Maurice Kelly was born in Broxburn, West Lothian, Scotland and was the third child of Peter and Annie Scullion Kelly. The date of his birth is unknown as there seems to be no record despite thorough searching. However, when he went to join the army, he used his older brother's birth certificate as he was too young to join up.

The date of birth on his MOD war record therefore is that of his brother who died in infancy. More than likely, he would have been just 17 or 18 years old when died.

Uncle Maurice Kelly was captured by the Japanese Army on Christmas Day at the fall of Hong Kong. The Prisoners of War were taken to Sham Shui Po Camp and on the 27th September 1942 set sail on the Lisbon Maru heading for Shanghai, en route to Japan. Many of the PoWs were suffering from dysentery and malnutrition when they were transported from the camp to the ship including Maurice.

The ship was torpedoed and sank. Uncle Maurice died on the ship along with the other servicemen. He was such a young lad who never got a chance to live his life. His big brother Peter was also a POW but with the Germans. He came home at the end of the war to Broxburn where the houses were beflagged, giving him a rousing reception.

Sadly, our grandad died of a broken heart when his youngest boy Maurice didn't come home. Granny received a postcard in 1943 from my uncle Maurice to say he was alive and well, a year after he was killed on the Hell Ship!

Although, we knew my uncle Maurice died on the Lisbon Maru, it was only in the last few years that we have been able to learn more, due to the hard work of Major Brian Finch, Tony Banham and Kent Shum to whom we are eternally grateful.

Maurice's story has been read by students in Hong Kong. Kent Shum recently led a group of students to Sai Wan Memorial in Hong Kong. One of the students read aloud a eulogy sent to Kent Shum prior to the release of the documentary film The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru.

On the 2nd of October 2022, the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Lisbon Maru, at the site of the memorial for Dongji fishermen's rescue of British Prisoners of War, a young local girl narrated a tribute to Uncle Maurice whilst another girl exhibited his photograph. The tribute had been very kindly translated into Chinese by Kent Shum. The young women placed a white rose in the sea for each of the servicemen who did not survive the sinking of the Lisbon Maru.

Uncle Maurice Kelly’s memorial in Sai Wan, Hong Kong has been visited by 2 of his nieces from Edinburgh. There is also a plaque bearing his name at the memorial outside Strathbrock Centre, Broxburn. Many of Maurice Kelly's nephews and nieces attended the unveiling of the plaques.