Buddy Hide
Introduction
Almost 67 years ago, on Christmas Day 1941 seventy two men made a bold bid for freedom as Hong Kong capitulated to the Japanese. Sir Mark Young the Governor of the Colony had a meeting with the C-in-C Major-General Maltby and the One legged Chinese Admiral Chan Chak in the morning and agreed to use the 2nd MTB Flotilla to get the Chinese liason party out later in the day, along with senior officers from fortress HQ. The next four days would test all those involved to the limit and be etched in their minds for the rest of their natural lives. This was the beginning of an epic journey across China to Rangoon in Burma. The Flotilla crews were sworn to secrecy but a few kept diaries. The British had made plans to get the four members of the National Military Council of China out of Hong Kong if the Japanese took control. The Chinese along with senior military officers and civilians made it to Aberdeen on the south side of Hong Kong. There they made good their escape in HMS Cornflower's motor boat, but they immediately came under machine gun and mortar fire as they went down Aberdeen South Channel trying to find the MTB's. The plan was for the five MTB's to lay off to the South of Hong Kong and Aberdeen Island and dash into Aberdeen to pick up the VIP party just prior to surrender and make good their escape. The surrender came earlier than expected and the Flotilla was being targeted by bombers and could not risk entering Aberdeen in daylight.Also Cmdr Hugh.M. Montague R.N. Retired escaped with a crew of two officers, and four other ranks after salvaging the Tug C410 and joined up with the MTB's in Mirs Bay the following day.
Their escape was largely due to the courage & resourcefulness of the 50 year old one legged Chinese Vice-Admiral Chan-Chak, liaison officer between the Chinese & British authorities, and Commander of the South China Navy. The survivors landed on the coast of Guangdong after scuttling the MTBs at Nano in Mirs Bay. One of them was 27 year old Acting Stoker Mechanic Petty Officer Buddy Hide, R. N. from Lewes, England. He has written an account of the escape, which started on Christmas Day in 1941. Acting P.O. Hide was married in Lewes eleven days after sailing into Glasgow one hundred and forty eight days after escaping from Hong Kong. On the voyage home he sent a two worded telegram Homeward Bound after nearly four years away. He had served nine of his twenty-two years in the Royal Navy.
Buddy Hide's account:
We knew something was going on when three members of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) arrived on the 21st December and proceeded to load MTB 10 with bren guns, bomb's, food & clothing supplies. The following evening we were gathered for a briefing by the SOE team on traveling overland in hostile territory. We were told to prepare packs weighing 50 pounds but no word on what we were expected to do. The SOE agents settled in very well with Tai on 07, Mike on 10, & Mac on 11. They even stood watches and were full of admiration with the crew's morale. The word on deck was that we were to make a break for it just prior to surrender as the situation was by now looking very grim. Lt Ron Ashby recorded in his personal log; "They were interested in getting China’s No. 2, Admiral Chan Chak, some of his staff and some higher British officers away from the Island, and decided to combine the two parties. Three or four days before the end we were under official orders to get away at the last moment at all costs after picking up the official party."
We returned from patrol about dawn on Christmas Day, and were
told to find a secluded spot West of Ap Lei Chau. My boat MTB 07 along with 09 went into Telegraph bay between Mt
Davies and Aberdeen and lay alongside a rather short stone
pier. We were to hide and await orders for the pre-arranged escape later in
the day from Aberdeen just prior to surrender. 
We covered our boats with straw and branches of trees as the Japanese bombers were targeting the
Flotilla. There was a cease fire from 09.00 till noon, when the bombardment
of Hong Kong Island resumed in earnest. At 15.30 we heard that Governor Sir
Mark Young had formerly surrendered to General Sakai of
the Japanese Army at Queens Pier in Hong Kong at 15.15 after 18 days of
some of the fiercest close combat of WW II.
We were standing by in Telegraph Bay with MTB
09 most of the day. MTB 10, 11 & 27 were hiding in the lagoon at the South Western end of Ap Lei Chau
where Lt-Cmdr Yorath and Mr Halliday a merchant marine rowed out to them by skiff with
orders from the XDO to go. Yorath and Halliday elected to join the escape and
the Flotilla C/O Lt-Commander Gandy agreed.
We had lost three MTB's, 08, 12, & 26 in the Battle prior. Admiral Chan Chak who led the shadow Government in the Colony and his party had a gentleman's agreement with
the British authorities that they would be returned to Free China in the
event that the Japanese over-ran the Colony. At about 15.45 Hrs on 25th December [Christmas Day] Ted Ross and David MacDougall, both in the Ministry of Information who had moved their office to the Gloucester Hotel, went over to the Kings Theatre
in Queens Road where Ted had parked the Buick he had taken from the vehicle
compound. There they were joined by the Chinese liaison party consisting of Admiral
Chan [Chen] Chak [Chek] ,
Colonel Yee Shiu Kee of the Chinese Secret Service who was the Admiral's 2nd in command. The Admiral's "Right Hand Man" Flag Lt Com Henry Heng Hsu and his Coxswain Yeung Chuen
who was his bodyguard. Also there were five British
officers from Fortress HQ, Sqd/Ldr Max Oxford [RAF], Major Arthur Goring, [Military
Intelligence], brought in from Delhi to deal with the 5th columnists, Supt Bill Robinson of the Indian Police intelligence, Capt Peter Macmillan,
of the R. A. and Capt Reggie [Freddie] Guest, of the Middlesex Regiment [The
Diehard's]. With Henry Hsu leading in an old canvas topped
Austin the two cars stormed through the chaos of a defeated city with blockades and went through streets that were 
occupied by the Japanese. Henry did not spare the horn,
he had everybody moving out of the way.
They were stopped several times by Japanese soldiers but they were able to proceed
because Henry Hsu was shouting Banzai!, Long live the Emperor, and Chan was extremely calm. On they drove, past the
Queen Mary Hospital arriving at the Aberdeen Naval Base at 16:15.There they found Commander Montague who said that the MTB's had been ordered to go more than an hour previously. There were some
Navy personnel trying
to get a 15 foot launch from the scuttled HMS Cornflower going, it had no fuel or battery. Ted, along with a
Merchant Naval Rating dashed off to the Naval store in the Buick and returned with sixteen gallons
of petrol, and a battery.
The others filled the boat with canned food, water, and rifles.
Numbering sixteen, they finally got under way at 1645 hrs on a bright sunny afternoon. Because Aberdeen West was heavily mined they decided to take the Aberdeen South channel. Just five or six
hundred yards down the South Channel and just 200 yards from the coast of Hong Kong Island they were spotted by Japanese occupying Pill Bbox 12 below Brick Hill
[Nan Long Shan] and the AA battery above.The Japanese
opened up with everything they had, rifles, machine guns, and shells.
The boat was riddled, with Damsgard [of the Store Nordiske Telegraph Company] shot through both legs & Foster and
Harley [2nd Engineer SS Yatshing] both killed. The Admiral's coxswain
Yeung-Chuen could not swim, so Chan gave him his life jacket. As Chan waved
Yeung-Chuen over the side he took a bullet in his wrist. MacDougall was hit in
his left shoulder blade. A second bullet went clean through his tin helmet, and a third clipped the sole of his shoe. Henry helped the Admiral remove his wooden leg, in which he had hidden
$HK40,000. Chan said to Henry, "What should we do!!" To which Henry
replied "Pray, Pray to God" (Henry is Christian). Chan, who was not, said "if we
make it out of here, I'll convert to be a Christian!"
Henry prayed and then
carrying the one-legged Admiral he jumped ship. Then Henry swam 500 yards across to Aberdeen Island carrying the injured Admiral on his back. Ted decided to
strip off before diving in and abandoned his clothes, gun, and money,
$HK2000. They had to swim to Ap lei Chau [Aberdeen] Island with the water a
mass of spouts from the bullets and shells. The first ashore was Ted Ross, who clung to
the rocks frozen stiff in just his underwear . Others swam in and later MacDougall came floating in
on his back fully clothed, and with a pistol strapped to his waist even though he was a poor swimmer. He had somehow managed to kick his shoes off after going under twice.
The Japanese kept firing after they landed, spraying rock splinters all over
the place. Henry looked after Chan the best he could, as he was losing a lot of
blood. After dark those who could started off Westwards to get to the protected
South West side in the hope that the MTB's were still there waiting for dark. Henry left Chan who was a Buddhist with a Christian Bible and a gun, just in case the Japanese got to him first. Later on Chan adopted the first name of Andrew, and renamed his sons Donald and
Duncan after converting to Christianity. He also struck up an intense
friendship with David MacDougall. Initially Ted Ross had left the wounded David MacDougall with Chan and then climbed up the short hill. Christiansen who had gone up first and round the smaller hill to the west spoted the MTB's in the bay and swam out to 27. He
was so excited we thought he said "There are ten Japs following with machine
guns". What he actually said was "There are
ten chaps following being machine-gunned". As others were spotted comming over the hill Sub-Lt Legge on 11 gave them a warm reception by opening up with the stripped down Lewis gun he was manning on the conning tower as he was on aircraft watch.
Luckily McEwen of the SOE did not have a magazine attached to his Bren gun. Others went throgh the valley between the higher & lower hill. As the radio was damaged beyond repair Gandy ordered 11 to go and find 07 & 09 in Telegraph Bay but 11s engine starters had packed up so Gandy on 10 had to lash alongside and tow in 11 to start her engines. In the process both 10 & 11 came under artillery fire which they managed to avoid by speed and manouver. When Ted reached the top of the hill he
saw three MTB's at anchor in the bay to the South West of the Island, then two of them
put out to sea. Ted then decided to go back for Mac and they made a slow trip
over the Island being targeted by a sniper from behind. 
They were almost down to
the water's edge, when suddenly a voice in beautiful English cockney shouted, "It's
okay, come on down" ."I don't believe I've ever heard anything so beautiful and
gratifying as that voice" Ted told us. They scrambled down and were picked up
in a small skiff.
Henry went looking for Chan but could not find him. The Admiral had somehow climbed to the top after hearing the sniper taking potshots at Ted & Mac, and was eventually picked up by Lt-Cmdr Yorath and Bill Robinson and brought back by skiff to MTB 10. Colonel Yee Shiu Kee could not swim and was presumed dead. In fact he stayed onboard and made it to Ap lei Chau Island along with the badly wounded Damsgard and escaped with Chinese assistance separately. Of the sixteen who set out on "HMS Cornflower's" launch, twelve made it to the MTB's. They were all provided with dry clothes and enjoyed hot coco and rum with the Admiral donning Gandy's uniform which he wore for the duration of the escape. Kendall told Gandy to relieve his 1st officer Lt Kilbee as the numbers were rising. Kilbee subsequently spent three and a half years as a Japanese POW. They also had to repel regular troops trying to board the flotilla.
At 21:40 we were ready to slip and proceed. We had just three torpedoes between the five MTB's. We started the engines and tuned them up ready to make our get-away, the noise was tremendous and nerves were jangling. The Chinese called the MTB's Wind Thunder Boats with good reason. The 2nd MTB Flotilla proceeded at 22 knots for Mirs Bay on various courses and well offshore. We on 07 went via the the East Lamma Channel. The Skipper could see his house on fire up on the hill as we sped past. It was one of the loveliest nights I had ever been out in. The sea was as calm as a millpond and the wind warm. Luckily the moon was not yet up and we got about ten miles out before it showed up. Shortly after we were fired upon, and then we encountered Japanese warships but managed to slip them. They could not find us with their searchlights. The five MTB's eventually arrived at the crescent shaped Island of Tung Ping Chau in the North East of Mirs Bay at about 01:30.
26th December 1941
The C/O of the Special Operations Executive (S.O.E. 136 Z Force) Mike Kendall, a Canadian along with the other two SOE agents went ashore with the Admiral's Coxswain Yeung Chuen under cover of the MTB's manned Lewis guns. The locals fled into the hills at the sound of the Flotilla arriving. Chuan assured them we were friendly and they brought the headman back to liaise with the Chinese Admiral who was now dressed in Lt-Cmdr Gandy's spare uniform. Admiral Chan Chak then advised that the MTB's shape course for the small village of Nano in the province of Kwangtung on the Mainland that was not occupied by the Japanese. There Cmdr Hugh Montague and six others met us who had escaped independently in the Tug boat C410, which had run aground entering Nano.
The party now numbered sixty eight with Kendall taking charge of the whole party. It was here that the Nationalist guerrilla's led by Liang-Yung-Yuan met the Chinese Admiral and everyone was relieved. Liang told Chen that he would escort them to Waichow following the age old smugglers route to meet up with the Chinese Army, and provide all expenses on the road. Liang had also contributed 3 boxes of Chinese currency for the Admiral's cause. We immediately realised the power, influence, and respect the Admiral had. He was the President of the Southern Kuomintang, the Nationalist party in Southern China. We then started to bring ashore everything that was of value to our cause and to the guerrilla's. S/Lt Legge had the job of negotiating with the locals ashore as he spoke the language fluently. Then came the rottenest part: having to sink our boats, the boats we had lived in for the last two years or so. Time was something we did not have, as daylight was approaching. We had to use axes on the wooden hulls, and open the sea cocks to let the water in. The Chinese villagers piled rocks on board. The weight of the engines eventually took the remnants of the 2nd MTB Flotilla down along with C410. There was only two fathoms of water, which meant the masts were visible. With heavy hearts we eventually landed ashore, and were ready to proceed on foot at 05.30 after working all night. An hour later the sun rose, and the full implications of what lay ahead dawned on us all.
We split into three groups; each led by a member of the Z Force, Mike [Kendall], John [Monia Talan ], & Mac [Colin McEwan]. Lt R. Ashby (07) & Lt A. Kennedy (09) and crews were in the third group under McEwan. Henry Hsu organised local coolies to help carry the supplies. When it was time to move Kendall barked out the order "READY TO MARCH". We soon came to dread that command as it was a relentless task in order to beat the Japanese before they could find us.
We were armed to the teeth with eight Lewis machine guns, six Bren guns, two Tommy guns and every man had a rifle or a revolver; most had both. The Admiral was near the
front, carried on a chair lashed between two bamboo poles. Heading inland we did two hours forced marching and were told to rest for the day at
a small rice farm in the woods at Gaotie (Kowtit) . Brakfast was a mixture of local rice with tinned provisions from the MTB's, and fresh tangarines straight off the tree which was a first for us. Here we bartered some excess weight,
automatic weapons, ammunition etc.
We then slept all day and on waking up we were told to carry oilskins, blanket, and
revolver. Personnel effects were secondary; hence anything else was a luxury. We
started off again at 17.30 that evening back to NamAo, and following the coastline along a
scenic path before heading inland we marched 14 miles with ten-minute breaks every now and again. There were people in all stages of dress, one wore gym shoes split down the middle because they were too small. Some had boots, some shoes, some socks, some none.
In all, the pack of each person weighed a good fifty pounds. The worst thing was that there was no proper equipment for carrying things, like shoulder straps, haversacks, water bottles, etc. It would have made the load much more comfortable in each case but the navy was not meant to make route marches.
Those next three days were absolutely hell on earth, and our feet were cut to ribbons. "Marching by night and marching by day, climbing up and down several thousand feet of mountains and all the time being led and guided by the Chinese guerrillas. These guerrillas were incredible: they had an excellent system of intelligence and knew at all times exactly where the Japs were. We passed within a few miles of them several times without the Japs being aware of us."
We were bitten from head to toe with vermin picked up in the huts we slept in by day. During one break the Chinese Guerrilla's challenged us to a shooting match, but our ammunition was wet. The main weapons of the Guerrilla's was the German Mauser which with a clip on extended stock could be used as a rifle. Some of the Chinese Guerrilla's were very young, just boys or girls not yet into adulthood. We eventually arrived at the village of Wong Nih Hui, which was the guerrilla's headquarters, arriving there at approximately midnight. The whole party was extremely tired, and the going was tough and slow. We discarded unwanted gear as we went. The 1st Officer of MTB 09 had ripped the boats lead cast crest off but soon found it too heavy, and while in the process of abandoning it Kennedy decided to take up the challenge. He lugged it all the way across China and back to the UK. That night we slept in a temple on straw. Three or four of our party were ill, one with dysentery and another suspected of having cholera. It was no wonder, when I think back on the food we had been eating. It was indeed fortunate we were traveling in the coldest part of the year, when disease was at its lowest ebb. We almost froze each night, but that was far better than falling sick.
Waichow [Huizhou]
27th December
We set off at 08.00 after a breakfast of tinned sausages and cocoa. David MacDougall now needed a chair due to the bullet he was carrying in his shoulder, received while swimming ashore at Aberdeen Island with Admiral Chan Chak. It was very rough going with Lt Parsons collapsing with heart trouble as we crested a steep climb of about 2000 feet [610m].
We had to cross a shallow river before the East/West road which was a supply route for the Japanese to Hong Kong near the town of Tam Shui. The Admiral's right hand man Henry and some of the Guerrilla's went ahead to scout and returned to say all was clear. We crossed the Jap-patrolled road at 18.00, and carried on marching crossing another shallow river until 20.00. Arriving at a village we were informed that the Japs came there every morning at 06.00, so we had to continue for another four hours arriving at See Hui?. That day we marched 31 miles and slept in an orchard under trees. It was wintertime, and the coldest night we ever slept out in.
28 - 29th December
The days marching brought us in contact with Chinese Regular troops, which was re-assuring to us. We arrived at the village of CHUNLUNG after another 16 miles where accommodation was provided in what appeared to be an old temple. "Really good Chinese food provided by our kindly hosts - plenty of variety and very hot." The following day we reached the outskirts of Waichow, where we had to wait for the all clear before entering as an air raid was in progress. 
Pony Moore produced his harmonica and lifted all our spirits as we set off again. Bicycles had been sent out to us from Waichow when we were about ten miles from town. Some of us had a ride as pillion passengers as we were suffering with feet problems, I had "Hong Kong Foot" which made it very painful to walk. At four o'clock we arrived after another 16 mile march and fell in to march to the town centre with Kelly & Purchase, the two youngest members carrying the White Ensign and Chinese National Flag either side of the Admiral past the Chief Magistrate, amidst firecrackers and all the noise the locals could muster. We had then covered 80 miles which had cost Leung-Wing-Yuen thousands of $ in bribes through the bandit country. That evening we had a banquet laid on by the Chinese Army, consisting of Chicken, Duck, Pork and much more washed down with an endless supply of rice wine. Ronny Ashby somehow managed to dress with collar and tie looking every bit a senior Naval Officer. The three Z Force agents left us at Waichow to head back to NanAo to pick up the heavier weapons from the MTB's that were left behind. Kendall & McEwan went on to form the British Army Aid Group [BAAG] based in Waichow. This was eventually taken up by Lt -Colonel Lindsay Ride who was an Australian Academic. It was here that the legendary Waichow group Photo was taken on the 29th December by the local photographer with his last glass plate.
31st December
After resting two days at the American Missionary hospital staffed by excellent Chinese nurses we were each presented with an orange, a packet of biscuits, and a hand towel by local children. We left at 18.00 in four sampans for a 140 mile journey up the East River to Longchuan . Liang-Yuing-Yuan was once again our guide as the river was notorious for pirates The sampans had been organized by Lieut Colonel Hector Chauvin of the Chinese Military Mission. They were about seventy feet in length; two were motorized junks with charcoal/gas 6 cylinder lorry engines. The boats were very crowded, as well as our party there were some Chinese regular troops as well as some of our guerrillas as guards. The motors were very unreliable. The going was slow with many sandbanks encountered and some of us walked along the riverbank by day.
INVITED TO TEA
4th January 1942
After an eventful five day river journey, on a meager diet of two small bowls of rice per day, and with many engine breakdowns we eventually reached Longchuan at 1600 hours . 
Lt-Colonel Owen-Hughes, who was seconded as liaison officer to the Chinese Army, met us just before we arrived at Longchuan. He had been charged with organising our transport through Southern China. He also had much needed funds which meant we were less dependant on local hospitality. We marched into the town square to a tumultuous welcome. They got a special dispensation to slaughter a cow, and laid on a huge banquet that evening for us before we retired to the school for the night.
5th January
We left at 04.30 in five trucks and a car for the Admiral and David MacDougall, to take us through the Nan mountains to Kukong [Shaoguan] . Owen-Hughes had arranged Chinese Army padded jackets for us, which we were very thankful for as it was winter. On the way we overtook the Chinese Army on the march, mile after mile of them on both sides of the road. Due to delays with punctures, and running out of fuel we were not able to stop at Nan-Hai, a Buddhist monastery where there were three mummies, one of which was Lok Tsu, the sixth reincarnation of Buddha, and about 1200 years old. The Temple was being renovated by the monks under the energetic direction of their 93 year old Abbot.
8th January
On the approach to Kukong [Shaoguan]. the locals greeted us and pinned flavors to our lapels. This was our first chance to pick up international news which was not good in the Far East, also Tokyo Rose was broadcasting propaganda forecasting doom for the escape party. We did a token march into town, and then back in the trucks we headed for a very large sampan on the other side of town. This was no ordinary sampan; this was the Sea Palace, the local floating brothel. Owen-Hughes had arranged with the owner to clear it out and rent it for our stay in Kukong [Shaoguan]. His excellency the Governor of the Province General Li laid on a huge reception where it turned out that his ADC had been at Cambridge with one of the H.K.R.N.R. Officers. General Yu Han Mow who had been in command when Canton fell to the Japanese, and now holding office as the Commander-in-Chief of the extensive seventh War Area was also present. The Royal Navy party were so hungry they finished off all the 'Chow Fan', a customary dish of fried rice at the end when etiquette required it only to be toyed with to show the Host had provided more than enough food. We remained there for a few days staying in barracks with a party of British Commando's who were going on to train the Chinese guerrillas in special tactics. The following day we had a Grand reception laid on in the town hall, the bad news was that the Japanese had found the scuttled MTB's and were raising them. Also the people of Namo [Nan Ao] had been punished severely. We stayed here for a week while transport was being arranged for further up the line. This gave us a chance to enjoy the local hospitality and hone our bartering skills. We had air-raid alarms every morning and it was here that Admiral Chan Chak had the photo plate developed and presented each of us with a copy of the Waichow group photo. We did not see the Admiral as he was recovering after having the bullet removed from his left wrist.
Seven of the Senior Staff and Intelligence officers were flown North to Chungking to be debriefed on the fall of Hong Kong and see what lessons could be learned. David McDougall went to Chengtu Sze by plane where he was operated on at the Canadian Mission Hospital at the West China union University - the best equipped in Free China. Sub-Lieut Legge decided, owing to his knowledge of the country and the language, and the fact that his family were all in Shanghai offered his services for work in China.
There were two others with him, and after a pleasant week’s stay in Kun Ming they caught a plane to Chungking. That left us the Naval party numbering 50 carrying on towards Burma under our Flotilla Commander Lieut-Cmdr Gandy who had been given Chinese$14000. Although this sounded a lot the reality was that each $ was worth only a penny.
We played a seven a side soccer match here against the local YMCA, losing 8-0 to the locals, the excuse was that the ground, the ball, and opponents were all too small. Admiral Chan Chak and Major Goring stayed at the Mission. Chan was operated on to remove the bullet from his wrist by Dr S H Moore of the Methodist Missionary at the "Ho Sai" Hospital and was also suffering with ulcers and had a blood transfusion. We were invited out by the Methodist missionary to a high tea which we all enjoyed greatly. We eventually left by train to Luchow [Hefei] the of capital of Anhui province at 03.00 on the Canton-Hankow railway, and had five days train journey subjected to bombing. The scenery was spectacular as we ran along the banks of the Fei River through the mountains. We eventually stopped at Ping Shek, a village on the Kwantung border. Here we saw what can only be described as a "Rock Forest"; which was just amazing natural beauty. Then it was across the plains of Hunan Province covered in rice fields. At Hengyan our carriages were split from the rest, and the railway company laid on a special supper for us in the waiting room decorated with allied flags painted on cardboard. Then it was onto Kweilin [Guilin] and by morning we were in Kwangzi Province still rolling across the plains. As we approached the city of Kweilin [Guilin] we wound our way through more rock forests. Another air-raid warning was in progress. We were here long enough to visit the Seven Star Park/cave before embarking for Liuchow.
21st January
On arrival at Ichang [Railhead] Lt Ashby was treated for Typhoid with a temperature of 1040 F. Here we hired four trucks at a cost of Chinese$80,000 borrowed from the Ajutant-General, IV Chinese Army while in Liuchow. We embarked upon the trucks and had a two day journey to Kweiyang [Guiyang][. Fine rain makes the dusty road treacherous, sometimes with drops of thousands of feet with no barriers even on the many S bends. Much traffic and lines of Shetland ponies with bells.
23-27th January
The first lorries arrived in Kweiyang [Guiyang] at 14.00 hours. As fuel was very expensive the Chinese drivers had a habit of switching off the engines on down-hill runs. This resulted in one of the lorries overturning in the rain 80k from Kweiyang, and three men suffered broken bones. Luckily the truck landed upside down with the tail resting on an upright fuel drum it had been carrying. Sub-Lt Legge suffered a cut to the top of his head which required seven stitches in the medical centre five hours later after getting in the next lorry when it arrived. Kweiyang is the medical centre for the Chinese Army. There they attended to our injuries to the best of their abilities and Lt-Cdr Gandy procured funds which enabled us to do some essential shopping. There was also a visiting American Army surgeon, Dr. John Grindlay. We were given the freedom of the City after a speech by General Wu at the City hall and each of us was given a card showing the primitive life of the Chinese tribes sealed with the Governor's private seal and signature. 4pm we had a cinema show by the Red Cross followed by a few sketches by the Naval party which brought hoots of laughter.Here we were supplied with Red Cross Ambulances to take us through to Kunming, which is the Chinese end of the Burma Road.
28th January
We arrived at Kunming in the Wuliang Mountains where we were put up by the Chinese travel Hostel. Here we saw our first friendly fighter aircraft flown by the American Volunteer Group [AVG].
Ahead lay the 684 miles [1100 kilometer] long Burma Road connecting Kunming and Lashio in Burma where the raihead is.
1st February
Today we proceeded to travel down the most famous road in the World, the Burma Road in trucks supplied by Dodwell and co who Lt Ashby had worked for previously. We stopped at the small village of Tonying and were billeted with a group of Australian 
Commando's heading into China. We were the only sailors to have traveled the whole length of it. Although some of the views were breathtaking it was a seven-day nightmare, what with the several inches of dust, the real tortuous S-bends, and the road barely wide enough to pass an oncoming vehicle, and the several thousands of feet drop. It was a real nightmare. It is impossible to travel after dark on this road; we saw a lorry smashed every two miles on average. It was 700 miles from Kunming to Lashio. We stopped at Chuxiong, and again at Xiaguan for truck repairs. While at Xiaguan some of us visited Dali to see the monastery by the lake. On the whole of this journey the hospitality of the Chinese was wonderful. We were passing through the poorest part of the interior of China, but what ever place, no matter how large or small, the people gave us the best they could, of course it was all Chinese Chow, poor class Chinese Chow, which is all rice boiled dry, no milk or sugar, and sufficient meat for one Englishman was shared amongst ten of us; the same with the greens, which was nearly all garlic. We all became very adept at the use of chopsticks, we had to be or else starve.
6th February
Arrived at Wantung the Burma/China border town at 6pm and staying in the army billet for the night.
7th February
Wantung to Lashio where we were billeted with the RAF and entertained with good food and facilities.
RANGOON DESTRUCTION
12th February
We traveled from Lashio in Burma to Maymyo by truck, and then caught a train to Mandalay then on to Rangoon [arriving on 14th February 1942] which was deserted after 2880 miles overland from Hong Kong. We were in Rangoon for five weeks loading merchant ships, as well as doing special guard duties, which included stopping looters. Some of the Flotilla crew were deployed as 
gun crew on armed Merchant ships. One night we caught 55 Burmese with a Japanese Officer trying to land, they were all shot. We left Rangoon but returned three times, the last time to blow up the go downs, jetties, piers, wireless station, and all military places. We then proceeded downstream and stopped to blow up the oil refineries, dumps, and works. Some members of the Flotilla were allocated to armed merchantmen as gun crew, others stayed. We left Rangoon on the 8th March 1942 aboard the Danish ship "Heinrich Jessen" which was the Commodore's HQ and the last Merchant ship to leave before the Japanese arrived. We could see the fires 40 miles out at sea. Two hours after we left the Japanese 21st armoured Regiment arrived in Rangoon. We arrived in Calcutta on the 12th , we left on the 24th and traveled overland across the Indian sub-Continent to Bombay, where we departed onboard the "S. S. Narkunda" on the 26th at 15:30 hrs along with survivors from HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales. After stopping at Durban, we took onboard over 500 Italian POWs before shaping course for Cape Town, arriving on Sunday 12th April. The Laconia was just ahead of us and to our surprise the other half of the 2nd MTB Flotilla crews were aboard her. They then joined us on the Narcunda and 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. Of the 68 who escaped, 3 officers & 28 ratings finally arrived in Glasgow late afternoon on Friday 22nd May 1942 on the Narkunda.
The final order for surrender to the Japanese came from Churchill as Hong Kong could be returned after the war whereas if the surrender had been to the Chinese as the original holders there would have been no return, such is high politics and to say that Admiral Chan Chak's ultimate loyalties can not be disregarded.
Lt Alexander Kennedy had an astonishing coincidence. His wife to be left Hong Kong onboard the SS Ulysses of the Blue Funnel line on the morning of Sunday 7th December bound for Australia and the USA. The ULysses arrived in Glasgow on the same tide as the 2nd MTB Flotilla crews onboard the Narcunda. Kennedy was back in Hong Kong onboard HMS Pioneer in 1945 and ashore for the Japanese surrender on the 16th September, thus completing his full circle. S/Lt Brewer [MTB 09] arrived via a different route, but died tragically in a road traffic accident on the A1 on Tuesday 28th July 1942 at the start of his leave. He is buried at Gillingham in Kent.
Lt; R. R. W. Ashby was awarded the D.S.C. Later as C.O. of the 33rd MTB Flotilla he was awarded R.N.V.R. Officers Decoration for causing U-439 and U-659 to collide and sink on the 4th May 1943. He returned to the Far East as Senior Officer Arakan Coastal Forces during the Arakan campaign in Burma 1944. By the end of the war he add a bar to his D.S.C. and was mentioned in despatches. He kept a personal log from the time he joined the 2nd MTB Flotilla right through to when the escape party arrived in India.
Lt-Cmdr G H Gandy, Lt A Kennedy, P.O. Buddy Hide, P.O. J. W. Prest; Coxswain W. Schillemore; P.O. R. J. C. Priestley; A/B A. L. Downey; P.O. R. H. Stonell were all mentioned in Despatches. T.G. Duckworth Mentioned in Despatches (Posthumous) for their action against the Japanese forces in Kowloon harbour on the 19th December 1941.
Vice Admiral Chan - Chak Chaushek was granted the dignity of an Honorary Knight Commander of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire (K.B.E.) by King George VI for leading the allied party through enemy lines to freedom.
In 1945 Chan Chak accepted the istrument of surrender in Canton when the Japanese occupation finally came to an end.
He went on to become the first Post War Mayor of Canton.
General (then Colonel) Yee Shiu Kee was granted the dignity of an Honorary Commander of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.) by King George VI for his contribution to Hong Kong prior to the British surrender.
Lt-Cmdr Henry Hsu Heng was granted the dignity of an Honorary Officer of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by King George VI for his exploits in Hong Kong and the subsequent escape, and went on to become an MP in the Taipei Parliament, and also became an International Olympic Committee member.
Guerrilla leader Leung Wing Yuen was granted the dignity of an Honorary Member of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.) by King George VI for his exploits in leading the escape party through the Japanese lines into free China.
Chiang Kai Shek's Nationalists fled to Formosa [later known as Taiwan] in 1949 after Mao Tse-tung's Communist Red Army defeated them in the long and bloody civil war.
David Mercer MacDougall became the first Post War Brigadier Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong 1945 - 1949. He was acting Governor from May 1947 - 25 July 1947 . Mac thought long and hard during his return to the UK via Lagos in the Spring of 1942 about the defeat and was of a mind that had they mobilized 75,000 of the Hong Kong Chinese they may have avoided defeat. As the Japanese occupation neared its end a fierce battle for the hearts and minds of the Hong Kong Chinese raged between the Nationalist Chinese, Americans, and British for post war control.
The epic escape journey from Hong Kong to Rangoon was 2880 miles and took 51 days. The marching part of the China trip was through the jungle, and over mountainous Country 7000 feet above sea level, with no roadways. On the whole, the morale, spirit, and courage of the party were magnificent. The thought of beating the Japanese to get home after three years, four in some cases kept us going.
A/P.O. (Buddy) S. J. Hide is my late father & I am looking for any information regarding this remarkable escape from Hong Kong on Christmas day 1941.
Buddy got married just eleven days after getting back to the UK. After 22 years in the R. N. Buddy retired, and emigrated to Mwadui [Williamson Diamonds Mine] in Tanganyika where I was brought up.
Click here for Major-General C. M. Maltby G.O.C. China report on the Battle for Hon Kong
The one legged Chinese Admiral's son's Donald & Duncan Chan are in the process of getting an exhibition displayay at the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence dedicated to to this remarkable escape led by his father Admiral Chan Chak who became known as the Nelson of the East. He is planning a part re-enactment of the escape from Hong Kong in 2009 68 years to the day after the epic escape to coincide with the official opening of the museum. He has asked me to invite any family members of the original escape party to participate. Henry Hsu hopes to attend. Please click here for details.
The MTB Crest 