The Tribune, Campbellton, NB, Friday, May 20, 2011 a5 ‘’ to guard Belledune’s Hong Kong war memorial

By TIM JAQuES

Belledune u Anew war memo- ton Graphic of Dec. 18, 1941 shows a rial is taking shape in northern New smiling Rfm. T. A. Roberts of Camp- Brunswick. It involves atale of men bellton looking out of the porthole of who endured some of the worst treat- the ship that delivered him. ment of the Second War War, and of “Since then the unit has been in ac- their mascot — tion with the Japanese and according himself adecorated war hero. to all reports are giving afine account The story of the of themselves”, The Graphic wrote, is perhaps one of the lesser known without adding much in the way of events in Canadian military histo- detail. ry. In September 1941 Great Britain The article did not mention that on asked Canada for support to defend Dec. 8, 1941, only hours after the its colony, Hong Kong, against an sneak attack on the Americans at expected Japanese attack. Japan had Pearl Harbor, over 50,000 Japanese not yet entered the war, but had al- troops attacked the approximately ready occupied most of China and 14,000 Canadian, British, and Indian had troops massed just outside Hong troops at Hong Kong. The Canadians Kong’s borders. Canada agreed to had few mechanized transport vehi- send two battalions and abrigade cles, these having been diverted by headquarters. the Canadian government to the Phil- One battalion was from the Royal Ri- ippines to assist the Americans in the fles of Canada, aunit based in Quebec futile defence of those islands. The City, and the other was the First Bat- vehicles likely wouldn’t have mat- talion of the . tered anyway against the overwhelm- It was in the former that many men ing strength of the Japanese. from northern New Brunswick and As set out in an episode of the televi- the adjacent Gaspé peninsula were sion show Pet Heroes,which Flana- serving when sent to Hong Kong. gan showed at the council meeting, it One of those men was the late James was in the defence of Hong Kong that Andrew Flanagan, father of Emma Gander distinguished himself, attack- Flanagan, Deputy Mayor of Belle- ing any Japanese soldiers who came dune. Amember of the Hong Kong his way. It was said that he met his Veterans Commemorative Associa- end by running off with aJapanese tion, Flanagan explained at the May grenade in his mouth. It was for this 16 meeting of Belledune village coun- reason that on Oct. 27, 2000, Gander cil how the idea of aHong Kong me- was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal, morial in the village came to her. aBritish award sometimes called the “Some people have asked the ques- Victoria Cross for animals. It was the tion: ‘Why Belledune?’. This goes first time the medal had been awarded back to about three years ago when to adog since 1949. Iattended one of our reunions. I “For saving the lives of Canadian in- started looking at the list of the peo- fantrymen during the Battle of Lye ple and the names of the Hong Kong Mun on Hong Kong Island in De- veterans and Inoticed specifically the cember 1941. On three documented Belledune, Jacquet River, and Nash occasions Gander, the Newfoundland Creek area. There were 26 of these mascot of the men just in our local area. Of the 26, engaged the enemy as his Belledune deputy Mayor emma Flanagan shows an artist’s rendition of the granite carving of Gander, the new- seven did not make it back.” joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers, foundland dog which accompanied members of the royal rifles of Canada to Hong Kong as their mascot during members of Battalion Headquarters World War Two. The statue of the dog, which was killed in action and awarded aposthumous medal for bravery, will When looking at the list of those who serve as one part of amonument in the village to those veterans of the Battle of Hong Kong who came from new had served, she saw something else. ‘C’ Force and other Commonwealth troops in their courageous defence Brunswick and the Gaspé peninsula. (Tim Jaques/Tribune) “I started to realize that within aone- of the Island. Twice Gander’s attacks and-one-half hour drive of Belledune, halted the enemy’s advance and pro- of their tormenters were punished Route 134 at the entrance to the Jac- soldiers who fought in the Battle of there were over 270 men who had tected groups of wounded soldiers. In and the government of Japan has quet River campground. She estimat- Hong Kong, particularly those for served.” afinal act of bravery the war dog was never formally apologized to them. ed the cost at $15,000. whom the Christmas of 1941 would The men had first been posted in killed in action gathering agrenade. be their last. Without Gander’s intervention many Flanagan wanted these men hon- Speaking on Tuesday, Flanagan Gander in what was then the Domin- oured. And she wanted the gallant said that the statue of Gander could Phillip Doddridge of New Richmond, ion of Newfoundland. There, they more lives would have been lost in the assault,” his citation reads. Gander included too. Thus when Fla- be ready in about three months, al- Que., directly across the Baie des were given alarge Newfoundland dog nagan unveiled the tentative plans for though the wall may not be ready Chaleurs from Belledune, is the pres- by alocal family. Originally named That was not the only recognition he awar memorial to the veterans of the until next year. She said Councillor ident of the Hong Kong Veterans As- Pal, the dog was renamed Gander received. When the Hong Kong me- Battle of Hong Kong, Gander figured Mario Lapointe is busy working on a sociation. As ayoung man of 18, he and given the honorary rank of ser- morial wall was erected in Ottawa in prominently. three-dimensional design. However, enlisted in the Royal Rifles of Canada geant. Gander quickly became pop- 2009, Gander’s name was listed with She explained that the normal rule of this December marks the 70th anni- and was in Hong Kong as acompa- ular with the men, although pilots the names of those men killed in the versary of the battle. She would like to ny clerk. He remembers Gander well making landings sometimes mis- battle or who died later at the hands thumb for statues is that they stand one-and-a-half times large than life. A see the Gander statue in place in time and supports Flanagan’s plan. took him for abear on the runway. of the Japanese. Included was his for aceremony to mark the occasion. The man with primary responsibility honorary rank of sergeant. granite statue of Gander, sitting with “I am overjoyed. Ithink it is going for looking after Gander and making one paw on aCanadian helmet of the The Belledune Battle of Hong Kong to be great,” he said by telephone on sure he looked good as the mascot The war years were not kind to those era, will stand six feet tall. The dog, memorial will not be the only one Tuesday. Doddridge praised Belle- was Fred Kelly, from Campbellton. men captured at Hong Kong. They she said, will draw people to look at on the North Shore. Former Camp- dune for already having donated were the first Canadian soldiers to the monument, which will be asemi- bellton mayor Mark Ramsay—the money toward the construction of the When orders came for them to see battle in that war and the last to circular wall with the names of all nephew of Fred Kelly, Gander’s han- Hong Kong memorial wall in Ottawa. ship out, the men were determined come home. Those men who were Hong Kong veterans of the Royal Ri- dler—took aspecial interest in Hong While his association plans areunion to bring the dog with them. They taken prisoner and not soon mur- fles of Canada from New Brunswick Kong veterans. He arranged for an brought him on the train across Can- dered by the Japanese spent ahard in Granby, Que. this year, he isn’t and the Gaspé. She estimates these at evergreen to be planted in the city’s sure how many of his old comrades ada, and then had to convince the time as prisoners, forced to work as about 323 men. Plaques will present Riverside Park, with aplaque next to captain of their ship on the west coast slave labourers in Japan and else- will be able to attend, given their age the story of the Battle of Hong Kong. it explaining the significance of the and infirmity. that they were bringing adog, and where. Some died of starvation or dis- One will tell the story of Gander and battle. Each December, it serves as not abear, onto his vessel. ease. Beatings were frequent. So bad his citation. Campbellton’s community Christ- “There are only 62 of us left. That’s They arrived in Hong Kong on Nov. was their treatment that most suf- mas tree. It is lit up during aservice everybody, coast to coast.” fered life-long health problems. Few The spot Flanagan has in mind for 16, 1941. Aphoto in The Campbell- the memorial and statue is next to that commemorates those Canadian

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