ABOUT THEM
A diary of an unknown hero
and his unusual journey,
lying quietly in a
Hong Kong building slated for demolition
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Mission of Lam Ping-yu
The diary belonged to Lam Ping-yu, one of a select group of Chinese naval officers sent to Britain for military training during WWII. The diary reveals the journey of how Lam and his compatriots found themselves fighting on the shorelines of Normandy in the D-Day Landings - their very first mission on European soil.
"No one can ever forget their adolescence, I will never forget their resistance. Why do I hesitate, there is nothing clearer, I shouldn't just go with the flow! Aspirations, aspirations, do we expect the world to contain only paved roads?"
- Lam Ping-yu
The very first mission of this 25-year-old Chinese naval officer.
Photo credit: Huang Shansong
Not only him
24 Chinese naval officers, including Lam Ping-yu, began their journey from Chongqing in 1943.
4 months of travel, 6 months of training, they were assigned to various vessels for war practice. In June 1944, they received orders to help open the Second Front in Europe.
Peace is what they fought for.
On June 6, nearly 160,000 Allied forces stormed five Normandy beaches in France, marking the commencement of operations to liberate continental Europe from Nazi occupation. On this pivotal day known as D-Day, naval forces played a crucial role by bombarding German defenses along the fortified "Atlantic Wall", enabling soldiers to breach shorelines.
Photo credit: Huang Shansong
Until we meet
Lam’s writings provide a glimpse into the harsh realities of war, as well as an extensive insight into Lam’s inner feelings of excitement, envy, romance, and greater ambitions.
His diary remains hitherto the only primary source on Chinese participation at D-Day, and reveals a deeply intriguing story marking an East-West collaborative effort in the global pursuit of lasting peace. As this year marks the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, join us as we bring this largely unknown episode of history to light.
Lost and Found in Hong Kong: The Unsung Chinese Heroes at D-Day is a roaming exhibition that spans across Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and beyond. The exhibition thus far has garnered widespread local and international interests, with partners including nine universities in Hong Kong and abroad, four Consulates, five museums in the UK and France, among others.
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