大象传媒

This story is recounted by one of our Rowlands Gill & District Live at Home Scheme members.

Taken Prisoner by one of our Allies
By Tom Forrester

The Japanese in Hong Kong would not surrender to the Royal Navy for three weeks after their Home Government had surrendered to American and British forces. A large part of the British Pacific Fleet were lying offshore. The senior naval officer, Admiral Harcourt, finally signalled the Japs that he expected two Japanese Fleet minesweepers at 0600 the next day at the first buoy at the entrance to Hong Kong. Failing their appearance he would lead his ships in, guns firing. One of our ships was HMS Duke of York with 10脳14飩� guns. The Jap sweepers were there and our fleet went in. Hong Kong is a big harbour with plenty of deep water and anchorage.

After three weeks or so we were organised; the Jap POW鈥檚 were starting to go home in some old merchant ships. I had about 20 hours off, and decided to climb Mount Victoria, atop of which was what appeared to be a Japanese temple. I set off; the Mount was covered in a kind of heather, and about half way up I was hailed by a man to my right. He was on the same journey, dressed in pre-war British khaki. He was a White Russian, as old as the century, and had escaped from Omsk, on the Russian Trans-Siberian Railway, where his father was a senior officer. His father and mother and one son were captured by revolutionaries and executed forthwith. Another brother, and one sister, and himself escaped into North China where his brother died and his sister escaped by sea to USA. He, Assesserov, spent about 6/7 years in Harbin then about 6/7 years in the Nanking, Ichang and Shanghai areas. About 1932/33, Chiang Kai Shek was still fighting the Japanese, and also Mao-tse-Tung鈥檚 communists, and he decided to go to Hong Kong. He found plenty of work, spoke good English, and several other European languages, and was encouraged to join the H.K. Volunteer Defence Corps. When the Japanese invaded in 1941 they were mixed up with a Canadian rifle regiment, the Royal Scots, and the Middlesex Regt. They didn鈥檛 stand a chance, and surrendered after about three weeks. They were made POW鈥檚.

We climbed to the top, and as Assesserov had warned me, I was disappointed. It was roughly built of undressed stone, roughly rendered, had an entrance but no door, and three window spaces but no frames or glazing. The floor was covered in human excreta to about one foot deep. Assesserov was unfazed. He鈥檇 lived in the Far East for about 25 years, had learned a lot and forgotten surprisingly little.

I had dinner in their mess that evening. The company consisted of a few British, a Captain Wood who had been in Hong Kong since 1903, and about ten Portuguese from Macao (now Chinese). It was a memorable night for me. The meal was built around Beef Stroganoff, cooked by Assesserov. It was the first time I鈥檇 had it. Repeated it many times since. Assesserov asked me if I鈥檇 like to accompany him to climb a mountain situated in the New Territories, the foothills being about three miles from Kowloon. I agreed. Assesserov suggested we each take a rifle or revolver with 鈥渟ufficient鈥� ammunition. I knew I couldn鈥檛 get approval and said so. Neither could he. I later confided in a Commissioned Signal Bosun whom I鈥檇 known over about 3/4 years. He obtained cover from a Commander whom I could not quote then, and will not now.

We set off a few days later when I had 48 hours off watch. Ample time. Assesserov had done this exercise in peace time, so knew the way. We cut two staves, to deal with the snakes. We went on a paved road about eight feet wide, overlooked by thick vegetation, and saplings. No clearance during the Japanese occupation. My friend told me what to look for 鈥� bamboo snakes 鈥� up to about 4飩�6飩� long 鈥� difficult to spot against bamboo trunks and saplings and leaves. We took turns in leading or pushing the vegetation back. In the afternoon, I was leading, when Assesserov pushed me aside, and struck with his stave at something. It was a snake, which fell to the ground. He jumped on it, had his knife out, and despatched it! It took a while to die, but it was a good lesson to me.

The paved road went over a shoulder of the mountain, which is called TaixMoxShan, so we left the road and climbed the rough 鈥� mainly heather. We got to the top about 1530. A good time, because the sun was still up and we had beautiful views all round, 鈥� particularly of the harbour where almost all our ships, - five fleet carriers, one battleship, a cruiser squadron and 1陆 destroyer flotillas were at anchor. We didn鈥檛 stay long. Assesserov wanted to get near to Kowloon before dark which would be about 1800-1830. We couldn鈥檛 move fast because of the lush vegetation. There were some villagers鈥� paths which we followed providing the direction was in our favour.

Suddenly, there were shouts from four men, and just as quickly they appeared and held us. They were Chinese Nationalist soldiers 鈥� Chiang-Kai-Shek鈥檚 men. Very smart uniforms, not a mark on them each armed with a rifle and a carbine, and a small bag round the neck. We were soon shown that the bag contained four grenades. Ammunition was in belts over the shoulder, and round the waist. They were talking all the time, but we couldn鈥檛 understand a word. But by punching and shoving we knew what they meant, and moved accordingly. Not far, to a stone built house devoid of door and windows, but with a wood and banana leaf roof. We were bundled inside, and three sentries were mounted. Assesserov said little except that we may be kept here for a few weeks before our people were told! They took our watches and motioned us to sit on the earth floor. Night was not far away, when there was a commotion, and two sergeants and a captain appeared. Assesserov interpreted the insignia on their uniforms. A chair was brought for the captain; he used it. He spoke some English and began to question us. We gave him the usual information and the captain wrote it down in a little note book. Then he asked questions which we didn鈥檛 understand, then he centred on Assesserov, in Chinese. He tried three or four languages, but Assesserov could not, or would not answer. The captain frowned, and Assesserov spoke to him in some Chinese lingo, then two more. As he spoke in the third lingo, the captain smiled, and then they chatted away, but Assesserov was slow and hesitant. He told me later that the lingo was from North West China 鈥� the home of the captain. That turned out to be the end of interrogation. The captain obtained from Assesserov a promise that we would not try to escape, and almost immediately four of the soldiers brought us some peanuts, wild bananas and water. By now it was dark, and we were issued with US Army blankets 鈥� two each. We slept fitfully, bothered with flies and sounds of banging and sawing. Daylight came about 0600, and we were led to a stream with a little pool. A rough towel, and a gillette razor, one blade made in Canada. No soap. One of the soldiers arrived with a honing stone, and after no more than two strokes with the razor, took it and honed the blade. No mirror either but we managed. We were led back to the house, and found that the noise during the previous night came from them making two rough beds, complete with lianas and broad leaves 鈥� bananas we thought. Breakfast was dried fish, fresh water, and paw paw, perfectly ripe. The captain arrived, and the purpose of his visit seemed to be to ascertain that we were comfortable. He and Assesserov had a good chat with plenty of laughs. I was ignored. He departed after about half an hour. Assesserov then told me that the captain was honoured by our presence and hoped we would stay some time. His senior officer was near Canton, and would not know of our presence for about a couple of days. There was a wireless post about 10 miles away, and a soldier had been sent there this morning to report our capture. Assesserov was quite happy about this, but I wasn鈥檛. Assesserov was a released POW from the Japs, but I had a job to do. Assesserov appreciated my problem, but his attitude was 鈥淭ake it easy, they鈥檝e made us beds, we鈥檝e got food and water; they鈥檒l deal with the rest in their own good time.鈥� Obviously, I鈥檝e thought about this many times since, and can smile about it, but not then.

We were there another two days and nights. The captain came to see us daily and on the penultimate day brought chess men and board, and he and Assesserov had several games. Assesserov told me later his opponent was quite good, but he, Assesserov, played diplomatically to maintain cordiality.

There was a commotion at about 0900 on what proved to be our final day. The two sergeants appeared, and each cut one button off our shirts. Not a word said, but they bowed very sincerely.

The captain, both sergeants, and ten soldiers escorted us through the bush, and it wasn鈥檛 long before we came to some European type bungalows on the edge of the New Territories. Then followed a short conversation between Assesserov and the captain. The soldiers had done their job well. They knew when patrols came out, how long they stayed etc. The Chinese departed, with much bowing. The patrol of our people came in about 30/40 minutes. They were seven strong, Highlanders in khaki 鈥� even to the kilt. We were taken to a mess about a mile away. Tea and scones, and a corned beef sandwich each. Then a 15cwt arrived, and took us to the Star ferry, which the Japs had not wrecked.

Over to Victoria island. We parted company. Assesserov to his mess and his Captain Wood. Me to the Dockyard Signal HQ 鈥� situated in the old sail loft. A Chief Yeoman was i/c. The Signal Bosun had been drafted to HMS Duke of York. The Chief knew nothing about me, other than what I told him. The Commander, who was aware of where I was going, but not when, had been drafted to Kure, Japan, to set up a communications base there. My men, about 25, were H.o鈥檚 (Hostilities only) signalmen with hardly a year鈥檚 service, and were only wishing for their release number to come up.

There was plenty to be concerned (if not worried) about 鈥� would the patrol we met have reported to the Navy, who controlled Hong Kong then, or even the Chinese Nationalists? But nothing transpired on that front.

I resumed relations with Assesserov and we remained good friends until my release number came up. For me, he organised, and bought, Jade jewels for female relatives in UK. They all arrived safely. I transferred them to my wife when we arrived in Chatham Dockyard at the end of March 1946 thus eluding HM Customs.

Assesserov and I corresponded with each other for a few months, until I received a letter from another White Russian telling me that he had emigrated to NSW. That was all. My wife and I went to Hong Kong in early 1982 and visited the HQ of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, as the Volunteers had become. We were lunched by the officers who were all seconded from top regiments in the British Army 鈥� Life Guards, the Blues, Royal Tanks, etc. I told them the above yarn, which was much appreciated. The Colonel set matters moving and within a week, I received information that Assesserov had died in New South Wales in 1956.

End of story.

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