You've probably never had reason to wonder: "What part did China play in D-Day?" But that's exactly the question that can now be answered if you drop in to a new exhibition at King's: "Lost and found in Hong Kong: the unsung Chinese heroes at D-Day."
"Lost and Found in Hong Kong" tells the story of 24 Chinese naval officers who took part in the D-Day landings and the liberation of France during the Second World War. It's an interactive exhibition on display at The Exchange in Bush House and it's now open to the public until September.
At its launch on Wednesday 16 July guests were treated to introductions and personal insight from the exhibition's curators.
All history is contemporary
Dr Geoffrey Browell, Project Lead for Heritage Collections at King's, kicked off the launch with a nod to the surprising nature of the subject matter. The story was only revealed due to the chance finding in 2015 of a naval officer's wartime diary, inside a Hong Kong building that had been scheduled for demolition. Prior to this, Chinese involvement in D-Day was seemingly unknown.
This just goes to show: we are learning new things every day."
Dr Geoff Browell - Project Lead, Heritage Collections
Angus Hui - one of the exhibition's co-curators also addressed the audience at the launch, citing just some of the incredible first-hand stories extracted from Lieutenant Lam Ping-yu's diary - the source material that inspired "Lost and Found in Hong Kong."
The officers' four-month journey from their home to London would be littered with unfamiliar experiences: flying over the Himalayas, escaping attacks from Nazi E-Boats, and even camel riding in Cairo.
During their mission - as the diary reveals - the officers would face difficult questions about how to reconcile hopes, dreams, friendships and love with adversity and the harsh realities of the challenge they had accepted. Questions that Angus believes transcend divisions of time and place, like:
- How dedicated ought one to be in the pursuit of high ideals and dreams?
- What should one do in the face of adversity and disappointment?
- In the midst of chaos and division, how should one deal with friendship and love when challenged by the harshness of reality?
As with all young people, a young Lam Ping-yu was also confronted by these questions and had to make tough decisions. It is why, I believe, so many people across cultures and continents, have found resonance in his life journey. All history is contemporary."
Angus Hui, one of the curators of the "Lost & Found" exhibition
Unity through history
The "Lost and Found" exhibition aims not only to showcase this previously unreported role of Hong Kong in the Second World War but to shine a light on and promote solidarity between East and West. This is the fourth showing of the exhibition internationally - in the UK it was previously opened by HRH the Princess Royal at Trinity House in February this year and it will head to France after its display at King's.
About the curators
Angus Hui is a journalist-turned-historian, specialising in Chinese modern history and Hong Kong local culture and heritage. He holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, where he was awarded the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence, and a BA from the University of Hong Kong.
John Mak is a public policy consultant. He has been recognised as an inaugural Obama Scholar, a Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia honouree and an Asia Society Asia 21 Next Generation Fellow. He holds an MA from the University of Chicago and a BA from the University of Durham.
How to visit
"Lost and Found in Hong Kong" is a free exhibition hosted at King's College London. It's open until 3 September 2025. For visiting hours and restricted dates, check the online event listing.
