The Portuguese Community in the Volunteers and the defence of Hong Kong, 80 years after Liberation. (Part I)

By Ruy Barretto SC, Anthony Correa and Prof Clifford Pereira

I read that at least two Portuguese were implicated in and tried by a Japanese military court and that one of them was among the 33 executed on that terrible day of 29th October 1943. I had never heard anyone mention his name: William John White. The 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Hong Kong and a gathering at the marble memorial in front of Club de Recreio on the 30th August 2025 has contributed to the realization that we need to name and better recognize some of those involved 80 years ago in the defense and liberation of Hong Kong.

This article has some information of his family, life and death and was part of the inspiration for this extraordinary research. The article has been edited to stretch over three consecutive publications of roughly equal size. This edition covers the lead-up to the Second World War, the war theatre and services, the research and the present recognition of fatalities. The following edition covers the internment as prisoners of war, refugees, resistance and life under Japanese occupation and the liberation. The final instalment by way of a conclusion covers the updated final list of people that deserve our recognition.

Marble Memorial at Club de Recreio

The Background.

The Japanese invasion of China since 1931, led to the fall of Nanking (Nanjing) 1937 then Canton (Guangzhou) in 1938, resulted to the introduction of compulsory military service in Hong Kong in 1939 which required all men of British Nationality aged between 18 and 55 years to register for military service. Many nationalities joined the Volunteers even though they were not subject to compulsory service, authors Philip Cracknell and Vaudine England explained how “The men volunteering to defend their home were Eurasian, Portuguese, Indian and others all of whom felt sufficiently part of the colony of Hong Kong to risk their lives and families for it”.[1] This included Hong Kong Chinese and citizens of usually neutral countries and some Russians. Vaudine England states that for such persons “There was no compulsion to join, but “it was at one time, considered the right thing to do.” However, as she explains this left their wives and families unprovided for and very vulnerable during the occupation.

Many Volunteers were aged 30 or over. Author Catherine Chan explains that in early July 1940 the registration of women and children of Portuguese descent took place enabling some to leave for Macao. Later in July, European wives and children were to be evacuated, this led to critical statements of discrimination, with questions in Legislative Council on 25th July 1940 by Leo D’Almada e Castro[2].

His understatement of the time, was that the “Government has also placed an appreciable strain on the loyalty of a large section of the community.” However, the Portuguese families, like other long-term nationalities, did generally remain until conditions deteriorated further during the Occupation. Cracknell explains that “The Volunteers were fighting for hearth and home”.[3]

The Portuguese Volunteers.

Portuguese genealogist Jorge Forjaz names some of the Portuguese who were part of the original 99 when the Royal Hong Kong Regiment Volunteers (RHKR(V)) were established in 1854[4]. The full list was provided by Philip Bruce.[5] Both authors outline the longstanding tradition in the community.

In 1941 the renamed Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC) stood around 1,700 men. Numbers vary with HKVDC veteran Robert Everest’s suggesting 1,652 men on mobilization, out of a total garrison of about 11,500 to 14,000.[6] They faced a much larger force of about 60,000 or more Japanese with years of fighting experience in China since 1931.[7] Everest states by 26th December 1941, the day after surrender, the status of the Volunteers was 1,296 persons i.e. less 356 men.

No.5 (Portuguese) Machine Gun Company

Top row standing: Army Instructor, Victor Maria Nunes, Germano de Pinna, Luís Romano Sequeira,

Charles Edward Mackintosh, Alfredo Silva, Army Instructor, Sebastião Rui da Silva, Sílvio Silvino de

Sousa, Alfredo Soares, ?, Eduardo Franscisco dos Passos, Joaquim Jerónimo Guterres, Army Instructor.

Middle row kneeling: Thomas Castilho, Paulo Reis

Front row sitting: ?, Mem Maria Alves de Vasconcelos Soares(with machine gun), Arthur James Brown, Caetano Maria Dias Azedo, Francisco Vicente Vieira Ribeiro, Meno Silva, ?, Filomeno Henrique Gomes da Silva, Jock Gardner (with machine gun), Luís Gonzaga de Pina

The Portuguese Volunteers were spread throughout the force, including the Eurasian No.3 Company. However, there were 2 Portuguese Companies. No.5 Machine Gun Company under Captain Christopher D’Almada e Castro, a solicitor employed in the Hong Kong Government, was based at Mount Davis, manned the pill boxes at Pok Fu Lam, and defended the western approaches to Mount

Davis Fort.

No.6 Anti-Aircraft Company under Captain Henrique Botelho, another solicitor, was headquartered at Club Lusitano. Its Lewis Gun teams were at various vantage points on Kowloon before evacuation to the Island, as well as the North shore from Tai Koo Docks to Central District, plus one platoon was at Aberdeen and one platoon on Apleichau Island. Other Volunteers were attached to and spread out among other units where their local knowledge was useful.

The Battle of Hong Kong.

On 18th December 1941 the Invasion of the Island began with 7,500 enemy troops landing that day. 28 Volunteers were killed that day, among them 4 Portuguese and many Eurasians. Many of the Eurasians killed were part of the Portuguese Community by descent or marriage, so the numbers of the wider community fighting or killed in action or dying in POW camp were much more and should be recognized one day. Hereby follows some examples of the defence.

The Pak Sha Wan Battery, which still exists near the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, was No.4 Battery HKVDC with a mixture of Chinese, Portuguese and Eurasian Volunteers. From the list in Philip Cracknell’s Military History blog of 9th June 2019 there are at least 10 Portuguese and Eurasian names. They saw action on the shore, firing at night with a search light on 15th December when BQMS Ignatius Fernandes was killed. Under severe attack and continued bombardment on 18th December - the day the Japanese landed on Hong Kong Island. Lance Bombardier Antonio Joao Rocha and Gunner Henry Maria Campos were killed in action.[8]

At Sai Wan Hill Fort, which still exists on a hilltop above Chai Wan was Fifth Battery Anti-Aircraft again with a mixture of Chinese, Portuguese and Eurasian Volunteers. This was a strategic and exposed location overlooking the harbour and Pak Sha Wan below. In action from 8th December onwards they shot down some Japanese planes and came under intense attacks. Finally on 18th December they were overrun by the Japanese with many gunners brutally killed after they had surrendered.[9] Philip Cracknell and other sources indicate 6 killed, 26 surrendered with about 20 of those stabbed to death, 2 survived the stabbing, and 30 others escaped. Evan Stewart has 25 killed.[10] Those killed here include Francis Oswald Reed and Manuel Ozorio and several Eurasians including John Litton.[11] On mobilization Robert Everest records 2 officers, 15 NCO, 50 men total 67. By 26th December 1941, it was reduced to 2 officers, 9 NCO, 24 men – a total 35.

Wong Nai Chong Gap was defended by Eurasian No.3 Company soon become a principal invasion route, suffering many killed and wounded. Major Evan Stewart, the Headmaster of St Paul’s College, author of the Volunteer record, who commanded the No.3 Company lists 37 killed and 35 wounded. Several Portuguese were in this company and several others were moved to fight in the general area.

The Army, NAAFI and Field Ambulance Corps.

On the 20th December 1941, my father Alfonso Barretto who was in the Volunteer AS Coy, i.e. Army Service Corps, also became deployed to the fighting along The Ridge, the hills above the Repulse Bay

Road, defending from house to house as they went down the hills. Of this unit of 72 persons, 26 were killed and 7 wounded, giving some idea of the intensity of the fighting.[12] My father described only parts of this to me. He saw my mother’s Navy, Army And Force Institute (NAAFI) manager, Rudolf Kloss being killed 22nd December.[13] Lance Corporal Noel Bernard White was also part of this company and killed at Overbays on 20th December.

In the Field Ambulance, there were 22 Portuguese volunteers, including Dr Sir Albert Rodrigues and Luigi Ribeiro. Several Portuguese were in the Engineers and Army Service Corps.[14] [15]

Researching the numbers.

The population of Hong Kong before the Japanese Invasion of Hong Kong war had been greatly increased by refugees caused by the Japanese invasion of China. The population stood about 1.4 million, though some figures are greater. Of this the Portuguese numbered 2,922 and British 7,982 according to an ARP census. This figure should be more. According to the Governor, in 1949 the Portuguese with British Nationality numbered 3,000[16], hence the total pre-war would be more, say 4,000 persons.

About 300 Portuguese were in active service but figures are unclear as some were listed as British or others but my eventual figures from numerous sources are at least 271. The marble memorial at Club de Recreio has 26 Portuguese who died in the defence of Hong Kong.[17] Mark O’Neill also says about 300 Portuguese were in the Volunteers and based on Club Lusitano sources, has 31 being killed in battle.[18] That description is not correct and should include deaths during the occupation as Prisoner of War (POW) or dying under torture or execution. António Jorge da Silva says by the end of the war 26 had lost their lives.[19] This includes death in POW camps and executions during the occupation. The Evan Stewart’s 2005 update of the Volunteer record omits at least one name.[20] Macanese Library list of Portuguese members of HKVDC based on Tony Banham has about 243 names including those who died. This total is too low and is considered later. This List adds one new Killed in Action - Joseph Nelson Wilkinson, Gunner, 5th Battery Sai Wan Fort 18th December 1941.[21] But this List omits Antonio Paulo Maher but includes Henrique Maria Britto who died while POW in 1943. My current estimate is at least 33 Portuguese died in the defence of Hong Kong, during the fighting and occupation, both in the Volunteers and as civilians.

The total Volunteers killed and missing was 248 out of about 1,700. I was struck by Mark O’Neill’s observations on the contribution of the Portuguese Community to the defence by joining the HKVDC.[22] The Portuguese Community of Hong Kong, as stated above, was probably about 3,000 to4,000 people, men, women and children before the invasion of December 1941, so about 282-300 menjoining up and 271 in active service is about 20% of the male Portuguese who would be of an age for active service. Of the estimated 271 Portuguese Volunteers who were mobilized, 27 or about 10% died during the fighting and the occupation. This high proportion marks a high degree of final commitment.

The Disciplined and Auxiliary Services.

To these numbers should be added those men and women who were members of the regular Police and other disciplined services, and those who joined other disciplined services such as the long-standing Hong Kong Police Reserve (HKPR) and the Air Raid Protection (ARP)Wardens established in 1938 and which became in 1951 the current CAS, and in various other capacities. Known ARP members include Lena Marques d’Oliveira and Leo D’Almada e Castro. ARP member Eduardo Lizola Rocha, who served as a dispatch rider, later joined the Chindits in Burma and continued fighting there.[23] At present I have no numbers for ARP and HKPR. However, for example, Gwulo has some of the HKPR in one photo of 1940 which names 26 Portuguese present. My estimate is that 50 ARP and HKPR can be included here as part of the Portuguese community.

Auxiliary Nursing Service (ANS) at St Paul’s Hospital, La Salle College Relief Hospital, Maryknoll Convent School First Aid Post Kowloon Tong are listed by António Jorge da Silva. There were other hospitals but Silva has a list of 15 Portuguese Nurses from these hospitals copied from Banham as including Marie Louise Botelho, Thelma Collaco, Irene da Silva, Cecilia da Silva, Aida da Silva, Aurea da Silva, Hilda da Silva, Laura Maria da Silva, L. Hyndman, Geraldine Jorge, Cremilde Osmund, Nydia Osmund, Marie Ozorio, Marie Ribeiro and Sheila Rodrigues.[24] Others nursing at other hospitals are not known, but one example Tilly Barretto D’Almada is cited in Catherine Chan 215.[25]

Silva also lists 5 persons in NAAFI, including Gloria Barretto, Elfrida da Rocha, Emily de Sousa, Henry Rocha, Mr Santos.[26] My Mother, who with Elfrida and Emily worked in NAAFI HQ, were told they were regarded as mobilized personnel and under orders not to leave their posts. They were in the Repulse Bay Hotel siege. The total numbers of the Community actively involved will be ascertained one day, but this represents a significant community commitment relative to their numbers.

Recognition.

The names of the 33 or more Portuguese who gave their lives for Hong Kong need to be recognized

with another more accurate memorial to include those omitted from the marble at Recreio and to remember those whose names remain unknown. Recognition on the memorial marble includes those who died during captivity in POW Camps in Hong Kong and the Japanese labour camps.

The names of the Portuguese who died are reproduced by Barnabas Koo in a similar alphabetical order as the 26 on the Club de Recreio Memorial.[27] Jorge da Silva reproduces the Memorial.[28]

‘ES’ herein denotes in Evan Stewart record 2005 edition, as killed in action or died of wounds. Evan Stewart has several Lists at the end, which are probably based on the Robert S.M. Everest notebook

lists:

(a) Lists of Volunteers who did not mobilize, about 16 Portuguese names.

(b) Volunteers who did not enter POW camps or escaped, about 39.

(c) Volunteers in POW camps, in Hong Kong or drafted to Japan at liberation (my estimates are below).

(d) My tally of the ES lists totals about 282 enlisted as follows: Did not mobilize about 16. Those POW in Hong Kong and Japan at surrender 196, not enter camp or escaped 39, uncertain 4, killed in action or died of wounds 16, died as POW 10 (omitting Sgt Mendonca who died in April 1942) and so adding him back makes about 266 Portuguese in active service in the Volunteers per the ES list.

(e) The figure of 234 Portuguese POWs out of 800 Volunteer POWs cited by Silva, (see below), is high if it includes those in Hong Kong, Japan and the 11 who died as POWs. If it includes those released early the figure is low.

The Evan Everest Record kept by the senior Volunteer Regimental Sergeant Major who was in Sham Shui Po POW Camp, dates from about 1944 and has several typed lists, and is probably a source for Evan Stewart’s record. The Tables at end of the Everest Record need to be analysed. The lists are as follows:

(a) Killed in Action.

(b) Missing believed Killed, total of above is about 16 Portuguese.

(c) Wounded, about 10 Portuguese.

(d) Missing.

(e) Missing believed demobilized, about 4 Portuguese.

(f) Deserted.

(g) Demobilized, soon after battle, late Dec 1941 to Jan 1942, 35 plus 4 above is 39 Portuguese released.

(h) Escaped.

(i) Struck off strength.

(j) Commissioned in regular army.

(k) Released, many in 27th Jan 1942.

(l) Drafted 19th January 1943.

(m) Drafted 15th August 1943.

(n) Drafted 15th Dec 1943 about 21 Portuguese and 15th Jan 1943 another 2 civilians, i.e. 23.

(o) Drafted 29th April 1944, about 65 Portuguese including a civilian, total drafted adds up to about 88.

(p) POWs Hong Kong at Liberation, about 115 Portuguese. As they died their names were crossed out.

(q) Civilians attached to HKVDC, 2 Portuguese, added to the above makes 117 Portuguese HK POW at Liberation.

(r) Deaths while POW, 11 Portuguese, where Everest has ‘+’ added in pencil for Fernandes and Franco

who died in Japan. Hence 16 plus 11 is 27 Volunteers died in war. Total about 271 in active service.

(s) Promotions, includes some Portuguese, including Sgt J.T.P. Souza 2157 appointed to Acting CSM 10th Sept 1942, and promoted 1st Feb 1943 on death of CSM Britto, and Lance Corporal Mendonca who was promoted to Acting Sergeant 13th Feb 1942 but soon after died in April 1942.

References:

[1] Zindel’s Rosary Hill. By Vaudine England. In Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong. Vol 57. 2017. Pg.42.

[2] The Boys from Macau. By Luís Andrade de Sá. 1999. Pg.116.

[3] Battle for Hong Kong, December 1941. By Philip Cracknell. 2019. Pg.62.

[4] Famílias Macaences. By Jorge Forjaz. 2017. Vol. V, Pg.861.

[5] Second to None: The Story of the Hong Kong Volunteers. By Phillip Bruce. 1992. Pg.14.

[6] The Everest Record (Manuscript). By Robert S.M. Everest. Typed around 1944. Provided by his grand-daughter Jessica in Sep. 2020.

[7] The Portuguese in China 1513-1999. By António M.P. Jorge da Silva. 2012. Pg.336.

[8] Not the Slightest Chance – The Defence of Hong Kong. By Tony Banham. 2003. Pg.109.

[9] Battle for Hong Kong, December 1941. By Philip Cracknell. 2019. Pp.105-107.

[10] Hong Kong Volunteers in Battle: December 1941. By Evan Stewart. 2021

[11] Not the Slightest Chance – The Defence of Hong Kong. By Tony Banham. 2003. Pg.109.

[12] Hong Kong Volunteers in Battle: December 1941. By Evan Stewart. 2021

[13] Not the Slightest Chance – The Defence of Hong Kong. By Tony Banham. 2003. Pg.212.

[14] The Portuguese in Hong Kong and China – Beginning, Settlement and Progress to 1949. By

Barnabas Koo Pg.144.

[15] The Portuguese in China 1513-1999. By António M.P. Jorge da Silva. 2012. Pg.119.

[16] The Portuguese in Hong Kong and China – Beginning, Settlement and Progress to 1949. By

Barnabas Koo Pg.142.

[17] The Portuguese in China 1513-1999. By António M.P. Jorge da Silva. 2012. Pg.120.

[18] Europeans in Hong Kong: Teachers, Traders and Techno-stars. By Mark O’Neill. 2025. Pg.161.

[19] The Portuguese Community in Hong Kong – A Pictorial History. By António M.P. Jorge da Silva.

2007. Pg.29.

[20] Hong Kong Volunteers in Battle. By Evan Stewart. 2005.

[21] Not the Slightest Chance – The Defence of Hong Kong. By Tony Banham. 2003. Pg.109.

[22] Europeans in Hong Kong: Teachers, Traders and Techno-stars. By Mark O’Neill. 2025.

[23] From Macau through China to India and Burma: Hong Kong and the Chindits. By Anne Rozario.

2005.

[24] The Portuguese Community in Hong Kong – A Pictorial History. By António M.P. Jorge da Silva.

2007. Pg.29.

[25] The Macanese Diaspora in British Hong Kong: A Century of Transimperial Drifting. By Catherine

Chan. 2021. Pg.215.

[26] The Portuguese Community in Hong Kong – A Pictorial History. By António M.P. Jorge da Silva.

2007. Pg.29.

[27] The Portuguese in Hong Kong and China – Beginning, Settlement and Progress to 1949. By

Barnabas Koo. 2013. Pg.144.

[28] The Portuguese Community in Hong Kong – A Pictorial History. By António M.P. Jorge da Silva.

2007. Pg.31.