Individual Report: X13 Overton HICKEY

Rank:	First Name:	Second Name:
General Information
Captain	Overton	Stark
From:	Enlistment Region:	Date of Birth (y-m-d):
New York, NY USA	Central Ontario	1909-10-02
Appointment:	Company:	Platoon:
Officer Commanding RCASC	Brigade Headquarters	Transport

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

Killed in action during the Stanley Massacre. 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

Date Wounded	Wound Description	References
41/12/23	N/A

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
1941-12-25	Killed by Japanese	Killed In Action
Cemetery Location	Cemetery	Grave Number	Gravestone Marker
Cape Collinson Road Chai Wan Hong Kong China	Sai Wan Memorial	Column 27.	NA

Gravestone Image

Obituary / Life Story

Son of Overton and Emma Hickey. Husband of Ann Lee Hickey (predeceased).

Kingston Man at Hong Kong
Mrs. Frank S. Archer, of 94 College Street, advised The Whig-Standard on Monday morning that she has received a cable from her brother, Capt. Overton Hickey, advising of his safe arrival at Hong Kong.
Capt. Hickey was one of the Canadian contingent whose arrival in Hong Kong was announced Saturday and which was so warmly received by residents of that key city in Britain's Far Eastern possessions.

Dear Mrs. Archer:
I acknowledge your letter of February 4th, and return herewith the newspaper clipping which you were good enough to let me see.
You ask if this office can give you any further details regarding the death of your brother, Capt. Hickey.
The only information available is that which we have been able to obtain from repatriates who returned on board the S.S. GRIPSHOLM. It appears to be indirect, for we have been unable to establish contact with any actual eyewitness, and, although the integrity of the informants is beyond question, we find it impossible at the moment to verify their statements.
These are to the effect that your brother had been wounded in the action at Hong Kong and had been placed in the Stanley Street Hospital. The information given is that, when the Japanese soldiers arrived at the hospital, Capt. Hickey, even though wounded, heroically attempted to protect the nurses and while doing so was killed by the soldiers.
I must emphasize once again that this information is indirect. In all likelihood its verification may have to await the termination of the war. However, if it is true, then your brother gallantly gave his life, not only in the service of his country, but also in a chivalrous but unhappily unsuccessful attempt to defend the hospital nurses from the Japanese soldiers.
Yours sincerely,
F. W. Clarke, Colonel

The SAI WAN MEMORIAL honours over 2000 men of the land forces of the British Commonwealth and Empire who died in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War. The SAI WAN MEMORIAL is in the form of a shelter building 24 metres long and 5.5 metres wide. It stands at the entrance to Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery, outside Victoria, the capital of Hong Kong. From the semi-circular forecourt, two wide openings lead to the interior of the building. The names are inscribed on panels of Portland stone. The dedicatory inscription reads:

1939 - 1945 The officers and men whose memory is honoured here died in the defence of Hong Kong in December 1941 and in the ensuing years of captivity and have no known grave.

The northern side of the Memorial is open and four granite piers support the copper roof. From a commanding position 305 metres above sea level, it looks out over the War Cemetery where some 1,500 men lie buried, and across the water to Mainland China - a magnificent view of sea and mountains.

Links and Other Resources

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General Comments

Local Men Seized at Hong Kong Get Letters Through to Kin
Capt. G. M. Billings, Sgt. H. W. McBroom Tell of Experiences
Two Kingston soldiers, Capt. G. M. Billings, R.C.C.S., and Sgt. W.H. (Harry) McBroom, of the Canadian Pay Corps, who were captured by the Japanese in the fall of Hong Kong are safe and well according to letters received in the city yesterday afternoon.
CAPT. BILLINGS
Mrs. Billings, formerly Mary Graham, daughter of Prof. and Mrs. Stanley Graham, Albert Street, received a letter from her husband which stated that although he had been wounded he had fully recovered and was now enjoying good health. He did not give any indications as to where the captured Canadians had been taken by the Japanese for internment, but said the food was adequate and that they had their own doctors and dentists.
Capt. Billings, who left Victoria, B.C., for active service in the East, wrote in his letter of games such as volleyball which were being provided for the officers and men in the internment camp.
Second Letter
Sgt. W. H. (Harry) McBroom in a letter dated June 3 to his wife who lives on Toronto Street, states that he is well. He said that outside of sunburn he was feeling fine. He added he has grown a long beard. He did not speak of conditions following the fall of Hong Kong.
Sgt. McBroom, who is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. F. McBroom, Portsmouth, enlisted in Kingston and left Ottawa for Hong Kong on Oct. 23, 1941.
His oldest brother, Aberdeen, a veteran of the First Great War, is now in England with the Canadian Active Army.
Capt. Overton Hickey, Kingston, who was also with the Canadians during the siege of Hong Kong has not communicated with his relatives in the city. It is expected that other letters written by Canadian prisoners of war will be received over the week-end. The letters, which were written early in June, were sent direct to Ottawa where they were censored and then forwarded to the addressees.

End of Report.

Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.

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Additional Notes

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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.
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