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[Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve] Hugh ‘Peter’ Dulley

Born

11 July 1903, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire

Death

19 December 1941, Postbridge, Hong Kong

Unit/Organization

Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

Rank/Post

Lieutenant-Commander

Pre-war

In 1915 Dulley enrolled in Gadebridge Park School, then two years later Westminster School, London. He worked in London from his graduation in 1923 and rowed for Great Britain in the 1924 Olympics (coming fourth in the men's eights event). After further work in Chile and a second spell in London, in 1930 he joined Jardine Matheson in Hong Kong. He met Therese Sander on New Year’s Eve 1935, about the same timr he joined the HKRNVR, they were married the following year. At the outbreak of the European war in 1939 he was called to full-time service as captain of a succession of patrol boats and in June 1940 was promoted to Lieutenant Commander.

In 1940 Therese, now eight months pregnant, was evacuated to the Philippines en route to Australia. However, her son was born in Baguio and thus they missed the onward transfer and in December returned to Hong Kong. In March 1941 they finally made it to Australia, leaving Dulley in Hong Kong as captain of HMAPV St Aubin. In May 1941 Dulley was ordered to sail with another tug to Aden, a job he completed before returning to Hong Kong in September. He was then appointed First Lieutenant on Cornflower (the HKRNVR’s headquarters and training vessel) two months later.

Wartime

As the Japanese attacked, Cornflower moved to anchor in Deep Water Bay. Later, the HKRNVR headquarters staff transferred to a house ashore there. On 19 December Cornflower was scuttled and at 05.20 that morning Dulley took a party of HKRNVR officers (Bertram Blakeney, Castleton, Harry Cockle, Jack Grenham, Roger Lamble, Alistair Mack, John McDouall, Bernard Morahan, Thomas Price, Robert Rutherford, and Allister Sommerfelt) on a lorry to reinforce the house called Postbridge in Wong Nai Chung Gap. The Postbridge defenders were joined by several Royal Artillery officers but came under growing pressure all day as the Japanese approached. At 23.30 it was decided to evacuate. Major John Crowe and Captain Anthony Atkinson of the Royal Artillery were wounded in the process but escaped; Captain Alfred Avery of the HKSRA and Mr George Tinson (the owner of the house) were mortally wounded; and at midnight Dulley was killed by a mortar.

Post-war

Post-war Dulley’s body was not identified. However, he has his own permanent memorial in Hong Kong: Dulley Rock, not far from today’s Chek Lap Kok airport, was named after Dulley whose yacht hit it during a Hong Kong to Macau race in 1935.

Sources

Photo: Tony Banham