70 Year Old Diehard Walked 117 Miles for World War II Heroes
70 year old retired Diehard, Major Brian Finch, walked with his daughter Catherine from coast to coast across Devon along the 117 mile Two Moors Way to raise money to help heroes of the Second World War.
These heroes were not trained soldiers, but unarmed Chinese fishermen who risked their own lives to save hundreds of British prisoners of war from death.
In a little known incident in October 1942, a Japanese cargo ship, the Lisbon Maru, was transporting British prisoners of war from Hong Kong to Japan when torpedoes struck the ship off the coast of China. The Japanese soldiers on board battened down the hatches hoping the prisoners would all drown. Although many managed to break out, they came under heavy fire from the Japanese soldiers as they tried to escape.
Local Chinese fishermen, undaunted by the Japanese rifle fire, immediately took to their boats and through their selfless courage managed to save the lives of hundreds of the prisoners.
The sponsored walk and the related fundraising campaign raised a total of £2,155.64p in the UK which was converted into HK$26,239.80 and sent to the Lisbon Maru Association, based in Hong Kong, which works to keep alive the memory of this tragedy and helps to support some of the surviving fishermen. Funds were also raised by the campaign in Hong Kong and paid directly to the Association. The Association sent a poppy wreath to the 70th Anniversary Remembrance held in Zhoushan on 2 October 2012. Details of this event can be found on the 70th Anniversary page.
As a member of the Middlesex Regiment (known as the Diehards), Brian has met a number of former prisoners who were on board the Lisbon Maru -- one of them was still serving when he first joined the Regiment. He is keen to do what he can to show his gratitude to these heroic fishermen on behalf of those whose lives they saved.
