1st Bn The Royal Rifles of Canada
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Rifleman | Alfred | William |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Jacquet River NB | Eastern Quebec | 1912-03-01 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| A | ||
Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong
Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.
The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.
All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.
Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.
On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.
Battle Information
We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).
Wounded Information
No wounds recorded.Hospital Information
No record of hospital visits found.POW Camps
| Camp ID | Camp Name | Location | Company | Type of Work | Arrival Date | Departure Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-SM-01 | Stanley | Fort Stanley, Hong Kong Island | Capture | 41 Dec 30 | ||
| HK-NP-01 | North Point | North Point, Hong Kong Island | 41 Dec 30 | 42 Sep 26 | ||
| HK-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 42 Sep 26 | 43 Jan 19 | ||
| JP-To-3D | Tsurumi | Yokohama-shi, Tsurumi-ku, Suyehiro-cho, 1-chome, Japan | Nippon Steel Tube - Tsurumi Shipyards | Variety of jobs related to ship building | 43 Jan 19 | 45 May 13 |
| JP-Se-1B | Yumoto | Fukushima-ken, Iwaki-gun, Yumoto-cho, Mizunoya, Japan | Joban Coal Mining Company | 45 May 13 | 45 Sep 15 |
Transport to Japan
| Draft Number | Name of Ship | Departure Date | Arrival Date | Arrival Port | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XD3A | Tatuta Maru | 43 Jan 19, left Shamsuipo Camp, 0500 hrs; left Hong Kong 1300hrs | 43 Jan 22, 0400 hrs | Nagasaki, Japan | Boarded train, arrived in Tokyo on 43 Jan 24 at 0700 hrs, boarded electric train for 10 mile ride to camp | Tony Banham |
Transportation SE Asia to Home
| Transport Mode | Arrival Destination | Arrival Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Post-war Photo
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Other Military or Public Service
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Death and Cemetery Information
| Date of Death (y-m-d) | Cause of Death | Death Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945-10-25 | Post War | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Jacquet River Quebec Canada | St. Gabriel's Cemetery | Yes | |
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
One guest got up on stage and recited a poem by Belledune HKV Alfred Elsliger, titled "The Siege of Hong Kong". The story behind Alfred Elsliger, is that he lived through the Battle of Hong Kong, endured almost 4 years as a POW, only to come home and within a month, be tragically killed in a car accident. His poem hangs at our Royal Canadian Legion Branch #77, where all of our events took place.
POEM IN PROSE
Written by the Late Alfred J. Elsliger
Jacquet River, New Brunswick
In the battle of Hong Kong there naturally arose innumerable acts of individual heroism to which reference might be made. We know what troops had a part in that fight and how many were killed fighting gallantly to the last. Among the survivors who arrived home in the autumn of 1945 were Thomas Thompson and Alfred J. Elsliger. As both boys were on board that first "Japanese Hell Ship" sunk by the Americans, their stories provided a wealth of human interest. The ship was struck while carrying a batch of prisoners from Hong Kong to Japan. When that torpedo hit the explosion was terrific. Most of the prisoners were in the hold with the hatches on and they had no chance of survival. The water was filled with the dead and dying but the survivors finally reached Japan. While in prison A.J. Elsliger wrote a descriptive poem of real merit. It was penciled in a black notebook and from this book is a copy of that poem. Nearing the close he writes: "I am fairly optimistic and someday hope to be back in a land of freedom at home as I used to be." But fate decided otherwise. One month later after his arrival home he was killed in a car accident on October 25, 1945.
Siege of Hong Kong II
Written by the Late Alfred J. Elsliger
T'was at Valcartier, Quebec, one cold October day That we received our orders to pack up and start away We marched down to the station in a cold and drizzling rain, Then bade good-bye to friends nearby and stepped on board the train. That journey to the west coast was a rather bore some trip We arrived in Vancouver, then got on board a ship We were going to see new country, everyone seemed gay There we joined the Grenadiers and started on our way. They just came from Jamaica, we from Newfoundland We all told different stories, we were a jolly band. Our destination was obscure, but little did we care, As our ship, and old New Zealander, was taking us somewhere. We knew not where we were going What's more we did not care, Where we went or what we did As long as we got there. We stopped in Honolulu, but didn't stay there long Our Officers then told us we were going to Hong Kong. We landed in Manilla next, another large seaport Some thought the journey ended, but our sojourn there was short. Next landing was at Port Kawloon across from old Hong Kong The streets were lined from end to end with cheering waving throng. We marched to Naking barracks next, about a mile away And there received that welcome of proverbial "flowers in May". The place was like a festival with sport and food galore At night the grounds were lighted from the lights along the shore. What pleasant hours the boys spent there In Canteen drinking beer Both noon and night, day in, day out, We'd find Tom Thompson here. The barbers shaved us while we slept And gave us haircuts too, As Collies kept the camp in shape We had no work to do. But happiest hours must have an end Two weeks - it wasn't long When we broke camp and crossed the straits To fight at old Hong Kong. Just two short weeks of gaiety For all of us - well T'was just a touch of paradise Before we entered hell. "We fought a noble battle But at such terrific cost That even though the fight was brief. A host of lives were lost. We next moved to Stony Hill And stayed there overnight From there we went to Repulse Bay To join another fight With Royal Rifles, Middlesex and Hong Kong volunteers, the Royal Scots, East Indians and Winnipeg Grenadiers. We fought together valiantly, that time at Repulse Bay But the Japs outnumbered us, and we were forced to move away. We fought till we famished with the hope that ground we'd keep For hours on end the battle raged, We fought on in our sleep. We fought while death in its worst forms Struck men who would not yield But when Jap re-enforcements came We had to leave the field. Then finally the finish came That fateful Christmas night The stars, as over Bethlehem Were shining clear and bright. "Peace on Earth" cannot prevail While bombs and shells abound, And hundreds of our comrades brave Lie dead upon the ground. We knew we were outnumbered By a thousand men to one We felt our case was hopeless Ere that fight had scarce begun. So we handed in our rifles And our ammunition too, Buried our dead, then went to bed.
Remembrance Day
Remember all those people who fought for you and me Remember all those people who set our country free. Remember all those people who died in the wars, Remember all those people who got cuts and sores. We gather here on this day, To thank these people and for them we pray. We wear a poppy that is red To show we care for those who are dead. They fought all day, They fought all night, They fought till dark, They fought till light. They fought for me. They fought for you, The people died, The war is through. We wish these people didn't die But now in Flander's Field they lie.
Links and Other Resources
There may be more information on this individual available elsewhere on our web sites - please use the search tool found in the upper right corner of this page to view sources.
Related documentation
- Our HKVCA Vault (Google Docs) may contain additional information, newspaper clippings, and documents which have been saved for this soldier. To access this information, click on the vault link and a Google Docs folder list will open in a separate tab. Use the first letter of the soldier’s service number, found at the top of this report, to open the correct folder. Each sub-folder is identified by service number. Scroll down until you reach the one of your interest.
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General Comments
Tragic so soon after coming home from POW camp - Cause of death: Bathhurst NB. Car accident (passenger). Fracture of base of skull and shock. Multiple fractures of jaw and molar. Hemmorhage.
End of Report.
Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.
Additional Notes
(These will not be visible on the printed copy)
- Service numbers for officers ("X") are locally generated for reporting only. During World War II officers were not allocated service numbers until 1945.
- 'C' Force soldiers who died overseas are memorialized in the Books of Remembrance and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, both sponsored by Veterans Affairs Canada. Please use the search utility at VAC to assist you.
- Some birthdates and deathdates display as follows: 1918-00-00. In general, this indicates that we know the year but not the month or day.
- Our POW camp links along with our References link (near the bottom of the 'C' Force home page) are designed to give you a starting point for your research. There were many camps with many name changes. The best resource for all POW camps in Japan is the Roger Mansell Center for Research site.
- In most cases the rank displayed was the rank held before hostilities. Some veterans were promoted at some point prior to eventual post-war release from the army back in Canada. When notified of these changes we'll update the individual's record.
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- In some cases the References displayed as part of this report generate questions because there is no indication of their meaning. They were inherited with the original database, and currently we do not know what the source is. We hope to solve this problem in future.
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