SS Tai Hing
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SS ''Tai Hing'' () was a river steamer built in 1927. In 1940, she was given to the
Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve The Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force (HKNVR) was a volunteer navy established in 1933. In 1939, it was granted the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve status and was renamed Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (HKRNVR). In 1959, it was renamed the H ...
(HKRNVR) and replaced as the headquarters of the unit. She was renamed HMS ''Cornflower'' () after its predecessor. To avoid confusion, the ship was sometimes referred to as HMS ''Cornflower II''.


History

She was built by Kwong Tak Cheong Shipbuilding Engineering and Dock Co. Ltd. () of
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
in 1927. She was operated by Kwong Wo S.S. Co. () departed on her maiden voyage for
Wuzhou Wuzhou ( zh, s= , p=Wúzhōu, j=Ng⁴zau¹, postal: Wuchow; ), formerly Ngchow, is a prefecture-level city in the east of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China. Geography and climate Wuzhou is located in eastern Guangxi ...
on 13 March 1927, and transferred to San Wo Co. Ltd. () in around 1930. ''Tai Hing'' continued to ferry passengers between Hong Kong and China. By 1940, the ship was acquired by Sir
Robert Ho Tung Sir Robert Ho Tung Bosman, (22 December 1862 – 26 April 1956, ), also known as Sir Robert Ho Tung, was a businessman and philanthropist in British Hong Kong. Known as "the grand old man of Hong Kong" (), he was knighted in 1915 (Knight Bac ...
, and the ferry route was disrupted by the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan between 1937 and 1945, following a period of war localized to Manchuria that started in 1931. It is considered part ...
.


Second World War

In March 1940, ''Tai Hing'' was turned over to the HKRNVR by Sir Ho Tung, where she would be loaned to for the duration of the war and three months thereafter. She began to receive refitting as a
training ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house class ...
in the same month. In June, she was used as a training ship by the unit. The ship was to replace the older training ship HMS ''Cornflower'', used by HKRNVR as their headquarters. In September, refitting was completed, and the ship was renamed HMS ''Cornflower'' after its predecessor. On 26 September, ''Cornflower'' was formally transferred to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in a ceremony attended by Sir Ho Tung and acting governor Edward F. Norton. During the
Battle of Hong Kong The Battle of Hong Kong (8–25 December 1941), also known as the Defence of Hong Kong and the Fall of Hong Kong, was one of the first battles of the Pacific War in World War II. On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, forces of the ...
in December 1941, the ship remained moored southwest of
Kellett Island Kellett Island is a former island of Victoria Harbour, off East Point in Hong Kong. It is now connected to Hong Kong Island at Causeway Bay following land reclamation in 1969. It is located in Wan Chai District. Facilities The main bu ...
under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Richard J.D. Vernall. She was scuttled in
Deep Water Bay Deep Water Bay is a bay and residential area on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The bay is surrounded by Shouson Hill, Brick Hill, Violet Hill and Middle Island. As per Forbes (July 2015), with 19 of the city's ric ...
on 19 December 1941. A launch from the ship was used to help survivors of the battle, led by Admiral
Chan Chak Andrew Chan Chak (; 2 April 1894 – 31 August 1949) was a Chinese admiral of the Republic of China Navy, best known for his role in a breakout in five Royal Navy torpedo boats from the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong on Christmas Day 1941. ...
, escape to China. The ship was later refloated by Japan as a
cargo ship A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's List of seas, seas and Ocean, oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. ...
and renamed SS ''Chuko Maru'' (). On 20 August 1944, she was bombed and sunk in the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
off Hong Kong by
Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
aircraft of the United States
Fourteenth Air Force The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The command was responsible for the organizatio ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tai Hing 1927 ships World War II auxiliary ships of the United Kingdom World War II auxiliary ships of Hong Kong Ships built in Hong Kong Steamships of Hong Kong Battle of Hong Kong Steamships of Japan World War II merchant ships of Japan Ships sunk by US aircraft World War II shipwrecks in the South China Sea Maritime incidents in December 1941 Maritime incidents in August 1944