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.
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.
We need as much help as possible, so if you haven't become a member of LiMMA yet, please visit our Join LiMMA page. You don't have to be a relative to join, just have an interest in the history. But if you do have information about a relative, which you are willing to share, please visit our Sharing your History page and complete our online form.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Zhoushan 2026
17th to 24th May
Relatives of the Men on the Lisbon Maru visit Zhoushan City Museum.
The first full day of activities for the relatives, included a visit to the Zhoushan City Museum to view the exhibition on the Lisbon Maru incident. Chen Chong, Secretary of the Zhoushan Municipal Party Committee was present and James Murphy, son of Lance Corporal James Laurence Murphy delivered a speech on behalf of the relatives. James' words were deeply moving and were met with thunderous applause from those in attendance.
Text and photo courtesy of Kent Shum.
For more photos of the trip so far please see our LiMMA in Action page.
Remembrance Sunday
Sunday November 8th 2026
We are very pleased that Lisbon Maru relatives and descendants have been invited again to attend the National Remembrance Parade at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday 8th November 2026.
Once again there will be a limited number of spaces available for LiMMA members and we will provide you with more details as soon as they are available.
This year for the first time, we have also secured a plot in the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, where we will be able to plant memorial crosses to remember all our relatives, who were on the Lisbon Maru. As soon as more details are available we will let you know.
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
An Outline History of the Middlesex Regiment
Duke of Cambridge's Own
A brief history of the Middlesex Regiment written by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Roger Gancz and Major (Retired) Brian Finch MCIL both late of the The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own).
1st Battalion The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was one of two infantry battalions on the Lisbon Maru.
They earned their honorific nickname the "Diehards" during the Battle of Albuhera in 1811, the bloodiest battle of the Peninsular War. Despite suffering 60 percent casualties, they refused to give way in the face of a fierce onslaught from advancing French infantry and earned special praise from the commanding general.
Their courage and sacrifice have been remembered ever since and are still commemorated to this day by their successors, the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.
For the Battle for Hong Kong, their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel "Monkey" Stewart earned a posthumous Distinguished Service Order for gallantry. Later, on the Lisbon Maru, as senior officer in charge of all the prisoners of war, he inspired the men by his calmness, avoiding panic and organising the breakout at the right time.
Select to read the full article, including a list of all those in the battalion missing from the Lisbon Maru.
Please Share Your Family's Story
The Lisbon Maru Memorial Association (LiMMA) aims to create a Digital Memorial for all of the men who boarded the Lisbon Maru. Here we are gathering the histories of each of the men so they can be preserved for future generations, but we cannot do this without your help.
If you have already completed one of our Personal Information Sheets then thank you for your time and contribution. If we have not already, we will endeavour to get your relative's story onto the website as soon as possible.
Please take a look at our Men on Board the Lisbon Maru page where you can read some of the men's stories, like Private Kenneth T Hodkinson, uncle of Jean Clements LiMMA Steering Group.
If you would like to share or update your relative's story then please visit our Sharing your History page and complete our online form.
Stay in Touch
Were you on an earlier mailing list?
If you are on Brian Finch’s mailing list for matters relating to the Lisbon Maru, many of you will have received an email from Brian in October encouraging you to join LiMMA, as he is planning to gradually hand over to the Steering Group, the task of keeping the relatives and other interested parties informed.
Please visit our Join LiMMA page.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Researching your Relative
As the LiMMA community and general interest in our forbearers grows, many of you are most likely saying "I want to know more" and rightly so, as we need to ensure the Men on the Lisbon Maru are remembered.
The LiMMA Steering Group have spent a lot of time researching their own relatives who were on the Lisbon Maru and Ken Williams has compiled our experience and put together the first of several guides to help you.
Please take a look at our Researching your Relative page to start your own search.