1 Dec 1943, WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong

Here is the American version of the raid, based on official US military accounts written after the war: 19 B-24s, 24 P-40s, and 10 P-51s of the China-based 14th Air Force bomb Kowloon shipyards.  A pair of B-25s bomb Tai Koo dockyard at the same time.  (This was a typical attack plan--the B-24s bombed one target from high altitude, catching the attention of fighters and flak, while the B-25s snuck in at low height to hit a different target.)  The B-25s damaged the Japanese transport Teiren Maru (ex-Vichy French Gouverneur General A. Varenne), which was later written off as a total loss. 

Neither the American account nor the Hong Kong News article above mention any American losses.  However, according to Edwin Ride's account of the BAAG, a pilot named Lt. R.T. Colbert bailed out somewhere over the PRD during this raid and was rescued by BAAG agents.  A photo shows him posed with Nationalist Chinese officers, one of whom is striking a tough pose for the camera with a drawn Mauser pistol.  Colbert is wearing a borrowed British battle-dress jacket and looks to be in good health.

USAAF Lt. Colbert was rescued by the Special Commando Unit (別動隊 - Bit Tung Tui) of the Chinese Nationalist Forces in Dec 1943.  The unit was believed to have been trained by the British SOE China Commando Group in Chungking early 1942 when a Demolition School was set up, some 50 were trained.  The unit came under Chungking directly, but did not get the support of regional forces.

The Leader of the Unit who brought Lt. Colbert to the BAAG AHQ was named Wang Zi-pan (王之攀).  The BAAG FOGS, under Ronnie Holmes & Colin McEwan, was planning a Joint Operation with the Chinese forces at the time to stage a sabotage & rescue operation at the Lin Ma Hang Mine.  Paul Tsui (65) spoke at length with Wang overnight and assessed that he was keen to work with the BAAG in relation to the operation; but needed to seek approval from Chungking first; he was on his way there; approval was not heard.  The BAAG thought that Wang was too keen for Chungking!

(Ref: Ride Papers AWM - Series 12 Folder 6; S.10 F.7; S.2 F.7; S.10 F.40)

 The photo can be seen in Edwin Ride's book on the BAAG. I would speculate that Wang should be the person marked 'Unknown'.  At the Museum of Coastal Defence, the photo was on display until I pointed out that their caption of the Chinese rescue team being Red Guerrillas was wrong.  Instead of correcting the caption, the photo was taken down from the display.

(Ref: Ride Papers on the BAAG AWM Series 10 Folder 40)

Colbert was shot down by an enemy plane on Dec 1ar, 1943 over S.China after attacking Hong Kong.  He baled out and was rescued by villages who hid him in a cave.  They gave him food, clothes and shaved his head as disguise.  Japanese troops were searching for him in the area.  Over the next few days, the Nationalist Chinese Special Operation Unit came and smuggled him through enemy-held territories crossing the KCR railway to Free China via Chanlung & Tam Shui to Wai Chow.  The Red Guerrillas were also searching for him and engaged the Japanese search party in action.  From Chanlung, BAAG Agent No. 21 (William Cheng) joined the party on the way to Wai Chow.  The Chinese Garrison was informed of the successful extraction and notified the BAAG AHQ.  Colbert & Party arrived on 9th Dec and left for Hengyang on 15th Dec 1943.  The Chinese Special Ops Unit did a great job.