Loose photo of HMS Bonaventure arriving in Hong Kong found among the papers of Captain W.R. Fell. Caption on back reads "Coming alongside at Kowloon - pinnacle on distant hill is Jap memorial near summit of peak HK." We may find the exact date in W.R. Fell's diaries. In the meantime there is an account of HMS Bonaventure's various missions at http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/BPF-EIF/Ships/BONAVENTURE.ht… A photo of her at Hong Kong is already on Gwulo.
Her mission at this point was to bring in nursing staff from Australia and repatriate POWs and internees among others.
Date picture taken
1 Feb 1946
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HMS Bonaventure at Hong Kong 1945
1946-1947 HMS Bonaventure
There is alot of information here in the Aussie newspapers about Captain Fell and the 1946-47 trips of HMS Bonaventure. Tracing back arrival and departure dates of Bonaventure in ports in Australia with the Hong Kong newspapers provides the first voyage to Hong Kong probably in early February 1946. The Bonaventure left Hong Kong on 7 February 1946. The China Mail of the same day mentions the scheduled departure of the depot ship.
Arrival date of Bonaventure in Hong Kong
I've changed the date of the arrival of HMS Bonaventure in Hong Kong. Thank you for ascertaining that, moddsey, and for guiding us to the Australian "Trove" of articles on her and on the midget submarines. I wonder if there is more in the Hong Kong press about the embarkation of POWs and ex-internees, many of whom must have been quite weak.