr Henry Hsu CN, Lt-Cmdr Gandy RN (Rtrd), Lt-Cmdr Yorath RN (Rtrd), Supt Robinson Indian Police, Lt Parsons HKRNVR, Lt Ashby HKRNVR, Lt Collingwood RN,

Front Row: Sub-Lt Gee HKRNVR, Sub-Lt Brewer HKRNVR, Sub-Lt Legge HKRNVR, and nurses at Waichow.

 

 

 

 

 

Shaoguan [Kukong]

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 transfusion here after his gastric ulcer flared up with Muriel's husband Peredur Jones donating his blood.

 

Photo from Admiral Chan Chak's collection ©

 

John Yorath was a former pupil of the Tonbridge School, Kent, where it also transpired that Sub-Lt-Legge HKRNVR also attended.

 

 

 

Lt Pittendrigh RNR, Lt-Cmdr Yorath RN, & Sub-Lt Brewer HKRNVR relaxing during the escape

 

Photo from Ron Ashby'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 front row right.

 

Photo from Lt Ashby's collection ©