Historical Restoration of “Dongji Island”: The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru
Incident

In 1942, after occupying Hong Kong, Japan transported tens of thousands of
prisoners of war, including British and Canadian soldiers, to Japan. Among them,
a cargo ship named the “Lisbon Maru” carried 1,816 British POWs. On October
1, 1942, while passing through the waters off Zhoushan, Zhejiang, the ship,
lacking any markings to indicate it was carrying POWs, was torpedoed by the USS
Grouper, a submarine of the 81st Division of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine
Force. After the torpedo hit, Japanese warships and other vessels conducted a
partial evacuation. Once most Japanese soldiers had been transferred, 25 guards
and 77 crew members were left to guard the POWs. Shortly afterward, the Lisbon
Maru began to sink.

Dongji Island, located in Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, is an archipelago
consisting of multiple islands. It is renowned not only for its beautiful
natural scenery but also for its unique historical culture and fishing village
charm, making it a popular destination for tourists.

The sinking of the Lisbon Maru is a true historical event from World War II
that occurred in 1942.

Background of the Incident

In 1942, after occupying Hong Kong, Japan transported tens of thousands of
prisoners of war, including British and Canadian soldiers, to Japan. Among them,
a cargo ship named the “Lisbon Maru” carried 1,816 British POWs.

Overview of the Incident

The “Lisbon Maru” was a passenger-cargo ship owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha
(NYK Line). Originally used for transporting goods, it was repurposed during
World War II to carry prisoners of war, primarily between Japan and China. On
September 25, 1942, approximately 1,816 British Commonwealth and British Indian
POWs were forced to board the Lisbon Maru from the Sham Shui Po POW Camp in
Hong Kong. The ship also carried 778 Japanese soldiers as guards. The POWs were
confined to three cramped cargo holds under deplorable conditions.

The Sinking

On October 1, 1942, while passing through the waters off Zhoushan, Zhejiang, the
Lisbon Maru, lacking any markings to indicate it was carrying POWs, was
torpedoed by the USS Grouper, a submarine of the 81st Division of the U.S.
Pacific Fleet Submarine Force. After the torpedo hit, Japanese warships and
other vessels conducted a partial evacuation. Once most Japanese soldiers had
been transferred, 25 guards and 77 crew members were left to guard the POWs. The
ship then began to sink.

Fate of the POWs

As the ship tilted and eventually sank, the POWs jumped into the sea to survive.
However, the Japanese warships did not provide rescue efforts; instead, they
opened fire on the struggling POWs in the water. After the sinking, a small
number of surviving POWs were recaptured by the Japanese and sent to Shanghai
before being transported to Japan, where they were forced into hard labor.

Rescue by the Fishermen of Dongji Island

The fishermen of Dongji Island have a long-standing tradition: if someone is found drowning, they must rescue them at all costs. This spirit has been passed
down among Zhoushan fishermen for thousands of years.

As the ship began to sink, some of the trapped POWs managed to break out of the
holds and escape. Upon discovering the situation, the fishermen of Dongji
Island, disregarding the Japanese blockade and risking their lives, sailed their
simple fishing boats to the sinking site and conducted a large-scale rescue
operation. Ultimately, the fishermen successfully rescued 384 British POWs and
sheltered them on the island.

Names of the Rescuers

The rescue efforts during the sinking of the Lisbon Maru were a spontaneous
collective action, involving 198 fishermen.

Historical records mention the following fishermen by name: Guo Ade, Wang
Yefu, Weng Achuan, Tang Ruliang, Xu Yusong, Liang Yijuan.

It is worth noting that Liang Yijuan, who was only 13 years old at the time,
hid three British POWs in a sea cave, helping them evade Japanese searches and
ultimately escape.

Japanese Atrocities

After the rescue, Japanese warships surrounded Dongji Island and conducted
searches. To avoid implicating the fishermen, most of the POWs voluntarily
surrendered to the Japanese. However, three British officers, with the help of
the fishermen, hid in a seaside cave and avoided capture.

According to various historical records and survivor accounts, the Japanese
did not directly kill the fishermen of Dongji Island during the Lisbon Maru
sinking incident. However, they疯狂ly obstructed and threatened the fishermen’s
rescue efforts.

Revelation of the Truth

The three surviving British officers were eventually escorted to the mainland by
the fishermen. After returning to their home country, they exposed the truth of
the Lisbon Maru sinking incident and the humanitarian efforts of the Dongji
Island fishermen to the world through radio broadcasts.

Post-War Trials

After the liberation of Hong Kong, Captain Shigeta Shigeru of the Lisbon Maru
was identified as a war criminal and sentenced to seven years imprisonment by a
Hong Kong military tribunal.

Impact of the Incident

The sinking of the Lisbon Maru is a典型 example of the treatment of POWs and the
brutality of naval warfare during World War II. It exposed the冷酷无情 of the
Japanese military toward POWs in the late stages of the war while highlighting
the heroic actions of ordinary civilians, particularly the fishermen who risked
their lives to rescue the POWs.

The incident also sparked discussions about the treatment of POWs and
international humanitarian law.

Historical Legacy

This history is remembered by later generations not only as a testament to the
kindness and bravery of the Chinese people during the war but also as an
important chapter in the humanitarian efforts of the world anti-fascist war. On
Dongji Island, a memorial hall for the Lisbon Maru sinking incident has been
established to commemorate this deeply moving true history.

Commemoration

A stone tablet was erected in the chapel of St. Stephen’s College in Stanley to
commemorate the 122 soldiers of the Royal Artillery who were killed at the
Stanley Barracks during the Battle of Hong Kong and the soldiers who perished in
the Lisbon Maru sinking incident.

The rescue of the POWs by Zhoushan fishermen was adapted into the film Dongji
Salvation in 2006.

The documentary film The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, directed by Fang Li, was
completed and released in 2024.

Another film, Dongji Island, is also based on this incident.

A stone tablet was erected on Dongji Island in Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province,
to commemorate all the POWs who died in the Lisbon Maru sinking incident.

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