- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: Hong Kong University Press; First Edition edition (15 Dec 2011)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 9888083767
- ISBN-13: 978-9888083763
- Product Dimensions: 23 x 16 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 126,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
Escape from Hong Kong is a crisp and comprehensive account of one of the epic untold tales of the Second World War - a unique Chinese-led British escape, under fire, from the Japanese invaders of Hong Kong. --Tony Banham, author of Not the Slightest Chance: The Defence of Hong Kong, 1941
Product Description
On 25 December 1941, the day of Hong Kong's surrender to the Japanese, Admiral Chan Chak - the Chinese government's chief agent in Hong Kong - and more than 60 Chinese and British intelligence, naval and marine personnel made a dramatic escape from the invading army. They travelled on five small motor torpedo boats - all that remained of the Royal Navy in Hong Kong across Mirs Bay, landing at a beach near Nan'ao. Then, guided by guerrillas and villagers, they walked for four days through enemy lines to Huizhou, before flying to Chongqing or travelling by land to Burma. The breakout laid the foundations of an escape trail jointly used by the British Army Aid Group and the East River Column for the rest of the war. Chan Chak, the celebrated 'one-legged admiral' , became Mayor of Canton after the war and was knighted by the British for his services to the Allied cause. His comrade in the escape, David MacDougall, became head of the civil administration of Hong Kong in 1945. This gripping account of the escape draws on a wealth of primary sources in both English and Chinese and sheds new light on the role played by the Chinese in the defence of Hong Kong, on the diplomacy behind the escape, and on the guerillas who carried the Admiral in a sedan chair as they led his party over the rivers and mountains of enemy-occupied China. Escape from Hong Kong will appeal not just to military and other historians and those with a special interest in Hong Kong and China but also to anyone who appreciates a good old-fashioned adventure story.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
One could leave it that this book reads like a great thriller. "After throwing himself into the sea amid a hail of bullets, the Admiral paused. `Although I was an experienced swimmer, struggling in the cold water under enemy fire with only one leg and now only one arm, I realized I might not survive.'"
That, however, would be an understatement and faint praise for an exceptional tale, told well. "Escape" is the story of the RN's 5 remaining MTB's, a group of RN, Army, HKVDC and the inestimable Admiral Chan, the Republic of China's senior officer in the colony prior to the Japanese invasion, who fled Hong Kong on Christmas Day, just after the surrender and steps ahead of pursuing Japanese soldiers. They crossed Mirs Bay, scuttled the MTB's and then hiked, with the aid of local guerillas, across Japanese held territory to safety in Republic of China territory. Most of the group then continued on to Burma, then India.
Chan, by dint of what he knew and what he represented, could not fall into Japanese hands and his harrowing, against-all-odds escape may well be the single most important achievement of the brave yet doomed defense of Hong Kong. It is an amazing event deserving much celebration -- not to mention kudos for uniquely uniting British and Chinese interests and for linking together regular army, navy, HKVDC, Chinese army and Chinese partisan units. Until now, however, little attention has been paid to this feat. White Ensign - Red Dragon, a good history of the Royal Navy in Hong Kong, fails even to mention it.
Fortunately we have Tim Luard to tell this story. Luard is son in law of one of the key characters, SOE member Colin McEwan. "Character" is an apt word for this book, as this story is full of magnificent characters. To his vast credit, Luard puts flesh on them and in so doing brings to life the desperate battle and the daring escape. Vignettes of Hong Kong at that time and thumbnail sketches of varied personages are added treasures (check out on p.91 the Christmas afternoon run-in on Queen's Road two escapees had with Morris "Two Gun" Cohen, holding a pair of revolvers of course. When invited to join the escape, he declined - "I'm staying for the fighting").
That, however, would be an understatement and faint praise for an exceptional tale, told well. "Escape" is the story of the RN's 5 remaining MTB's, a group of RN, Army, HKVDC and the inestimable Admiral Chan, the Republic of China's senior officer in the colony prior to the Japanese invasion, who fled Hong Kong on Christmas Day, just after the surrender and steps ahead of pursuing Japanese soldiers. They crossed Mirs Bay, scuttled the MTB's and then hiked, with the aid of local guerillas, across Japanese held territory to safety in Republic of China territory. Most of the group then continued on to Burma, then India.
Chan, by dint of what he knew and what he represented, could not fall into Japanese hands and his harrowing, against-all-odds escape may well be the single most important achievement of the brave yet doomed defense of Hong Kong. It is an amazing event deserving much celebration -- not to mention kudos for uniquely uniting British and Chinese interests and for linking together regular army, navy, HKVDC, Chinese army and Chinese partisan units. Until now, however, little attention has been paid to this feat. White Ensign - Red Dragon, a good history of the Royal Navy in Hong Kong, fails even to mention it.
Fortunately we have Tim Luard to tell this story. Luard is son in law of one of the key characters, SOE member Colin McEwan. "Character" is an apt word for this book, as this story is full of magnificent characters. To his vast credit, Luard puts flesh on them and in so doing brings to life the desperate battle and the daring escape. Vignettes of Hong Kong at that time and thumbnail sketches of varied personages are added treasures (check out on p.91 the Christmas afternoon run-in on Queen's Road two escapees had with Morris "Two Gun" Cohen, holding a pair of revolvers of course. When invited to join the escape, he declined - "I'm staying for the fighting").
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is being reprinted, do not despair - first edition was sold out so quickly as it is such a good book. Keep on trying and you will succeed and enjoy a cracking good story!
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Escape from Hong Kong describes the dash by Motor Torpedo Boat and other craft of some 70 allied and Chinese personnel from Hong Kong as it fell to Japanese forces on 25 December 1941. Using a fascinating range of sources, official and personal, Tim Luard, a former BBC correspondent in Beijing, has created a book that is at once a thriller, an account of human endurance and a serious work of history. Character sketches enliven the story, from the one-legged Chinese Admiral Chan Chak who led the escape, to the British Army and Royal Navy officers and men, not forgetting the Chinese bandit or guerrilla leaders who helped the group, plus Bruce the dog, to make their way through Japanese lines. Properly indexed, with unobtrusive footnotes, excellent illustrations and biographical sketches of the main protagonists, the book is a fine production.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Review 1
This product arrived here on time, was as described and has been good to read about the history of world war
Published 1 month ago by DaveyRavey
A remarkable story superbly told
I bought a copy of this book on Amazon and it is an amazing read, one of those rare occasions when a book really is hard to put down. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Andrew Hicks
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