Cedric Wallis facts for kids

Cedric Wallis (born March 7, 1896 – died October 20, 1982) was a British military officer. He played an important role during the Battle of Hong Kong in World War II, leading the Mainland Brigade and later the East Brigade.

Early Military Life

Cedric Wallis was born in Nottingham, England, in 1896. He joined the army in 1914, at the start of World War I. He first served as a trooper in the Royal Horse Guards. Later, he became an officer with the Sherwood Foresters.

Wallis fought in France with the East Lancashire Regiment. During this time, he lost his left eye. For the rest of his life, he wore a black patch or a dark monocle over it. In 1917, he joined the Indian Army and served in Iraq. After World War I ended, he worked in political roles in different parts of the world, including Iraq, Persia (now Iran), India, and Burma (now Myanmar).

World War II Service

When World War II began, Wallis was in charge of a security force in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In 1940, he moved to Hong Kong. He was promoted to Brigadier, a high military rank. He took command of the 5th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment.

As the war continued, Hong Kong's defenses were reorganized. Brigadier Wallis was given command of the "Mainland Brigade." This group included his own Rajput Regiment, the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots, and the 2nd Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment. Another officer, Brigadier John K. Lawson, commanded the "Island Brigade."

The Battle of Hong Kong

Japan attacked Hong Kong on December 8, 1941. Japanese forces quickly moved through the Kowloon Peninsula. British troops had to leave the mainland and move to Hong Kong Island by December 13. Because the mainland was lost, Wallis's "Mainland Brigade" was reorganized.

On December 13, Wallis was given command of the "East Brigade." This new group included the Royal Rifles of Canada, his 5th Battalion 7th Rajput Regiment, parts of the 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment, and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. Brigadier Lawson commanded the "West Brigade."

On December 25, Wallis and his East Brigade were fighting hard in Stanley, Hong Kong. They were told to "hold on to the last." However, the situation became impossible to win. The British forces surrendered at 3:30 PM that day. Wallis received the surrender order around 8:00 PM. He remembered his earlier orders to fight to the end. So, he refused to surrender without a written order. After finally getting a written order, Wallis and the East Brigade stopped fighting at 2:30 AM on December 26. This made them the very last unit to surrender in the battle.

Prisoner of War

After surrendering, Wallis was captured by the Japanese. He had been injured earlier during a scouting mission. He was sent to Bowen Road Hospital for treatment. After recovering, he was held as a prisoner of war (POW) at the Sham Shui Po camp. Later, he was moved to Argyle Street Camp. While imprisoned, Wallis secretly wrote his war diaries. He hid them in a special wooden box he made himself.

In August 1943, Wallis and other prisoners were accused by the Japanese of helping the British Army Aid Group. They were moved to the Shirakawa Camp [zh] in Taiwan. In October 1944, they were moved again to Japan. From there, they were sent to south Korea and then to Manchuria. They were held in a village called Sheng Tai Tun. In May 1945, they moved to the Mukden camp, where they worked in a factory.

After Japan surrendered in August 1945, Wallis was moved from Manchuria to Manila. He chose not to fly home right away. Instead, he wanted to visit the survivors of his unit, the 7th Rajput Regiment, in India. He saw them in Lucknow before finally returning to England.

Life After the War

Back in England, Wallis was recognized for his service. He submitted his secret war diaries to the War Office. These diaries were quite critical of some troops' actions during the Battle of Hong Kong. This led to some debate and gave Wallis the reputation of being a "controversial soldier" from the battle.

Wallis later moved to Vancouver, Canada. He tried to live a quiet life and hoped to become a Canadian citizen. He found it hard to get a job at first. But he eventually became a successful businessman and business consultant. He retired as a manager of a company that helped people find jobs.

Cedric Wallis passed away on October 20, 1982, in Vancouver General Hospital. He was cremated in Vancouver. His ashes were buried in Hamburg, Germany. This was the hometown of his second wife, Ingeborg.

Family Life

Cedric Wallis married Angela Van de Wouwer in 1920. They had one daughter, also named Angela. Later, Wallis married Ingeborg Subbe. Ingeborg passed away in 2010 and was buried with her husband in Hamburg.