The Ship

The Lisbon Maru was a Japanese cargo ship requisitioned to carry prisoners of war during World War II. On October 1, 1942, it departed from Hong Kong bound for Japan with over 1,800 British POWs—many captured during the fall of Hong Kong in December 1941. The prisoners were packed below deck in harsh, unsanitary conditions with minimal food or ventilation.

The Sinking

On October 1, 1942, the Lisbon Maru was torpedoed by the American submarine USS Grouper, unaware it carried Allied POWs. Severely damaged, the ship did not sink immediately. Japanese guards initially refused to release the prisoners below deck. When the ship finally went down on October 2, many POWs were still locked in the holds. Of the 1,816 prisoners aboard, over 800 died.

"We were shouting through the hatch for mercy, but the guards had vanished. Water was rising fast." — Lisbon Maru Survivor

Rescue and Aftermath

Chinese fishermen in the nearby Zhoushan Islands rescued many survivors at great personal risk. These acts of compassion are still remembered by the families of the men saved. The tragedy shocked Britain and remains one of the most devastating events involving British POWs in the Pacific theater.

Legacy

The Hellships Memorial honors those who perished aboard the Lisbon Maru. It stands as a symbol of the suffering endured by POWs and the lives lost through neglect, cruelty, and wartime confusion. The voices of survivors remind us why remembrance is essential.

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