In 1914, Francisco (Frank) Maria Soares was a clerk with the Netherlands Trading Society. He volunteered to serve in the Great War and was attached to the 3rd Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. Private Soares was killed in action on 5 April 1915 and the first local Volunteer to fall in the war. His grave is in the Chester Farm Cemetery, a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground in West Flanders, Belgium. See photo at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11131073/francisco-maria-soares
Soares was a member of the Portuguese community and Club de Recreio. The idea of a memorial to the fallen soldier had to be deferred until 1928 when Club de Recreio opened its new grounds in King's Park. In 1928 on Armistice Day, a memorial sundial dedicated to the memory of Private Soares was unveiled outside the front entrance of the Club.
The sundial is no longer there but a war memorial plaque to Soares and HKVDC members of the Club who died in WWII now stands at the Club's entrance.
Sources:
(1) Obituary - Hong Kong Daily Press 5 June 1915. See here, scroll to Page 4
(2) Requiem Mass - China Mail 6 July 1915. See here, scroll to Page 4
(3) Unveiling of memorial sundial - China Mail 12 November 1928. See here on front page
(4) See here the description of the memorial sundial
(5) Photo of the memorial sundial - China Mail 17 November 1928. See here on front page
(6) Additional information on Facebook here
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