John Arthur GAUNT [1904-1944]

John Arthur Gaunt was a brilliant physicist - 'the Gaunt factor' is a formula still used in astrophysics.

He graduated with First Class Honours from Trinity, Cambridge in 1926 and began a period of research. His specialism was the new field of Quantum Mechanics, then entering its greatest periods - he probably attended the first course of lectures given by Paul Dirac, now considered one of the finest physicists of all time.

He was elected a Fellow of Trinity in 1929, and a brilliant academic career was expected by his friends and colleagues; but - the son of missionaries - he'd already offered his services to the Church Missionary Society. He was soon sent to St Stephen's College as a teacher.

He played a full part in the academic, social and religious life of the school, while resisting the attempts of the University of Hong Kong to lure him away (he did help out the University in a number of ways though). 

He was one of the founders of the Hong Kong Tecahers' Asssociation and served for many years on the committee.

When was seemed likely, he joined the Volunteers. When hostilities began, he was sent to Wong Ma Kok Fort:

 During the fighting it was found that the guns were not needed to fire down over the sea. They discovered it was possible to switch them round facing the hills. Gaunt asked for a map showing distances and heights,a nd worked out the ranges in his head.

The first shot fired knocked out a troublesome Japanese gun.

After the surrender, he was sent to North Point POW Camp:

...Gaunt, although tired, wrote a note to Mr. & Mrs, Martin {of St. Stephen's} and cleverly put it into the hands of Dr. Selwyn-Clarke. It was received at Stanley and an answering note sent.

Later, in Shamshuipo POW Camp, he gave maths lessons and corrected exercises.

He died of malnutrition ('affecting the legs and then fatal).

Source:

Bertha Swirles Jeffreys, John Arthur Gaunt (1904-1944), Notes Rec. R. Soc. Lond, 44, 73-79 (1990)