My uncles Charles Kennedy and William Anderson James were half brothers. William the eldest's father died, his widow remarried and Charles was born. They were both unemployed, with no job prospects, so joined the Royal Scots before the war.

Both men were serving together in Hong Kong when the Japanese invaded and both were captured. They were fortunate to both escape the sinking of the Lisbon Maru.

While Charles was a POW in Kobe House he was part of a group of prisoners calling themselves the Mad Gang, who performed concerts and shows. The group had been started by Joe Denton, another survivor of the Lisbon Maru. Although the group had the support of some of the guards, one guard took offence and Joe Denton received a beating. Whilst he was in hospital recovering, the others made him a birthday card out of scrap paper and signed it. The nine signatories were all survivors of the Lisbon Maru.

• Corporal Norman Colley of the Royal Engineers
• Private Nicholas Helliadis of the Middlesex
• S/Sergeant John Welford of the Royal Engineers
• Petty Officer Stoker Reginald Albert Thorne of the Ryal Navy
• Petty Officer Henry Edward Short of the Royal Navy
• Lance Corporal Albert N. Jefford of the Royal Engineers
• Private Charles Kennedy of the Royal Scots
• Private Leonard Owen of the Royal Scots
• Private James McDougall of the Royal Scots

Charles had a big personality and would of been ideal for concert party type events.

Sadly William died whilst a Prisoner of War of mistreatment and neglect, but Charles was liberated from Osaka 2b POW Camp and made it home.

Charles was evacuated home from Japan aboard the Empress of Australia on 18th September 1945. He went on to marry Mary Hannah Lowe in Driffield, East Yorkshire, in February 1946. The local newspaper reported the wedding and specifically mentioned the Lisbon Maru connection. Charles could speak Japanese.

Malcolm Kennedy once mentioned a story about his father Charles. They were on a family day out to the seaside at Scarborough in the 1950s walking hand in hand along the seafront. Suddenly and without warning Charles broke free and rushed over to an oncoming gentleman and they hugged each other. They had been POWs together in Japan and had immediately recognised each other over ten years after being released.

The correct rank for Charles Kennedy requires more investigation. He is listed as Private on most documentation including his POW registration card, the "Smuggled List" (page 7 entry 1054) and the telegram listing Royal Scots on the Lisbon Maru. However on some documents he is listed as Lance Corporal including the embarkation roll call and also on his debrief questionnaire, although this would have been filled in by Charles himself. Lance Corpaoral may have been a temporary promotion.