Descendants of British POWs and Dongji fishermen pose for a group photo at the Memorial for Dongji Fishermen's Rescue of British Prisoners of War in Zhoushan. [Photo/WeChat account: zjzsqdxq]

Twenty descendants of British prisoners of war (POWs) linked to the Lisbon Maru incident visited Dongji town in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, from May 19 to 20. They held memorial activities on Qingbang Island and Miaozihu Island to commemorate the wartime rescue carried out by local fishermen 84 years ago.

In 1942, more than 1,800 British POWs were being transported by Japanese forces from Hong Kong to Japan aboard the Lisbon Maru. The ship was torpedoed by a United States submarine near Zhoushan after being mistaken for a military vessel, as it carried no markings indicating prisoners on board. Under gunfire, local fishermen from Dongji risked their lives to rescue 384 British POWs from the sea.

At the Memorial for Dongji Fishermen's Rescue of British Prisoners of War on Qingbang Island, visitors laid flowers and observed moments of silence. British families and descendants of local fishermen planted boxwood saplings together as a symbol of friendship between China and the United Kingdom.

During the visit, participants prepared traditional Zhoushan sweet potato noodles, recalling how local fishermen had once shared their limited food supplies with rescued prisoners during wartime shortages.

At the Lisbon Maru Memorial Hall on Miaozihu Island, visitors viewed preserved historical items, including tools used during the rescue operation, while listening to stories shared by Liang Yindi, a descendant of local fishermen.