Families remember Chinese fishermen's heroic rescue of 384 British POWs

Around 100 families and friends of the survivors of the Lisbon Maru gathered at a special event in London on Saturday held by China's embassy in the United Kingdom, to commemorate the tragic incident and heroic rescue during World War II.

The Lisbon Maru was a cargo vessel that had been requisitioned by the Japanese army 83 years ago, to transport more than 1,800 British prisoners of war from Hong Kong to Japan. The unmarked ship was mistakenly struck by a US submarine off the Zhoushan Islands in China's Zhejiang province in October 1942.

Some of the prisoners managed to escape and jumped into the water only to face a hail of machine-gun fire from other Japanese ships that had come to rescue their compatriots.

Local Chinese fishermen rescued 384 prisoners from the sea, who would otherwise have been drowned, or shot by the Japanese army.

The embassy has organized the commemorative event every year since 2023, and this year also marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Zheng Zeguang, China's ambassador to the UK said: "The heroic rescue bears important witness to China and Britain fighting side-by-side as allies against fascist aggression, and has left tales of the profound friendship between our two peoples.

"Such friendship forged during the Second World War will never fade, and has become a valuable asset in our bilateral relations. Indeed, more and more people are now joining us in keeping this memory alive."

A documentary, The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, which includes interviews with two survivors and many families, has been released in China to wide acclaim and will go on the big screen in the UK in March.

Brian Finch, a retired major who was the film's military advisor and convener of the Lisbon Maru families, said the embassy's efforts in hosting the event show the importance of the Lisbon Maru story and the importance of establishing people-to-people relationships between the UK and China.

"It is something that is extremely valuable … we shall do what we can to develop relationships between individual people of, in this case, China and Britain, but also other countries as well," Finch said.

Last year, the families of the survivors formed a Lisbon Maru Memorial Association, to take a more active role in organizing related activities. They are also building a dedicated website, to serve as a repository for details of the men on board the Lisbon Maru.

Anthony Jones, chairman of the association, said: "We hope it will help us maintain an active and informed community … Thank you once again for your time and for joining us in conserving this important part of history, and keeping alive the memories of what our loved ones all suffered."

Melissa Franklyn, a granddaughter of John Edmund Jupp, who was among the British prisoners of war on the Lisbon Maru, attended Saturday's event with her husband and three children, to honor the memory of her grandfather. Jupp managed to escape into the water when the ship sank, but he was later captured and sent to a camp in Japan, where he eventually passed away.

"He never came home," Franklyn said, reflecting on her family's long-held grief.

Franklyn recalled how her mother, who was only 9 when Jupp died, spent her life talking about the Lisbon Maru tragedy and the bravery of the Chinese fishermen who saved so many people.

"She would be so happy to know that (director) Fang Li had made the film about it and that people are recognizing it," Franklyn said, adding that she thanked China's ambassador encouraged everyone to remember the story.

Franklyn also shared how her grandfather's close friend, William Evans, one of the men who survived, played a crucial role in telling the world what had happened.

"He was able to write to my grandmother and explain everything. He told the world about it," she said.

For her family, the event was not just about history – it was about ensuring that future generations remember the sacrifices and bravery of those involved.

"I got to learn about our family history, Chinese culture, and the fishermen that helped save all the innocent people as they risked their lives for them," said Franklyn's 14-year-old son.

In Zhoushan, local people have also been passing on this history, by holding commemorative services every year, and curating a dedicated section in the local museum about the incident.

Last December, a memorial in remembrance of the fishermen's rescue of British POWs was completed, and an official unveiling ceremony is being planned for the summer.

For Denise Wynne, daughter of Dennis Morley, who was saved from the water and who was the last survivor still alive before his passing in 2021, the construction of a memorial in Zhoushan was her father's final wish.

"He said they were heroes and there should be a memorial built for the fishermen," said Wynne. "I'm just so sad that he wasn't here to see it all. I thank you all for what you've done."

Han Jing contributed to the story.