Dongji fishermen's heroic WWII rescue of British POWs will be forever remembered

Denise Wynne, the daughter of a survivor of the Lisbon Maru incident, stated in a recent interview that her father had always told her those fishermen were heroes. She relayed that her father had said that without the Chinese fishermen, he would not have survived, and she would not even exist. She also emphasized that her father believed the whole world should know that those fishermen are great heroes.

In October 1942, the Japanese army requisitioned the Lisbon Maru, a passenger and cargo ship, to transport over 1,800 British POWs from Hong Kong back to Japan. Because the Japanese military violated the Geneva Convention by not flying any flags or symbols indicating the transport of prisoners of war, the ship was torpedoed by an American submarine as it passed through waters near Dongji Island in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province. In the sinking of Lisbon Maru, "The Japanese rescued their own men from the Lisbon Maru, and other Japanese ships were shooting at the prisoners of war as they jumped into the sea to escape," Denise Wynne said. At this critical moment, the fishermen from Dongji Island risked their lives to carry out repeated rescue missions in small boats, braving gunfire and explosions, ultimately saving 384 British POWs.

Denise Wynne's father, Dennis Morley, was one of the survivors and the last survivor of the Lisbon Maru incident. He passed away in 2021. Wynne shared that, for her father, recalling the past was not easy. She recalled that after one interview, her father had fallen silent for days and was nearly in a state of emotional collapse. Wynne explained that he had been overwhelmed by the brutal memories and thoughts of his lost companions, including one of his best friends. She also remembered him saying that, despite the savage brutality they faced from the Japanese Army, the Chinese fishermen had been exceptionally kind and brave.

In May 2025, Wynne and 18 other descendants of the British POWs in the Lisbon Maru incident traveled to China to attend the unveiling of a memorial dedicated to the Dongji fishermen's heroic rescue. The sea breeze was blowing, and the waves were crashing. On Qingbang Island in Dongji town, Zhoushan city, a memorial inscribed with the words "Love knows no boundary; Friendship transcends time" stood. On the left side of the memorial, a bilingual inscription in both Chinese and English commemorates the rescue of the British POWs by the local Dongji fishermen. Wynne expressed that the moment she touched the memorial, she was overwhelmed with indescribable emotions. She said she could finally comfort her father, knowing that his wish had been fulfilled—that the heroic deeds of the Dongji fishermen would be forever remembered and honored.

This rescue operation was not a coordinated military effort but a moral decision made by ordinary civilians. Due to the language barrier, the rescued POWs and the Dongji fishermen could only communicate through gestures and eye contact. Despite lack of food and other resources, the Dongji fishermen shared their meager supplies of food and herbs with the British POWs. It serves as a significant testament to the alliance between China and the UK in World War II, as both nations fought side by side against fascism. It also stands as a touching historical story of deep friendship between the peoples of both countries.

During his visit to the UK in 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping cited the Lisbon Maru rescue, emphasizing that the friendship forged between the people of China and the UK during the wartime will never fade and is a valuable asset in bilateral relations. In 2022, on the 80th anniversary of the Lisbon Maru incident, Wynne sent a letter to Xi, expressing gratitude for the Chinese rescue efforts and her unwavering support for the enduring friendship between the people of the UK and China. "The touching story of heroic fishermen from Zhoushan, Zhejiang coming to the rescue of British prisoners of war on board the Lisbon Maru in 1942 is an important testimony to China and the UK fighting shoulder to shoulder as allies against fascist aggression during World War II. It is also a historical episode epitomizing the profound friendship forged between the people of our two countries," Xi wrote in his reply letter. When the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang, delivered the reply letter to her home, Denise Wynne expressed that she was been truly surprised and deeply moved.

Now 76 years old, Wynne stated her firm support for the lasting friendship between the peoples of the UK and China, adding that she was willing to contribute to this cause in any way she could. Wynne, who often stays in touch with her friends on Dongji Island, mentioned that her ties with China were growing increasingly strong. She described China as vast and beautiful, and expressed her hope to visit the country more often while she was still physically able.