Lost and Found in Hong Kong: The Unsung Chinese Heroes at D-Day

On June 6th, 1944, nearly 160,000 Allied forces conducted history’s largest-ever seaborne invasion on the beaches of Nazi-occupied Normandy. The invasion, often referred to as D-Day, was a decisive operation that ultimately led to the liberation of France and Western Europe, as well as the end of the Second World War.

Participating in D-Day were a league of Allied nations, including the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, Norway, and many others.

In the 80 years since then, every fact and detail about D-Day was thought to have already been covered in newspapers, books, movies, television shows, and other media.

Until now.

A groundbreaking exhibit by two Hong Kong historians reveals the role that China also played in D-Day — a little-known piece of history that adds a new layer of meaning to the international cooperation in World War II and Hong Kong’s relevance to the rest of the world.

“The shadows of Hong Kong always loom in some random corners of world history,” said John Mak, one of the two lead curators of the exhibit Lost and Found in Hong Kong: The Unsung Chinese Heroes at D-Day.

Mak, along with his fellow curator Angus Hui, spoke about the exhibit at an FCC Club Lunch alongside Correspondent Board Governor Jennifer Jett. Their exhibit was held right next door at the Fringe Club before being transferred to the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The exhibit began with a surprise discovery in 2015. A decaying apartment building in Sai Ying Pun was scheduled to be demolished, which interested a local photographer who had an eye for ruins and abandoned properties.

While exploring the building, he noticed a door left ajar on the ninth floor. Inside were left-behind items from China’s Republican era. He took photos of these items and posted them on social media. Soon after his photos circulated online, a group of historians visited the building to collect and preserve the items, which were then featured in an SCMP article that December.

Hui, the second curator of the exhibit, was blown away by the SCMP article and its protagonist, Lam Ping-yu, whose diary from 1944 is the only known primary source regarding Chinese participation in D-Day Written on its pages is his firsthand account of being one of 24 Chinese naval officers who were selected for months of special training in the UK.

Their first mission: D-Day.

Hui was majoring in Chinese history and culture at the University of Hong Kong at the time the article was published. He bookmarked it, and in 2017 he circled back to the article and obtained the rights to digitise Lam’s diary. From there, he continued researching Lam’s story and eventually began collaborating with Mak during and after the pandemic.

The duo traveled across Asia and Europe to find more information about the 24 Chinese naval officers — where they came from, why they joined the Chinese navy, how they were selected to go abroad for additional training, their roles in D-Day, and what they did after World War II was over.

Lam was born in Java, Indonesia, in 1911, but wanted to return to his motherland to serve in the navy.

During the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, Lam was dismayed by his country’s decision to prioritise other military operations, so he formally requested permission from Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek to train abroad. His request was denied.

It wasn’t until 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States became directly involved in World War II, that Chiang revisited the idea of sending his naval officers abroad in an effort to rebuild and strengthen China’s navy.

While 50 Chinese naval officers were sent to the United States, Lam and 23 other officers were sent to the UK’s Royal Naval College to study English as well as gunnery and artillery skills and British naval traditions.

After their training, Lam was stationed on the HMS Ramillies during the Normandy landings on D-Day. He described horrific battle scenes — artillery attacks and Norwegian destroyers being sunk by German torpedoes — that contrasted with more relaxed moments of warm meals and afternoon tea.

D-Day was a success, and Lam continued to participate in the liberation of southern France during Operation Dragoon in August 1944. Germany surrendered the following May, and the 24 Chinese naval officers received orders to return to China to assist in the ongoing war against Japan.

By the time they arrived, however, the US had dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading Japan to formally surrender in September 1945. Lam was reassigned elsewhere, but not before making a stop in Hong Kong to aid in the city’s post-war recovery.

With China embroiled in civil war, Lam and his fellow naval officers then had to decide whether to continue serving under Chiang or join the communist forces of Mao Zedong. Lam was the only one of the 24 British-trained officers who chose neither side, instead establishing residency in Hong Kong before moving to Brazil where he married a woman from Japan and had two children. All his wartime belongings, including his diary, were left in his apartment as it passed to other relatives, remaining there until they were discovered in 2015.

Lam’s story is not just about D-Day, Mak and Hui say, but about the large and small ways in which Hong Kong has always figured in global affairs.

“At a time when there has been a lot of doubt and self-doubt about Hong Kong’s international relevance,” Mak said, “let this be a reminder that as far as 80 years ago, Hong Kong has had a role to play in international history and international events.”

Lam eventually left Brazil for the US at 86 years old, and Mak and Hui are still investigating what happened to him next. They speculate that since his wartime belongings were left behind in Hong Kong, his family may be completely unaware of his legacy. Still, Mak and Hui are confident that as long as they continue sharing their discoveries across Asia and Europe, Lam’s story might reach his descendants — all the way from Hong Kong.

Like Mak, Hui says Lam’s story exemplifies Hong Kong’s historical relevance in the modern world.

“We believe that Hong Kong is a place full of historical and cultural heritage. Just explore it. Keep curious, and then we can always find other extraordinary stories like Mr. Lam’s,” he said.

The exhibit for Lost and Found: The Unsung Chinese Heroes at D-Day is still available for viewing at University Library, The Chinese University of Hong Kong from now until Dec. 25, 2024. Visitors are welcome from 11am to 5pm.

To learn more about Lam Ping-yu’s life, watch the full discussion on our YouTube channel: