Royal Navy--Hong Kong 1948 to 1958

Submitted by Thomas long on Sat, 05/02/2015 - 14:56

I am doing research on the Royal Navy in Hong Kong from 1948 to 1958. In particular I interested in the LCA's the MFV's and both the long and short ML's 

i am also interested in details of the Chinese Navy that was based on Lin Tin.

Any information, photos, cuttings etc would be really appreciated. 

I have been helped tremendously by the Hong Kong Flotilla Association which has given me the basic information but I now want to develop this further

i can be contacted through Gwulo or direct at thomas_long@sky.com

Hi David

The LCA's were basically flame throwers. With the flame mounted on the bow and tank of gasoline on the back.

MFV's were motorised Fishing Vessels and were the first of the patrol vessels used to deter smugglers in inland waters. Originally they were mainly manned by locals supervised by RN personnel.

ML's came in two versions, short and long depending on their length but also their compliment. These were essentially harbour motor launches who took over East and west patrols from MFV's.

Their initial function was to patrol the waters around Hong Kong to prevent smuggling of goods either into Hong Kong or the Chinese mainland. They constantly stopped and searched the junks that were plying the waters at that time. 

The research that I have undertaken revolves, in the main, around the ML's and in particular one incident in 1953 when one of the MLs was fired on by a Chinese Vessel, out of Lin Tin ( hence the interest in Lin Tin and the Chinese Navy) and 6 RN personnel and one HKDF were killed.

Hi Steve

Thank you for your response. I was aware of the note that had been posted by Peter Yeates. A good friend and a great help with my research to date. Peter is Treasurer of the Hing Kong Flotilla Association. 

They do great work in organising two reunions each year and keeping in contact with Ex RN personnel who served in the ML's. A terrific bunch of people.

I recommend you join the HK in the 60's facebook group. There is a gentleman on there who posted a picture of 1323 back in February, inlcuding a picture of the shell hole in the wheel house as well as pictures of two of the men killed in the action (Knight and Morris)