Battle Data Search

[Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps] George White

Born

11 March 1920, Hangkow, China

Death

17 December 1981, Brisbane, Australia

Unit/Organization

Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps

Rank/Post

Sergeant

Pre-war

George was the son of Thomas White of the Imperial Maritime Customs, and Soo Sui Ping. He completed secondary schooling at the Diocesan Boys School in Hong Kong and worked for the Hong Kong Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company from the age of nineteen as a Tally Clerk. He was a member of 3 Coy, HKVDC, a largely Eurasian unit whose members were often related to each other – the Whites, Pires, Birchalls, Izatts, Davies, Thirlwells, Young, and Wilkinsons formed an extended family.

Wartime

When the Japanese attacked, White was with his brother Albert, mother, and father at their apartment on Prince Edward Road. He was mobilised to 3 Company, where he served with distinction in 9 Platoon under Lieutenant Bevan Field as a machine-gunner in PB1. Field’s diary noted: “Private G. White… showed fine spirit. He appeared to be enjoying himself picking out the men carrying flags and those with white gloves. His manner generally struck a note very encouraging to his comrades”.

As a POW, White was included in the fifth shipment to labour camps in Japan, departing on the Soong Cheong on 15 December 1943. They reached their new camp – Narumi - on 7 Jan 1944. There, with 13 men from 3 Coy amongst their number, they made locomotive wheels at the Nippon Wheel Manufacturing Company, Sambon Matsu, Atsutaku, Nagoya City. White here suffered a severe beating with a rifle butt which ruptured his eardrum and resulted in hearing loss that lasted until his dying day. But all the 3 Coy men survived. His family was housed in Rosary Hill Red Cross home during the occupation.

Post-war

On returning to Hong Kong after the war, he went back to the Hong Kong Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company and worked for them until retirement in 1974 as Manager of the Mechanical Department. White was selected as one of the Colony’s representatives at the 1946 Victory Parade in London. He married Patsy Wilkinson and they had two sons. Following a heart attack, White took early retirement and migrated to Australia where he passed on.

Awards (other than the campaign medals)

White was gazette for an MiD, 4 April 1946.

Sources

Photo: Hong Kong WWII Veteran Association