David "Davo" Pauncefoote Legge

(FJW) http://www.hongkongescape.org/Lewes.htm

Sub-Lt David Pauncefoote-Legge H.K.R.N.V.R. 2nd MTB Flotilla, Coastal Forces Hong Kong 1916 - 2007 Sub-Lt David Pauncefoote-Legge H.K.R.N.V.R. [MTB 11]

Sub-Lt David Pouncefoote Legge in Waichow 30/12/1941 Photo from the Hide collection ©

Sub-Lt Legge had lived and worked in Shanghai since 1933 where his widowed mother Alice, a school cookery and Swedish gymnastics teacher had married a Danish sea captain, Jens Elster. David was fluent in Cantonese, acting as interpreter during the escape. When David arrived in Kukong he met a part time trainee nurse who knew his mother Alice (Dotsy) in Shanghai. She wrote a letter in Chinese for added security to his mother confirming David's arrival in Kunming, and that of his chum Holger Christensen.

“Dear Mrs. Elster, I am again writing this letter to tell you that I have very safely arrived at my destination. I am now living at this place engaged in teaching a girl in the forenoon and in learning nursing work at the local hospital. I am sure you are very glad to know that David and his friend, Holger have arrived here. I have already seen them several times. The are all very well. They will go westward in the near future. They will send you a letter after they have arrived at their destination. We are glad to be able to meet David and his friend. We are very unwilling to see them leave so quickly. They had a very shocking experiences before their arrival here. Please send my best wishes to my friends. May God have blessing on you. Yours faithfully Eteli (?).” [107]

David left the escape party at Kunming and was told to report to the British Embassy in Chungking so flew there with Lt Pittendrigh & Sub-Lt Gee. "Then I found what a mistake I had made. The Embassy grabbed me without so much as a by your leave and shoved me into their cipher office. There was of course no naval authority to whom I could complain. I was stuck there for two months before I made such a nuisance of myself that they let me out".

A/Sub-Lt Legge joined the HKRNVR 5th January 1941 spending three months training in Navigation, Signalling, Seamanship, Mine laying and Gunnery. Davo then spent the following six months on converted tugs doing minesweeping duties before he transferred to MTB 11. HMS Cornflower, the HKNVF headquarters was moored south-west of Kellet Island where the RHKYC had transferred to from North Point in October 1940. The traditional recruiting grounds for navy volunteers were the yacht and boating clubs for men with basic seamanship knowledge. There was also a shore-based office in the York Building on the north side of Chater Rd by Pedder St. As the clouds of war began to darken the HKNVF had mobilized into the Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, HKRNVR, in August 1939 with just one hundred and ten officers including their Honorary Captain His Excellency Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote, K.C.M.G. [106] He was commissioned into the Imperial R.N.V.R. in 1943 and joined the Naval Intelligence Division, Admty [HMS President] 1943-1946.

MTB 07 under fire Photo from Hong Kong 1941-45 published by Osprey Publishing Illustration by Giuseppe Rava Click here for more informationThe flotilla took a beating during the battle for Hong Kong. When the Japanese invaded Hong Kong Island, the 2nd MTB Flotilla was ordered to attack and shoot up everything in sight, and to expend all ammunition in the process. Unbeknown to the flotilla, the Japanese had already established a beach head on the Island west of the Sugar Refinery at North Point. Guns to the left, guns to the right, guns to the front and cannon from above, on they sped into the fiery jaws of the oriental dragon itself. This was the maritime equivalent of the charge of the light brigade in the Crimea. Lt Ronnie Ashby whose motto was "Be Just and Fear Naught" led the flotilla in MTB 07 with Jix Prest & Buddy Hide at the controls, pressing home the attack under withering fire from land, sea, and air, suffering heavy losses in the process. Only three MTB's survived to limp back to base in Aberdeen. Lt Kennedy on MTB "09" towed the stricken "07", peppered with 97 holes and two dead bodies in the engine room, back to base. The flotilla had lost 40% of its attacking force. The attack was arguably the most daring daylight MTB attack of all time, and was referred to as “The Balaclava of the Sea.” by Coastal Forces world wide. They were hailed "The bravest of the brave."

Lt Kennedy RNVR: "MTB 11 returned alone from the harbour with her coxswain wounded. There was a long silent pause as we strained our ears to catch the sound of distant engines, but none came. It was a dark day for the flotilla, and for the whole island." [9]

Lt Collingwood stayed onboard the Danish ship "Heinrich Jessen" and proceeded to Akyab, eventually flying out from Chittagong to Calcutta on the 18th April. From there he went on to Ceylon before returning to the UK.

The remaining nine ratings in Akyab eventually left Bombay on 14th April and arrived back in the UK 1st June1942.

Lieutenant Commander Gandy R. N. (Rtrd) had prevailed against all the odds, and triumphed over adversity to deliver his people back to freedom without loss of life or serious injury after evading capture and escaping from Hong Kong on Christmas Day 1941.

PO Prest: "We travelled by cycles, lorries, junks, and donkeys, but mostly we walked. It was a case of march or die"

Buddy Hide: "On the whole, the moral, spirits, and courage of the party was magnificent. I think it was the shear thoughts of beating the Jap's, and the prospects of getting home after three years, some of us four years from home, that made us carry on."

It is unprecedented in the annuls of Royal Navy history, that an entire Flotilla company evaded capture to escape across an entire continent to fight another day.

Sub-Lt Legge HKRNVR & senior Sino-British navy officers and nursing staff at Waichow ©

Senior Sino-British Naval officers with nursing staff at Waichow

Back Row: Lt Kennedy RNVR, Lt-Cmd Hsu Heng (Henry) CN, Lt-Cmd Gandy RN (Rtrd), Lt-Cmd Yorath RN (Rtrd), Cdr Montague RN (Rtrd), Lt Parsons HKRNVR, Lt Ashby HKRNVR, Lt Collingwood RN,

Front Row: Sub-Lt Gee HKRNVR, Sub-Lt Brewer HKRNVR, Sub-Lt Legge HKRNVR, and nurses at Waichow.

To read more on David click here.

Davo was born in Hayes, Kent, England in 1916, and aged just two months he was sent to join his father in Bangalore, India. In 1924 he entered the Heathfield Preparatory School, in Sussex before going to the Cheltenham College Military training school for one year. He then went to the Tonbridge School, Kent, as a day pupil where it also transpired that Lt-Com Yorath RNR (Rtrd) also attended. Upon leaving he emigrated to Shanghhai where Davo enjoyed Rowing along with Ted Ross, and Rugby. Davo played for the "Armoured Car Company" at the Shanghai RFC junior division from 1935 through 1937. [101]

Davo passed away aged 90 on the 19 March 2007 in Auburn, California. Davo was a California resident for over 50 years. After long careers with British-American Tobacco and B.O.A.C. (British Airways), he was widowed (no children) and remarried at age 62. Davo was an active boater and traveller, and a docent at California Academy of Sciences in S.F. He became a US citizen at age 64.

Davo along with fellow escapee Lt-Cmd Yorath RN are featured in a newly published book A Duty to Serve: Tonbridge School and the 1939-45 War