HKVCA Image Gallery

From Kelly Child, Nov 2013 "Attached is a photo of my grandfather, L. Corporal George Knox Findlay (E29844) on the right. His brother, Rifleman Lorne Clifton Raymond Findlay (E30763) on the left. They were both Royal Rifles. Are you able to attach these photos to their profiles? I hate to see the green screen above their names. In the middle is, I believe, their brother-in-law James Graydon Heath (E29915). I have to verify this though."

From Susan Reed via email in June 2015 " I do not believe the soldier in the middle is my uncle, James Graydon Heath (E29915). I think he is the third Findlay brother, Earl (Albert Earl Findlay, born 1913). I forwarded the picture to my aunt (Graydon Heath's sister) who identified that third man as Earl. She says that Earl started out in the Royal Rifles, but transferred afterwards."

This photo was submitted by Harvey Churchill in Nov 2017. It's filename is liberation kowloon, but someone on Facebook recognized Francis Morgan who was in Japan at Yumoto Camp when the war ended. If you recognize anyone in the photo please contact us using the link found at the top of most of our web pages.

Note that it is quite large (1600px wide) so that individual faces can be seen. An even larger version is available on request.

Correspondence in 2017 with Tony Banham (author) points toward Kowloon/Sham Shui Po. He notes that the tea box at the left of the photo points toward a British colony as the item would be out of place in Japan.

This photo was discussed on our Facebook group: Hong Kong Veterans Tribute in November 2020, and perhaps other times as well.

Information from back of photo, submitted by Pat Turcotte, daughter of Lt. Corrigan.

L to R: Lt. Leonard Corrigan, Lt. Dick Maze, Lt. Alex Black, Lt. Tom Blackwood.

Scene: Main road Sham Shui Po Camp. Large concrete building in background: "Jubilee Bldg", pre-war Officers' Quarters.

Photo above also submitted by Gerry Tuppert from a newspaper clipping. Caption: "Shown above are PWs after the fall of Hong Kong. Front row, from left: Unidentified, Ernest Levesque, Phil Gallie, Louis Gignac and Ken Chesser. Back row, from left: Pete Allain of Pokemouche, Unidentified, Douglas Martin and Simon Pollock"

Private George Elved Thomas, is in the front row on the left, the one with no shoes (Leah Crocker, Granddaughter)

Received from member Michele Fleming in Apr 2019: "The writing on the ... photo is rubbed off but appears to read ".... Hospital, Quebec City 1945". I do not recognize the faces in the photo but perhaps others may.

front row, fifth from the left is Captain La-Boutille, front row, second from the right is Bert Dimes (verified by Jim Fleming)

From Larry Drebit
"front row, fifth from the left is Captain La-Boutille, front row, second from the right is Bert Dimes (verified by Jim Fleming), the man in the back row on the far right is Peter Drebit. He was my father. I have always seen this picture inverted, with him on the left."

(received by email May 06)

Back row: Paton H, Valcourt L, Price A, Lalime J, Matchette E, Mann W, Cyr A, Meredith C, Wurm VJ

2nd row: ?, Pellethier P, Wood L, Tuppert W, Wellman D

Front Row: Glenn J, Boissoneault A, Therwell F, Wood W, Hamilton W, Smith E

(Writing on original copy was hard to read so names may not be accurate) (Submitted by Gerry Tuppert)

Email received in Oct '09 from Caron Ladds Senechal, daughter of William John Ladds states that he is the person sitting in the front row directly in front of William Tuppert (Tuppert denoted with "X").

Email received from Virginia Winters in Oct '09 identified Wurm VJ as her uncle.

Caption below copied from "Roll Call" (1980, Vol 4:2). Updated from a photo caption received in an email from Rudy Chaing in November 2022

Grenadiers at Sendai 2 of 28 August, 1945. Photo courtesy Dick Wilson. Hoping we are correct, they are:

Back row: Morris Peterson, Dick Wilson, John Pollock, George Peterson, Fred English, Tom Mulvaney, Jim Furey, Chuck Bradshaw, Frank Drier, Rix, Al MacTier, Sid Vale.

Middle row: Walter Slovinsky, Soren Paulson, Ed Shayler, Eddie St. Germain

Front row: "Dolly" Davis, Beaton, George "Sailor" Morgan, George Temple, Fred Poitras, Tom Haskayne

Front row centre: "Ferdinand the Bull".

(Photo submitted by Gerry Tuppert)

From Donna MacPherson, daughter of Ed Shayler: Dad is the one in the centre front lying down. Of the rest he says:

"The man in the upper left, back row, standing was a British Regimental Seargent Major.He got a Japanese soldier to take the picture.

The men in this picture were mostly cooks in the camp, and were Australian. The oriental fellows were British soldiers in the Hong Kong Volunteers."

(Photo submitted by Gerry Tuppert)

From Jim Fleming: "front row, on the left is Jack Cronin, second from left is Peter Burns, centre is Jim Fleming, and second from right is Matt Sanford"

Front row, second from right is Alex Archibald. (verified by Jim Fleming) Front row , Third from the Right: Charlie Brady (verified by Lorne Brady, son). Both: RRC. From Gerald Whalen, stepson of Colin Cameron: I believe Colin is the front row, second from the left, wearing the brilliant white T shirt.

Sep '09: "Alec" Archibald changed to "Alex" - email from daughter, Wendy

CSM Cliff Royer in the middle, front row (verified by Jim Fleming) After looking at a photo on your gallery I have recognised my Grandfather who was in Camp N Shamshuipo. My Grandad is standing next to CSM Royer on his left with the very nobbly knees and large ears, ( my dad and me inherited the legs). His name was Lawrence Kenworthy Royal Marines H.M.S Tamar

Sgt Emile Bernard is second from left, front row (submitted by Lysande Bisson, granddaughter in Dec 2011)

Mrs M Holliday

(received by email Jan '07)

From Jim Fleming:

"front row center is Dr. Major Crawford, front row, second in from right is Dr. Captain Banfill. They were the two who operated on my hand in the prison camp with a tomato can, cotton baton, chloroform, and a razor blade. Their operation was successful even given the little they had to work with. I have a feeling the one on the right, front row is Dr. Captain Reid, but I'm not positive." (Capt Reid's son, Jon, has informed us that this person is not Capt Reid - ed)

From Lindsay Marmen ( Thomson):

My grandfather, Captain Andrew Cecil Meredith Thomson was over in Hong Kong with the Royal Rifles ,Quebec Regiment, so I found your web site very interesting. He was better known as Pop because he was the oldest at the age of 55. The name stuck for the rest of his life.

Even his children used it. He became the paymaster. We still have his book on how much supplies cost, addresses of fellow officers, drawings and a short diary, delivered mail etc.

I thought I would identify him in the fourth last photo from the bottom of the group photos page. He is in the back row center with the hat on.

His only comment about his time in camp was that he would walk around the compound as much as he could to stay in shape so that in case of escape he could keep up with the younger men. He continued his exercise when he did reach home in Quebec City. He passed away in the year 1975 and his presence is still felt by all his children , grandchildren and great grandchildren to whom we try to instill his memories.

(received by email Jan 06)

In the fourth row from the bottom, 3rd from the left is a white haired man. His name was Major Charles A. Young of the Royal Rifles of Canada. Update Feb '09: (found the following information on Tony Banham's web site) According to William Clarke's son, William Clarke is far right, second row from the bottom. Apparently this photo was taken just after liberation

Winnipeg Grenadiers

The gentleman in the first row 4th man in on the right hand side with white hanging in front of him is H6507 Private NOBISS Roger (information submitted by Gesele Nabess, granddaughter, in Dec '09)