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From HKU student to World War II Chinese air force pilot, 99-year-old Ho Weng Toh looks back on his colourful life

  • The war veteran fled the Japanese, married in Shanghai and moved to Singapore where he rose to become Singapore Airlines’ chief pilot
  • His life is captured in a 312-page book titled Memoirs of a Flying Tiger: The Story of a WWII Veteran and SIA Pioneer Pilot

Reading Time:10 minutes
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Ho Weng Toh flew B-25 bombers during World War II. Photo: Handout
An excerpt
Memoirs of a Flying Tiger: The Story of a WWII Veteran and SIA Pioneer Pilot was published last month by war veteran Ho Weng Toh, and co-written by National University of Singapore academic Jonathan Sim. It recounts Ho’s colourful life and storied career, starting with his studies at the University of Hong Kong, becoming a Chinese air force B-25 bomber pilot during World War II, and eventually ending up in Singapore where he rose to become chief pilot at Singapore Airlines.
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Here are excerpts of the book.

Chapter 4: A Harrowing Journey

August 5, 1942

May Hall, University of Hong Kong

Since the day the Japanese invaded Hong Kong, we had only one thing in mind: escape. But we could not flee southwards as the Japanese had occupied much of Southeast Asia. The only place of safe refuge was Free China, that is, the remaining territories under General Chiang Kai-shek that had not fallen to the Japanese.

Despite being occupied by the Japanese, the British government in London still regarded Hong Kong as its colony. Owing to its sense of responsibility to look after the people of Hong Kong, the British set up the British Relief Council in Guangdong province, [in the] south of mainland China. This was the nearest safe point from which the British could help refugees from their “colony”.

Ho (right) with friend Loretta in the United States in 1994. Photo: Handout
Ho (right) with friend Loretta in the United States in 1994. Photo: Handout

Two professors from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) successfully fled Hong Kong for Free China in February 1942. They were Professor Gordon King and Professor Linsay Ride. Professor King managed to gain the support of the Chinese government and the British authorities to set up the HKU Relief Council. And together with Professor Ride, they carefully coordinated escape plans to help HKU students find safe passage into Free China. Once the students arrived in China, the HKU Relief Council would help make arrangements for them to resume their studies.

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