The following is a word for word transcription of an article of the same name, originally published in Sea Breezes 71: 306 - 309, Liverpool 1997.
Background material for this article is available from:
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s.s. Sunning Steel screw steamship Official No 139560 310.3' x 41.2' x 22.4', 1,570 net tons Signal letters THKS Built at Taikoo Dock & Engineering Co, Hong Kong, in 1916 First registered London Obtained passenger certificate in c. 1935 Disappeared from Lloyd's Register before World War II |
Hong Kong's harbour has been the setting for many a strange sight, but it was a pretty rare one that met the eyes of jetty-strollers on the evening of November 17, 1926. Into port came the British tramp steamer s.s. Sunning, swaying at the end of a tow-rope from a couple of tugs. Her bridge was peppered with bullet-holes, dead bodies lay strewn upon her deck and smoke from the fire that had threatened her was still curling out of her ventilators.
The press of the world screeched out the news in huge headlines - the s.s. Sunning had already become a legend. She had been the first vessel to be taken over by Chinese pirates and later repossessed by her own crew.
By now, all the heroes who took part in that rescue are dead and gone, but the name of the last survivor lives on; his son took over the family business of yacht chandlers in Glasgow when his father died. That last survivor was Andy Duncan, who was the steamer's third engineer, and naturally enough, a Scotsman.
He had such vivid burning memories of those events that they remained all his life clearer than anything else he had experienced in the years in between and that included wartime attacks from Nazi submarines in the Atlantic and Stuka dive-bombers in the Mediterranean.
Piracy is not something that went out with the deeds of Capt Morgan and his life in the 18th century. The pirates of the China Seas had in the days of sail used the technique of attacking with huge fleets of junks. Over the centuries, their methods had become more polished in the attempt to avoid detection. Captured vessels were first taken to ports outside Hong Kong's territorial waters. Only then would passengers and crews be robbed of their valuables and the wealthiest ones perhaps held to ransom. Vessels that gave up without a fight were treated less harshly, but it was brutal no quarter methods that ruled for those who dared to resist. The worst example was that of the s.s. Tai On in 1914 from which pirates burned to death one hundred men, women and children and caused the death of a further 150 when these attempted to escape across quicksands.
The next refinement of technique used by the pirates was stealthy infiltration. Such came to be the situation for the Sunning. She had left Shanghai for Canton with 110 Chinese crew and six British officers, for a voyage of some 1,000 miles, via Hong Kong. The deck crawled with Chinese passengers, mostly roughly-dressed peasants sitting on their haunches amongst their mattresses and jangling cooking utensils, trying to make themselves as comfortable as they could in the circumstances for the long voyage ahead.
There were a few first-class passengers, and only one was European, a Russian aristocratic woman "Ushi" Prokovieva, who had fled from Russia and whose only desire was to forget her past and just survive. She had become a cabaret singer in Shanghai as part of the attempt but now she was on her way to even more distant parts. An Australian business man had proposed to her and after Hong Kong she would be taking another ship to Australia.
The Sunning had quietly come over halfway on her voyage. She had put in at Amoy where another fifty or so Chinese passengers trudged aboard her up the gangway. The officers who stood watching them from the bridge had not the slightest idea that within a few hours they would be fighting for their lives against these men. They were pirates who had been closely watching the Sunning for several months, quietly waiting for the fitting opportunity to spring a surprise.
It was later discovered that they offered large sums in bribe money to carefully check every important detail on board the Sunning. They had obtained the information that she would be carrying gold bar. They did not know that a switch of her precious consignment had been arranged by her owners just to avoid an attack.
The bridge and officers' quarters in the centre of the ship, in common with others sailing in these waters, had strong anti-pirate gratings fitted. Four armed Indian police constantly patrolled the area. Every one of the officers, including the engineers, were supplied with rifles and pistols and 25 rounds of ammunition.
Capt John Pringle, an elderly Scotsman, must have felt pretty secure with all those safety precautions. He was sitting comfortably in the navigating cabin, quietly smoking his pipe, when the Sunning left Amoy behind her. Up on the bridge first mate Bill Hurst was on watch. Down in the engine-room Andy Duncan was waiting to finish his shift, the time being just before four o'clock in the morning. Five minutes later he was pacing up and down, wondering where his relief could have got to. Little did he realise [sic] what had happened above.
Up on the bridge, Bill Hurst had suddenly received such a violent kick on his leg that he had rolled over in agony and struck his nose with such force that blood was spurting all over the place. When he looked up, two grim Chinese were standing over him pointing Mausers at his head. They tied his feet together and shoved him into the adjoining navigating cabin, where Capt Pringle was already under guard.
Soon, most of the officers were assembled there. One exception, who had been off-watch in his cabin, was First Engineer George Cormack, another tough old Scotsman. He had reacted swiftly to a rifle pushed into his stomach by one of the pirates - he had swung his fist at the face of the man holding the weapon and as thanks had received a bullet. But with the pirate taken aback at events, George was able to escape and despite his wound, make his way down to the engine-room to warn Andy Duncan.
Andy, worried about George's condition, left him with a whiskey bottle and got him to hide away in a corner amongst the coal. Carefully, Andy made his way to try and find crew members or anybody else who had not yet been surprised [sic]. One of them was their loyal Chinese telegraphist and in addition Ushi, the Russian woman.
One of the Chinese pirates, who had been travelling [sic] first class, had shot the Indian guard on watch, then opened the grating and let in the others of the gang.
All over the ship there was chaos. Passengers were shrieking in panic with pirates streaming everywhere slitting open baggage. Those passengers who protested were simply thrown overboard. The Chinese members of the crew took a heavy battering. The pirates were trying to locate the man in charge of the key to the strong-room, but he was a wily old man and had soiled his clothes and merged himself with the rest of the crew to avoid being conspicuous. Despite their ill-treatment by the pirates, none of these gave away his charade.
The pirates up in the navigation cabin had strangely enough relaxed somewhat, considering the way the officers had started to react. They ignored the threat from the weapons and began to sing! Meanwhile, up on the bridge, to where two of the officers had been led, plans were being hatched. Two of the pirates had been left to guard them, and at a given signal, Bill Hurst took up a lead and struck them to the floor. Now they had two weapons and using these they were gradually able to release more prisoners and build up their arsenal.
The wind increased in force. The Chinese stokers and firemen, not surprisingly, had taken advantage of the opportunity in their fright at the situation to abandon their posts. So the ship's engines had stopped and she began to wallow in the waves. The lights on board began to flicker and eventually failed altogether.
In the pitch blackness, the officers tried to sum up the situation. They now had enough weapons with which to retrieve the situation, but their supply of ammunition was sparse. The Sunning was bobbing up and down in the waves like a cork. It was difficult to hear one another in the wind that had now blown up to gale force. The Russian woman Ushi waited her chance in a corner and when occasion demanded valiantly sprang as courier to pass messages to the officers who had spread themselves round in order to ward off further attacks.
Hour after hour shots were exchanged between the men on the bridge and the pirates. Now and then, the pirates attempted a new storming of the bridge. Then something happened that had the officers worrying. Shadowy figures began to move between the two lifeboats placed just under the bridge. It turned out that some of the pirates were collecting anything that would burn in order to start a fire directly under the bridge. Their idea was not to set fire to the ship, but to smoke out the officers.
Their plan was near to succeeding. Flames were soon licking skyward under the influence of the strong gale-force wind. Now in contrast to the darkness everywhere else, the ship had begun to resemble a picture of hell itself. The heat on the bridge was stifling; everyone was near to suffocation. Then Capt Pringle came out with his master-stroke. Putting his megaphone to his lips he bellowed "Let go anchor!"
There was a moment's anxious waiting. Would the Chinese crew obey the order? When the anchor fortunately took, the ship shivered and began to swing so that the flames began to change direction too, finding their way now towards the pirates. Parts of the upper deck fell in, the saloon caught fire and the under part of the bridge collapsed.
At that the pirates gave up. They distanced themselves as far as they could from the bridge and crouched on their haunches, just waiting. The defenders of the bridge could not give up. They were still on the edge of a fire that threatened to spread back to their area and they battled frantically to stem the flames. A dozen of the pirates lay dead round the bridge and through the smoke could be seen that a number of the rest had crept out to one of the lifeboats which they managed to launch. Andy Duncan and George Hurst climbed up on the roof of the bridge and commenced shooting at them. Their fire was returned by the pirates, but only half-heartedly in their anxiety to get away.
Capt Pringle quickly sketched his plan of action for the second lifeboat in the event of the Sunning floundering. Naturally the tradition of "women and children first" was uppermost in his mind. Andy Duncan was to take charge of the operation. With the help of other crew members and Ushi, the boat was launched, but just as it touched the water, it gave a tremendous jerk. Their line to the ship was parted, burned through from the fire. In the wind and waves, the lifeboat gradually drew away from the ship, despite all their efforts to row back to her.
They raised the mast, but it snapped, and exhausted, they sank back under the protection of the sail in the hope of being picked up. Luckily, next morning at dawn they were sighted by a Norwegian coaster which sent a radio message to Hong Kong giving the rough position of the Sunning. In reply they heard that the British destroyer Verity would pick them up.
Meanwhile, on board the Sunning, the remaining pirates had thrown away their weapons and returned to their original anonymity, hidden amongst the Chinese passengers. Even they now helped in the efforts to save the ship from total disaster. Utensils of all sorts were used for carrying water to the fire. At dawn, the first of the rescuing vessels arrived, a Japanese steamer. On board came armed men of the British Marines to help search for the pirates. They were appalled at the scene of destruction on that concentrated battlefield.
Already before the Sunning was towed into Hong Kong , the reputation of the heroes had spread to the port. But even then, their task was not complete, for they too were needed in the difficult job of identification. A warship located the missing lifeboat, which contained nine of the pirates. Some of the rest undoubtedly escaped justice, but 19 pirates were sentenced and later hanged in Hong Kong.
The Sunning was renovated and returned to service. But some years later, fire broke out on board and this time she could not be saved.
"Typhoons and Depressions over the Far East, August 1936" by Rev. Bernard F. Doucette, S.J., Weather Bureau Manila Philippines, Monthly Weather Review, August 1936, p278-279.
Typhoon, August 11 to 18. - A depression appeared about 300 miles east-southeast of Yap, August 11, moving westerly, and developed into a typhoon when about 120 miles south of Pap. Taking a northwesterly course, it moved rapidly toward northern Luzon passing close to and north of Aparri during the evening of August 15. Continuing on this course, it crossed the China Sea and passed close to and south of Hong Kong, August 17. It was followed for 1 more day into the continent, the last information received being a forecast from Siam stating that the disturbance "was intense west of Laokay" the afternoon of August 18. (Position of Laokay, latitude 22°30'N., longitude 103°57'E.)
Aparri reported a minimum of 711.42 mm (28.009 inches) gravitation correction applied, with west-northwest winds of force 10, August 15, 9.16 p. m. Laoag had 726.25 mm (38.592 inches) as its minimum with southwest winds, force 6, August 16, 1 a. m. Basco, Batanes Islands, north of the path of the typhoon, had 730.70 mm (28.768 inches) with east-southeast winds, force 8, August 16, 2 a. m. As the typhoon approached Pratas the 2 p.m. observation broadcast was 737.1 mm (29.020 inches), northeast winds force 12. From newspapers it was learned that the minima observed at Hong Kong and Gap Rock were 29.07 inches (Aug. 17, 3 a. m.) and 28.53 inches (Aug. 17, 4 a. m.), respectively. At the Royal Observatory in Hong Kong, winds reached the velocity of 131 miles per hour in two gusts (Aug. 17, 3.30 a. m. and 4 a.m.).
The loss of life due to this typhoon as it passed the Philippines was 7, with 10 persons reported missing, according to the newspapers of August 19. In Hong Kong a score of lives were lost. In the Philippines the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey vessel Fathomer was forced aground in the Port San Vicente harbor, a short distance east-northeast of Aparri. The ship was fighting winds of force 12, which threw her upon the beach. As the harbor is not large, there were no large waves to damage the ship, and she was refloated later without much difficulty. Meteorological data obtained by the officers of the vessel have not arrived at the Observatory at the present writing. In and around Hong Kong the S. S. Sunning was a total loss and at least 10 other ships were forced aground. This typhoon was considered the worst disaster there due to weather since 1923.
Note:This is an extract from the afore referenced article.
"My Uncle Bill" by Michael Churchill, WW2 People's War, BBC Article A4134467, 31 May 2005.
My Uncle Bill.
I never knew my Uncle Bill. He was killed the year I was born. I only knew him as Mother's brother who was drowned at sea during the War. It was only later on in life that I started to try and find out about him and his life. It was during one of my searches that I came across some of his papers. These led me to contact the China Navigation Shipping Line. I was re-directed to the Swire Group. They were kind enough to help me by getting his company records. These were a great help in my research, so this is my piece of history.
My Uncle Bill, or Chief Engineer Officer William Orr to give him his official title joined the China Navigation Shipping Company in November 1922, and worked his way up to 2nd Engineer. On 15th November 1926 he was serving as 2nd engineer on board the S.S. Sunning, when she was attacked by pirates in the China Seas, and together with several fellow officers fought a gun battle with the pirates, and held them at bay until the Royal Navy came and rescued them. They all received a letter of thanks from the company.
After several years, he joined the S.S. Shuntien as Chief Engineer in Hong Kong, and travelled to England, where the Shuntien came under the Ministry of War, and was sent to the Mediterranean with supplies.
It was on one of these convoys that he was drowned. He was sailing from Tobruk in Convoy T.A. 5 to Alexandria with German and Italian prisoners of war. They had left Tobruk and were sighted by a German U-Boat, the U-559. This boat trailed them, and on the 23rd December 1941, it torpedoed them. The Captain, four of the officers and the steward, including my uncle, were drowned. The Shuntien was sunk in position 32° 6'N 24° 46'E. 19 of the crew were rescued by H.M.S. Heythrop, and 100 by H.H.S. Salvia. Unfortunately she was sunk by U-568 the following day off the coast of Alexandria in position 31° 46'N 28° 00'E. I don't know what happened to the crew and the survivors.
Note: The article has been lightly edited by me for grammar and spelling.
"Captured by Pirates: Russian Woman Tells of Encounter", The Argus, 24 December 1926, Page 11b
CAPTURED BY PIRATES.
Russian Woman Tells of Encounter.
BRISBANE, Thursday. - A thrilling adventure with Amoy pirates in Chinese waters was told to-day by Mdlle. Anna Prokofieva, a young Russian woman, who arrived by the steamer Tanda, and is on her way to live with friends in Sydney. Left alone in the world, she said, she was on her way to Australia by way of Shanghai and Hong Kong, and the coastal steamer Sunning, on which she was travelling, was set on fire by 40 Amoy pirates, who had shipped as passengers at Shanghai. Mdlle. Prokofieva, three of the officers, and two quarter masters from the steamer were rescued by the Norwegian steamer Revensfjeld.
The officers and passengers, said Mdlle. Prokofieva, were taken unawares on the afternoon of November 15 by the pirates, and quickly overpowered. Captain J. Pringle and some of the crew were forced to remain on duty, while Mdlle. Prokofieva and six of the officers were imprisoned in the mate's room. About midnight the prisoners discovered revolvers and 150 rounds of ammunition in the room, and determined to make a bid to recapture the ship. They escaped from the room and took up positions on the bridge, shoting [sic] at the pirates. During the night the pirates made several attempts to take the bridge, and 11 of them were killed. It was then that the pirates set fire to the superstructure on the after deck. Some of the officers put Mdlle. Prokofieva, who was the only woman on board, into a boat, and after standing by for some time, left the burning ship. The pirates also left taking much booty. The Sunning later was towed to Hong Kong by the steamer Sulyang. The only member of the Sunning's passengers and crew who did not reach safety was a man named Lapley, who was taken in one of the boats by the pirates, it is thought, to act as interpreter.
Mdlle. Prokofieva said that she estimated her loss of property on the Sunning at £2,500. She had received £300 as compensation from the ship's owners.
"Piracy Rampant: British Warships Engaged", The Argus, 30 December 1926, Page 17b
Piracy Rampant.
British Warships Engaged.
SHANGHAI, Dec. 29.
Interest in the warfare in central China has been temporarily diverted southwards, where efforts are being made to exterminate a notorious pirate stronghold in Bias Bay. Recent sensational pirating and the burning of the British steamer Sunning prompted the Hong Kong authorities to make overtures to the Canton authorities for a combined attack on Bias Bay, employing His Majesty's naval forces at Hong King [sic], including bombplanes [sic]. Without exception every piracy in recent years is traceable to Bias Bay, which is within 100 miles of Hong Kong. The pirated vessels are taken to Bias Bay, where they are looted. The captives are landed and transferred to nearby mountains difficult of approach. The Canton Government formed a military expedition, and the Hong Kong naval forces intended to attack the stronghold from the sea simultaneously with the Chinese military forces, but anti-Cantonese guerrillas [sic] attacked the military expedition, thus holding up the attack on the pirates.
Events are being watched with interest, especially by the shipping companies' officials. This the first sign of a foreign effort to eradicate piracy on the China coast.
Marriage of Anastasia Prokofiev to Alfred Gawlowski
The marriage of an Anastasia Prokofiev to Alfred Gawlowski is registered in Sydney Australia in 1927 (See 10269/1927 at the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages). This is probably the anticipated marriage of the "Russian aristocrat" mentioned in the article, as Prokovieva is the feminine form of Prokofiev, and no marriage of anyone else of that surname is registered in New South Wales between 1927 and 1957. Alfred Gawlowski died at West Maitland in 1937 aged 48 years old.
The National Archives of Australia have two files for this couple:
Taishan
Genealogy
Copyright: ©2006-9 Jon Kehrer,
Canberra