Report on Piracy of the s.s. Tungchow"
(Commodore, HongKong's No.H.K.530 dated 8th February 1935)
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9. Having secured the ship, the pirate leader ordered the Captain to proceed to Chilang Point, where it appeared that they had a rendezvous with a junk at 1400 on Friday, 1st February. The Chief Engineer was asked what speed he could give. On his replying 11 knots, he was told that he would have to give 12 knots which he did, driving the ship.
10. At daylight on Wednesday, 30th January, the pirates disguised the ship as Japanese, painting two white bands on the funnel and painting out the ship's name on the bow and substi- tuting "Toya maru" on one side, and "Uram ayot" on the other. The "u" of "Toya maru" was barely visible, which afterwards led to an aircraft report of the s.s. "Toyanar".
So far as is known, there is only one previous record of a pirated ship's appearance having been altered - the oase of the s.. "Hsin Chi", in 1927, when the funnel was painted a different colour.
11. The pirates seem to have treated the children as well as could be expected. The girls, with their mistresses, were kept in the saloon, and the boys and Mr. Duncan in the boys' quarters on the deck below, normally occupied by Chinese first class passengers. The pirates allowed the children three meals a day, but it must have been a great strain, especially for the girls, since all meals were eaten with pirates with loaded revolvers standing around, and one overhead, looking down through the skylight and twirling a loaded revolver round his finger. The pirates apparently preferred the boys, and played games with them.
12. On arrival at Chilang Foint, at 1300 on the 1st February, the expected junk could not be found. Another junk was fired at in order to make it come alongside, but it managed to escape. The pirates then proceeded to Tsiech Point, where they found a junk with nets down which they forced to come alongside. The ship was anchored at 1405.
13. While the pirates were loading this junk with their booty, the first aircraft was heard (approximately 1420). The four pirates in the junk at once out the ropes and sailed off. The pirates left onboard became panisky, believed that the Captain was somehow responsible, and the situation became serious. Finally, however, the Captain managed to pacify them, and they were landed in one of the ship's boats, taking with them the Chief Officer, the ship's Wireless Operator (a Cantonese who had been acting as interpreter), two Chinese of the crew and four Chinese passengers,
14. It subsequently transpired that this first aircraft (No.870) circled the "Tungohow" for seven minutes, noticed the name "Toyamar" on the port side but not the reversed name on the starboard side (see paragraph 10), saw the junk sailing away, noticed that no ensign was flying, but was satisfied that all was in order and went away without reporting.
15. At 1450, shortly after the boat with the pirates had left the ship, the second aircraft (No.219) came in sight and called up the "Tungchow" by Altis Lamp. The ship tried to comunicate with No.219.by means of flag signals, but these were not seen, though it was seen that someone onboard was trying to make semaphore. The aircraft saw nothing suspicious and proceeded on patrol.