UK Archive Reveals Untold Stories of China-Allied Wartime Cooperation

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Thursday, August 28th, 2025

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Sources Xinhua
LONDON, Aug. 28 – A rare wartime archive recently uncovered in Manchester’s People’s History Museum has shed new light on the extraordinary alliance between China’s East River Column and allied forces during the global fight against fascism. The fragile, yellowing notebook, titled “E.R.C (The East River Column) and the Allies,” was compiled by Raymond Wong, also known as Huang Zuomei, and contains firsthand records of cooperation, rescues, and gratitude between Chinese guerrillas and foreign servicemen.
The East River Column, a Communist-led resistance force in southern China, played a crucial role in aiding allied soldiers against Japanese forces. The documents detail rescues of more than 80 servicemen, including British soldiers, Indian troops, and American pilots. Among the most moving entries is the account of U.S. pilot Donald Kerr, rescued in 1944 by two female guerrillas after his plane was downed over Hong Kong. Another memoir recalls British prisoner of war F.P. Franklin’s astonishment at witnessing American airmen saved by Chinese fighters instead of falling into enemy hands.
Letters from allied commanders preserved in the archive highlight the vital intelligence and assistance provided by the Column. U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the 14th Air Force, praised their “utmost cooperation,” while naval officer Lt. Matthew J. Crehan expressed “profound admiration” for Wong’s leadership.
Raymond Wong himself was recognized by Britain in 1947 with the Order of the British Empire for his wartime services. He later established Xinhua’s London Bureau before his untimely death in 1955 in the Kashmir Princess bombing.
For Wong’s son, Huang Weijian, the rediscovery is deeply personal: “It makes my father’s role in rescuing international friends far more concrete, and brings his memory back to life.”
The archive stands as a vivid reminder of shared sacrifice, resilience, and international solidarity during one of history’s darkest chapters.