LiMMA : Preserving the Memory of the Lisbon Maru
On 2nd October 1942 the Lisbon Maru was sunk with the Loss of 828 British Prisoners of War
The sinking of the Lisbon Maru was a largely forgotten and unrecorded incident until recently.
The Lisbon Maru was a Japanese freighter, which was used to transport prisoners of war in the Far East and one of many vessels, which came to be known as the "hell ships".
Following the Fall of Hong Kong in December 1941, many service personnel were taken prisoner. The Lisbon Maru sailed from Hong Kong en route to Shanghai and Japan, transporting the POWs to provide labour for the Japanese war effort.
There was nothing to identify the Lisbon Maru as carrying POWs and sadly she was torpedoed. The events which followed being one of many tragic episodes of the war in the Far East.
The histories of Hong Kong and World War II form the backdrop to the Lisbon Maru story.
The stories and records from the battle for Hong Kong, the treatment of Far East prisoners of war, US submarine pacific operations, the selfless act of the Chinese fishermen each have their own stories, but all are inextricably linked to the sinking of Lisbon Maru.
There are many aspects to these stories and many people working hard to make sure that all those on the Lisbon Maru are not forgotten. Over time we hope to bring these stories together.
The Lisbon Maru Memorial Association (LiMMA)
LiMMA was set-up to faciliate bringing the history of events leading up to and following the sinking of the Lisbon Maru to present and future generations and to arrange an annual gathering of remembrance at the Lisbon Maru Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum.
We need as much help as possible, so if you haven't become a member of LiMMA yet, please take a few moments to do so. You don't have to be a relative to join, just have an interest in the history.
Thank you to everyone who has shared photos and stories of your loved ones who were aboard the Lisbon Maru. Your contributions help keep their memories alive. Please also take a moment to fill out the Personal Information Sheet for your loved ones, so their stories can be recorded and shared.
Both the Membership Form and Personal Information Sheet can be found on our Join LiMMA page.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Please Share Your Family's Story
The Lisbon Maru Memorial Association (LiMMA)'s aim is to produce a Personal Information Sheet for each of the individuals on the Lisbon Maru.
We have a digital memorial to the Men on Board the Lisbon Maru where you can also read some of the men's stories, like Private Kenneth T Hodkinson, uncle of Jean Clements LiMMA Steering Group.
If you have already completed one of our Personal Information Sheets then thank you for your time and contribution. We will endeavour to get your relative's story onto the website as soon as possible.
If you would like to share your relative's story then please complete a Personal Information Sheet.
Fundraising
LiMMA pin badges are now available for you to own!
We also have Handknitted Poppies in a variety of colours, complete with a presentation card. Choose from red, white or purple.
As well as Handmade Resin Poppy Necklaces, which are individually made, so may vary slightly in their design.
Please click on the photos below to expand and view the items.
We suggest a minimum donation of £5 per item please.
All proceeds are donated to LiMMA.
Should you wish to purchase any of these items, please contact Jean Clements on missjeangarside@googlemail.com
VJ Day Commemorations
August 12th to 30th 2025
Throughout August LiMMA members took part in VJ Day 80th Anniversary Commemorations around the UK. For more details of these events, please see the VJ Day Commemoration page.
August 13th 2025
Brian Finch's online talk arranged by the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding (SACU).
August 12th - 15th 2025
The Royal Scots Museum Outreach Team's VJ Day 80 event, Central Library Edinburgh.
August 15th 2025
The Royal British Legion in partnership with the UK Government, Remembering VJ Day: 80 Years On, the National Memorial Arboretum.
August 15th 2025
Chris Weedon's talk about Martin Weedon's (Chris' father and a Lisbon Maru survivor) diaries at the Memorial Hall, Stoke sub Hamdon.
August 16th 2025
A service of remembrance was held at 2.00pm on 16th August at Lichfield Cathedral.
August 17th 2025
FEPOW's service at their Memorial Buiding and Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum.
August 26th 2025
China Global Media Network, China Media Group and LiMMA's event marking VJ Day 80, Liverpool.
August 30th 2025
The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (Volunteers) Association's remembrance service at their memorial in the National Memorial Arboretum.
Lisbon Maru Memorial Service
October 2nd 2025
Every year on October 2nd, the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association (LiMMA) organises a Service of Remembrance for the POWs aboard the Lisbon Maru.
This year's service will begin promptly at 12:00pm on Thursday, 2nd October 2025, at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) in Alrewas near Lichfield, Staffordshire. We will gather in front of the Lisbon Maru Memorial for a simple, respectful ceremony lasting approximately one hour.
The annual gathering is an important opportunity to honour and remember those we lost and to connect with others, who share this heritage. Everyone is welcome and we sincerely hope you can join us.
Anthony Jones, Chairman, Lisbon Maru Memorial Association
Remembrance Sunday
November 9th 2025
Lisbon Maru relatives and descendants have been invited to attend the National Remembrance Parade at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday 9th November 2025.
We have a limited number of spaces available for LiMMA members. This will be an annual invitation and, as an association, we will endeavour to make this event available to as many members as we can in the future.
This year we will be allocating spaces on the parade by means of a ballot. If you would like to be included in this ballot, please send your application to limmauk@gmail.com.
Applications will close on 5th September and the successful members will be contacted by 10th September with joining information. Please note that, in the first instance, direct family descendants of the Lisbon Maru POWs will be given precedence for places.
It is also hoped that we can secure a plot in the memorial garden where we will be able to plant memorial crosses to remember our relatives.
Lisbon Maru in Parliament
Adjournment Debate
On 1st September 2025, Kirsteen Sullivan MP for Bathgate and Linlithgow lead an adjournment debate on the Lisbon Maru story.
The debate can be seen on parliamentlive.tv.
LiMMA member Gerry Borge met her at her constituency office recently when Kirsteen said: "In May, I spoke in Parliament about the remarkable story of Gerry's father's and uncle's service with the Royal Scots in the Far East during the Second World War. That same month, a memorial was unveiled in the Zhoushan Islands to honour the more than 800 Allied servicemen who lost their lives when the Lisbon Maru was sunk, and to pay tribute to the hundreds of survivors who were rescued by brave Chinese fishermen who risked their lives at sea. Gerry attended the ceremony, representing his family members who survived. It was a privilege to meet Gerry in my constituency office this week. When Parliament returns on 1st September, I will be leading an adjournment debate on the Lisbon Maru, a story too often forgotten, yet one that deeply affected many Scottish families and deserves to be remembered."
Kirsteen's speech from May 15th 2025 in Parliament can also be seen on parliamentlive.tv.
The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru
Now available online
The documentary "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" is now available for streaming in the UK and Ireland.
To stream the film, please follow this link:
https://www.ukchinafilm.com/vj-day-80-lisbon-maru-online/
If you haven't seen the film yet, it is well worth a watch and please pass this on to all those you believe might be interested in seeing the film.
Community Cinema Showings
The aim continues to get the film shown in community cinema. A key organisation is Cinema for All, an association with hundreds of members which supports film societies and community cinemas across the UK.
If you are interested in helping to get the film screened in a community cinema near you please visit this link:
https://mycommunitycinema.org.uk/find-a-cinema/
Enter your postcode and find your nearest community cinema. You can then propose the film and if they are interested, you can share with them a link to the booking form:
https://us3.list-manage.com/survey?u=33fa1e2bfd775a341fcd076ab&id=b2c8c5500e.