In the Epic Footsteps of Their Fathers
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SUNDAY MORNING POST SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2008 9 The escape party comprised 72 soldiers who refused to surrender when the Japanese army stormed into Hong Kong on Christmas Day 1941. They fled from under the enemy’s nose to Nanao and then to Huizhou in a five-day hike over mountainous terrain. Photo: Richard Hide In the epic footsteps of their fathers nglishman Richard Hide “Over the past 12 years, from the and Nanjing-born A daring escape from Hong Kong after the Japanese correspondence I’ve had, all these guys had Hongkonger Donald the greatest respect for the Chinese people. Chan On-kwok had They travelled through bandit country. never heard of each invasion on Christmas Day 1941 is to be retraced by China was very fragmented at that time, other until nine years with lots of warlords. ago. One afternoon in “But these poor people gave up 1999, the two met for the the soldiers’ descendants, writes Vivienne Chow everything to feed the escape party when first time in London. they passed through. I have these reports They sat around a table and diaries, and they all come up with the and chatted for four to five hours, without same thing.” Enoticing how quickly the time had gone by. Donald Chan said: “At that time, it took After that, the two men – more than 10 “We never really cared about our six Chinese men to beat one Japanese years apart in age – became great friends, father’s stuff,” said Donald Chan, who left soldier. But one western soldier could fight 1 almost brothers, because of a unique Hong Kong for England in 1951 with his 1 ⁄2 Japanese soldiers. Therefore, the bonding that outsiders could never twin. “But around 10 years ago, having villagers were very grateful for the foreign comprehend; a bond that will never be moved around Australia, the US and soldiers. They offered half of their bowls of broken. Canada, we discovered his belongings, like rice to them. Many of the escapees This special connection came from diaries and badges, hidden in this leather expressed gratitude towards the Chinese their fathers, the one-legged Chinese suitcase. Then we became interested.” soldiers.” admiral Chan Chak and acting stoker petty One day in 1998, Mr Hide, who runs his Mr Hide added: “I don’t think the officer Stephen “Buddy” Hide. They were own property refurbishment business, westerners would’ve lasted one night among the 72 soldiers who refused to received an e-mail commenting on his without the admiral. Without my father, surrender when the Japanese army poured internet site. “Very interesting site … [Donald Chan’s] father wouldn’t have got into Hong Kong on Christmas Day in 1941, fascinating story … and by the way, the out of Hong Kong; and without his father, preferring to risk their lives than endure the one-legged Chinese admiral was my my father wouldn’t have survived in brutal, slow death of a prison camp. grandfather,” the writer noted. China.” Their epic trek to freedom took 68 of It turned out that the e-mail was sent by He pointed out that the ties went them as far as Rangoon, Burma (today’s Donald Chan’s daughter, after her son beyond race and culture. “Although [the Yangon, Myanmar), where they arrived on accidentally discovered the site when he British] were the colonial power, they were February 14, 1942. Four of them did not was searching for information about interacting with the local people to quite a make it out of Hong Kong. admiral Chan. It was that e-mail that high degree, and they had huge respect for The meeting in London gave birth to connected Mr Hide and Donald Chan. them. Whatever the thinking was at the the idea of a re-enactment, which has They exchanged contact information, government level was irrelevant,” he said. grown into a grand plan nearly 10 years and the latter threw himself into six “The descendants would love to pick up down the road. From around the world, months of learning to use a computer, so the spirit and see the liaison and the descendants of the escape party will gather that he wouldn’t have to rely on faxes and relations between the Chinese and the in Hong Kong next Christmas to re-enact pricey long-distance phone calls to stay in allies; some were Canadians, some were the first stage of the daring ordeal, from touch. They finally met a year later. Australians, mostly British. It was a great Hong Kong to Nanao and then “We got along so well and became good bonding.” Huizhou – retracing the steps of their friends. There is some kind of connection Last week, English couple Tim and ancestors who fled Hong Kong under the between us, not the kind of connection or Alison Luard, the daughter of McEwan, set noses of the Japanese army. bonding that you would have even if it was off along the escape route using McEwan’s “My father told me the story when I was someone you went to school with,” said Richard Hide with Donald and Duncan Chan in Hong Kong in October. The three are sons of escape party members. Photo: Richard Hide war diary. They planned to hike through a kid, but I did not take it in because Donald Chan. mountainous terrain over five days – the everybody’s dad has a war story. This Mr Hide’s website became a contact The great escape: route taken by the 68 soldiers who left Hong Kong same amount of time the escapees took – episode affected the remainder of his life. point for other descendants, including China was very tracking the villages where the men He did tell me the story about the one- those of Colin McEwan of the special received help, accommodation and food legged Chinese admiral. Then, about 12 operations executive, and David BHUTAN CHINA fragmented at that time, on the way. Their experience will serve as years ago, I began getting interested,” said MacDougall of the ministry of information with lots of warlords. But an important reference for next year’s Richard Hide, 60, chairman of the re- in Hong Kong, who returned to the city as 4 re-enactment. 7 6 enactment organising committee. the brigadier colonial secretary and served 5 these poor people gave The escape story had also taught the With his father’s belongings, as an acting governor between May and 3 descendants about the futility of war, Mr handwritten notes, photographs and July 1947. 2 up everything to feed the Hide said. He and the Chan brothers newspaper cuttings, he began to put the The Chan brothers, on the other hand, 8 1 hoped that memories of the feat could be bits and pieces together. In 1996, with the got hold of the only living survivor of the escape party when they kept alive through the younger Hong Kong help of his son-in-law, he set up a one-page escape party, Henry Hsu Heng, 96, who BURMA passed through generations. website telling his father’s story. now represents Taiwan as a member of the (MYANMAR) VIETNAM ............................................................... “We are already in our 70s and we don’t Coincidentally, at around the same time International Olympic Committee. know for how much longer we will be 9 LAOS Richard Hide, son of acting stoker and on the other side of the world, Donald Mr Hsu was admiral Chan’s right-hand 1 Walk to Weichow (now Huizhou) 130km petty officer Stephen “Buddy” Hide around. Now we want to brainwash them Chan, 74, and his twin brother Duncan man and took care of the admiral when he 2 Boat to Lungchun 240km so that they can carry on even when we are Chan On-pong began getting interested in was shot in the wrist during the escape. He 3 Truck to Kukong (Gujiang) 320km not around,” said Duncan Chan with a the history of their father, who died when also managed to convert Chan Chak to 4 Rail to Liu Chow (Liuzhou) 965km this, we’ve got a common thing and smile. Mr Hide said he had been educating they were only 15. Christianity, because the admiral had everybody is keen to make something of it his children and his grandchildren on this 5 Rail to railhead 240km “We rarely saw our father because he promised to convert if he survived the THAILAND and to remember this.” aspect of their family’s history. was very busy,” recalled Duncan Chan. escape. The Chan brothers were also 6 Truck to Kweiyang (Guiyang) 320km According to Buddy Hide’s account, Duncan Chan said some of his offspring He was separated from his brother and friends with Mr Hsu and his family. 7 Truck to Kunming 640km everyone in the party supported each other had grown up in the United States, and it the rest of the family during the war, and Donald Chan said about 20 to 30 per 300km 8 Truck to Lashio 1,130km throughout the rough journey. And they was a greater challenge to educate them. was forced to disguise himself as a girl to cent of the descendants had so far been CAMBODIA 9 Rail to Rangoon (Yangon) 700km not only bonded with each other but felt a “Their Chinese isn’t even that good. I avoid being recognised by the Japanese found. SMP GRAPHIC special connection with the local Chinese told my daughter-in-law to make sure that army. The invaders desperately wanted to He hoped that more people could join they met on the way.