Rotarians served Officers of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps

This article covers three Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Hong Kong (香港扶輪社) who served as officers in the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (香港義勇防衛軍團) during World War II: Major Edward Cock (谷克少校), Lieutenant Colonel Eric John Reinhold Mitchell (密轍爾中校), and Lieutenant Colonel Reginald David Walker (獲嘉中校). The HKVDC was a multi-ethnic militia defending British Hong Kong against the Japanese invasion in December 1941, suffering heavy losses and lasting until the Japanese occupation ended in 1945. Major Cock was a shipbuilding manager and scout leader who advised the Corps before internment during the war. Lt. Col. Mitchell, Second-in-Command of the HKVDC, was a prominent businessman and insurance executive who re-established the Rotary Club postwar. Lt. Col. Walker, a chief engineer for the Kowloon-Canton Railway, commanded engineering units during the battle and was interned as a POW. He is commemorated with medals, a road, and a railway engine bearing his name. The Corps later became the Royal Hong Kong Regiment until disbandment in 1995.

Este artigo destaca três rotários do Rotary Club de Hong Kong (香港扶輪社) que serviram como oficiais no Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (香港義勇防衛軍團) durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial: Major Edward Cock (谷克少校), Tenente-Coronel Eric John Reinhold Mitchell (密轍爾中校) e Tenente-Coronel Reginald David Walker (獲嘉中校). O HKVDC era uma milícia multiétnica que defendeu Hong Kong Britânica contra a invasão japonesa em dezembro de 1941, sofrendo pesadas perdas até o fim da ocupação em 1945. Major Cock, gerente naval e líder escoteiro, atuou como conselheiro do Corpo antes de ser internado. Mitchell, segundo comandante do HKVDC, foi executivo de seguros que reativou o Rotary após a guerra. Walker, engenheiro-chefe da Kowloon-Canton Railway, comandou unidades de engenharia durante a batalha e foi prisioneiro de guerra. Sua memória é preservada com medalhas, uma estrada e uma locomotiva nomeadas em sua homenagem. O Corpo tornou-se o Royal Hong Kong Regiment e foi dissolvido em 1995.

本文介绍了三位曾在第二次世界大战期间担任香港扶轮社（香港扶轮社）成员并在香港义勇防卫军团（香港义勇防卫军团）服役的军官：谷克少校（Major Edward Cock）、密轍尔中校（Lieutenant Colonel Eric John Reinhold Mitchell）和获嘉中校（Lieutenant Colonel Reginald David Walker）。香港义勇防卫军团是一个多民族组成的民兵部队，于1941年12月抵御日本入侵英属香港，经历重大战斗与巨大伤亡，直至1945年日军撤退。谷克是船舶制造经理及童军领袖，曾为军团提供顾问服务，战争期间被关押。密轍尔为军团二把手，战后积极重建扶轮社，身兼保险公司高管。获嘉是九龙-广州铁路总工程师，战时指挥工程部队并成为战俘，获多项勋章纪念，其名字被用作道路和火车机车名称。该军团后改名皇家香港团，直至1995年解散。