Canadian Chaplains Service
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Honourary Captain | Francis | Joseph |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Pembroke ON | Central Ontario | 1901-02-27 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| Roman Catholic Padre | Bn HQ | |
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-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 44 May 11 | 45 Sep 10 |
Transportation SE Asia to Home
| Transport Mode | Arrival Destination | Arrival Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| USS Joseph T. Dyckman | SF | 1945-10-16 | Manila to San Francisco 44 CDNs & British |
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.
Decorations Received
| Image | Name of Award | Abbreviation | References | Precedence | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mentioned-in-Despatches | MiD | 39, 40, 124 | 13 | Citation not found |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975-05-03 | Post War | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Pembroke Ontario Canada | St. Columba's Cemetery | ||
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
DELOUGHERY, Reverend Francis Joseph - At the General Hospital, Pembroke, on May 3, 1975, in his 75th year. Born on February 27, 1901, in Pembroke, Ontario; son of the late James Deloughery and the late Margaret Tierney. Survived by Bill, John, Ernie and Kay, ail of Pembroke, and Mrs. Don Yost (Helen), of Escanaba, Michigan. Resting at The Grey Sisters Mother House, Pembroke, from Sunday at 2 p.m. Transfer of body to St. Columbkille's on Tuesday at 10 a.m. Pontifical Concelebrated Mass to be celebrated by Most Reverend J.R. Windle, Bishop of Pembroke, on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. Burial in the family plot, St. Columba's Cemetery.
Links and Other Resources
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.
- Facebook has proven to be a valuable resource in the documentation of 'C' Force members. The following link will take you to any available search results for this soldier based on his regimental number. Note: results may be contained within another related record. Facebook Search Results
- Find a Grave® is a valuable resource that may contain additional information on this 'C' Force member. When you arrive at the site search page, fill in as much detail as you can for best results.
General Comments
Rev. F. J. Deloughery Writes Pembroke He's 'Safe and Well'
PEMBROKE, Ont., Aug. 28.- (Staff) - Rev. F. J. Deloughery, only Canadian Roman Catholic chaplain with the Canadian forces captured by the Japanese when Hong Kong fell last December, is "alive and well", according to a letter received today by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Deloughery, 357 Darcy street. Another Pembroke family, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Jones, 403 Lynn street, also received a letter from their son, Cpl Thomas George Jones, that he was safe.
In his first letter home since his internment, Father Deloughery wrote that "there was no cause for worry". The letter, dated June 3, indicated he was allowed only a few words, but he said, "I will be able to print a letter or a card each month from now on." Briefly outlining his activities, he stated, "I am able to provide religious services regularly for all Catholics in the camp."
While in Pembroke, Father Deloughery taught at the continuation Separate school for 10 years. He was a chaplain in the R.C.E.T.C., at Petawawa, until his enlistment with the Quebec Rifles, in October, 1941.
Formerly a student at the Continuation school under Father Deloughery, Cpl. Jones is a prisoner in the same camp. He states he is present when mass is sung each morning. The prisoners spend their time playing softball and volley ball, he said. Cpl. Jones enlisted with the Royal Rifles of Canada.
The Ottawa Journal 29 Aug 1942, Saturday, Page: 11
Parents Hear From Pembroke Soldiers Held at Hong Kong
PEMBROKE, Aug. 28. (Special) - Parents of Capt. the Rev. F. J. Deloughery and of Cpl. Thomas George Jones, Pembroke soldiers who have been prisoners at Hong Kong since its capture by the Japanese, were delighted to receive letters today from their sons, the first direct word they have had since the fall of Hong Kong. Both men are well and apparently in good spirits.
In a short note, printed in block letters, addressed to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Deloughery. 357 Darcy street, Father Deloughery said: "I am alive and well and assure you there is no cause to worry. I keep active and am able to provide religious services regularly for all Catholics in the camp. Tell my friends I am well and will be able to print a letter or a card each month from now on."
The letter was written on June 3.
Louis Jones, 403 Lynn street, also had a letter from his son, who served at Hong Kong with the Quebec Royal Rifles, in which Cpl. Jones said, "I am all right. Tell mother not to worry." He also said that he was able to obtain exercise by playing softball and volleyball and that he heard mass every morning sung by his old teacher. Father Deloughery. who before enlisting was principal of the cathedral continuation school here.
The letter was written on May 30 and Mrs. Jones said she expected they would hear fairly regularly from their son now.
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.
- Images displayed on the web page are small, but in many cases the actual image is larger. Hover over any image and you will see a popup if a larger version is available. You can also right-click on some images and select the option to view the image separately. Not all images have larger versions. Contact us to confirm whether a large copy of an image in which you are interested exists.
- 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.
- We have done our best to avoid errors and omissions, but if you find any issues with this report, either in accuracy, completeness or layout, please contact us using the link at the top of this page.
- Photos are welcome! If a photo exists for a 'C' Force member that we have not included, or if you have a higher quality copy, please let us know by using the Contact Us link at the top of this page. We will then reply, providing instructions on submitting it.