Dongji Rescue (2025) Movie Script
British Broadcasting Corporation:
On September 27th, 1942,
the Japanese transport ship Lisbon Maru,
carrying 1,816 British prisoners of war,
departed Hong Kong for Japan.
On October 1st,
she was struck by a torpedo
from the American submarine USS Grouper,
and began to sink off the
Eastern coast of China.
Just two nautical miles
southwest of the site
lies a small island,
known to the Chinese as Dongji Island.
(Jap) As of today, from July 10th onward,
(Jap) The Imperial Japanese Navy,
the force that reigns over the Pacific.
(Jap) 588 enemy ships sunk,
(Jap) 503 enemy vessels captured,
(Jap) and 2,529 enemy aircrafts shot down.
(Jap) a series of victories.
Tennheika!
Banzai!
Banzai!
Tennheika Banzai!
(Jap) Daily training, commence!
Daily training, commence!
(Jap) Fire broke out here and here.
Put it out immediately!
Here and here, are on fire.
Put out the fire!
(Jap) Hurry up! Be quick.
Follow drill standards.
(Jap) Move quickly!
Hurry, hurry!
On this island of ours,
there were 58 households,
263 people in total.
Life here was peaceful,
until the Japs came
and took over the island.
They locked up the boats,
and banned us from the sea.
After 3 years time,
these fisherfolk are
like turtles stuck on land.
My brother and I were fished
out of the sea by Old Wu.
He meant to raise us as his own sons.
But because of the mark on our necks,
the elders believed that
we were pirates' blood.
Honestly, I don't even
know where we came from.
I don't care whatever they say.
Life is going on anyway.
The Zhoushan Islands,
home to fishermen for generations,
blessed by the sea,
sheltered by its grace.
Old Wu.
Offer the incense.
Vast is the sea,
cradle of all life.
Under the rules they imposed,
we live on the other side of the island,
north and south,
never crossing paths...
Until this day,
everything changed.
Do you have a death wish?
(Jap) What was that?
(Jap) I don't know.
(Jap) Go back and report.
(Jap) Copy.
It looks like a Japanese ship
which had been blown up.
Good hit.
Keep your voice down.
(Jap) This is an emergency.
(Jap) The ship was attacked by torpedoes.
(Jap) All crew members,
assemble on the deck immediately.
(Jap) Squad 1, get ready
for prisoners searching.
Ah Bi, someone's there.
Someone's there!
Little bastard!
Ah Dang, the rope!
Pull!
You come up first!
Here. I'll hold him!
What are you doing?
Are you insane?
This stuff cannot be on this boat.
It's a person.
Who knows what he has to do with
the ship explosion?
Why borrow trouble?
Stop being a pain in the ass.
My little brother
kept following me since he was a kid.
He wouldn't sleep unless I tucked him in.
They say the eldest brother is like father,
but the kid suddenly grew up
and always turned against me.
Won't even call me brother.
No matter what,
as long as he's by my side,
I still feel at ease.
I'll go check in at the Japanese.
Or we can forget about
going out to sea tomorrow.
You'll understand when you're older,
you won't always get you way in this world.
(Jap) An American
submarine hit the Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) Headquarters has ordered
all troops in Zhoushan to stand by.
(Jap) Yes, sir!
Pirates, liquor, next time...
(Jap) How's the reception?
(Jap) Adjusting.
(Jap) Hurry up!
(Jap) Copy.
Where am I?
What did you say?
Thank you.
Thank you for saving me.
What?
My name is Thomas Newman.
I need help.
My comrades are stuck
on a ship out at sea, we
Speak our language.
We need to go help them.
I don't understand.
Speak our language.
Cantonese.
Cantonese.
Please, I'm begging you.
I need help...
I have comrades stuck out at the sea.
You need to get the message out.
The ship will sink soon.
You are badly injured.
Could you give that...
Oh, you don't understand.
Here, water.
Why grab the knife?
What do you want?
Don't move!
I'm not gonna hurt you, Trust me!
That thing's gonna save my life right now.
I was gonna put it in the fire
and then on my wound.
Trust me.
Trust me.
Thank you.
(Jap) Sir, our troops are stationed
on East Fisherman's Island.
(Jap) Civilian activities spotted.
(Jap) Disembark and search.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) Our ship is under attack!
(Jap) Rescue is on the way!
(Jap) All soldiers, assemble and
transport supplies!
(Jap) Prepare to evacuate.
From the moment I saw her,
I knew that
we were the same kind.
She's also an outsider.
Old Wu bought and raised her as daughter.
The island women all stayed away from us,
but
she did not.
We grew up together.
During those difficult time for us,
she was always there helping.
Because of her,
I finally felt here like home.
Old Wu's retirement money.
I've got enough.
Pack up and get ready.
We'll leave in a couple of days.
Leave this island.
With Ah Dang.
To Shanghai.
What's up?
Changed your mind?
Why would I?
Shanghai is amazing.
Women can go out to sea.
And even steer ships.
You want to steer the ship again?
When we get there,
I'll sail with you every day.
What if I
don't want to go with you?
I drank your blood,
and you are mine.
Pirates' rule.
Feeling better?
I miss my family.
It's been years since I've seen them all,
ever since the war.
I was captured in Hong Kong.
The Japanese wanted to take us to
a prisoner-of-war camp somewhere in Japan.
I don't know.
But our ship was attacked.
There were hundreds... thousands of men
on that ship that need our help.
You need to get the message out.
What is this?
This.
My home.
England. Birmingham.
Home.
Do you understand?
Wait.
China.
Your
home.
Your
here.
This
is your home.
Home.
I'm here?
Yes.
Yes, your home.
We are here.
You get it.
(Morse code: Hull struck by torpedo)
(Morse code: Hold 2, 3rd Squadron,
Royal Artillery)
(Morse code: Men on deck
break, several overboard)
(Morse code: Japanese forces
suspected to be searching nearby waters)
There's someone missing in Hold 2.
Who is missing?
(Morse code: Hold 3 copy)
(Morse code: Requesting name and
rank of overboard soldier)
(Jap) Squad 2 and 2
landing crafts are ready.
(Jap) Begin landing.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
'Raising my eyes, '
'I roar at the sky...'
Still can't memorize?
Sir, I'm hungry,
All you know is food.
Memorize nothing and thinking about eating?
Dig in!
Chen.
Chen.
Did you bring me booze?
A ship is blown up and
you're craving booze?
It's done?
The higher-ups ordered the
township office to teach this.
Elementary Japanese Textbook.
Take a look.
I can't.
I'd rather die than teach that.
Children speak Japanese? What a disgrace!
You yourself hadn't had enough for that?
Impressive, really impressive.
Go ahead.
Throw the books in the Japanese' faces.
There are only two here, do it.
You know exactly what's behind them.
One cannon shell,
and there won't be a need for a second.
Our village will be flattened.
Forgot the first time
Japanese came to the island?
Old Wu led the resistance,
fought to the very end.
The ancestral hall was
burned to the ground.
Look at Old Wu now,
you can see by yourself.
Sometimes, we can only endure.
Under someone's roof,
you have to bow your head.
Under whose roof?
It's our own roof. Why
should we bow at all?
Where is our code of ethics, our dignity?
What's even with...
And teach your chief.
'Through the roof the anger rises.' Repeat.
'Through the roof the anger rises.'
Quieter!
Louder!
You and I are the only
outsiders on the island.
Mr. Chen.
We need to go with the flow.
Mr. Chen.
Mr. Chen.
Done it?
Do you like Yue Fei?
Do you know how many sons he had?
There are so many
characters I don't recognize.
One at a time.
Your brother gave up halfway through.
The Pirate King, the Demon Crown,
Terror of the East Sea town.
Navy chased to Xisha's edge,
Pirates are here!
Old pirates, young pirates,
Go wait for me at home.
Hugging babies in ocean blue,
Drifting east where winds blow true,
Pissing pants from fright they do!
Not hungry now, huh?
Sir, I fished out a foreigner.
You speak their language, come with me.
OK. No problem.
I'll go at once.
Now.
Now.
Just give me a spoonful.
I'll be waiting at home.
Recite the poem ten times.
'Through the roof the anger rises, '
'At the rail's edge, '
'... the lashing rain dies...'
Eat.
You little bastard.
Sorry to disturb you.
The ship I was on was attacked
and I fell overboard.
A Chinese man saved me.
I really need to get the message out.
You drank my liquor?
Who gave you permission?
What is wrong with you?
Get lost!
Get lost!
I'm sure to go back to the ship.
What are you doing?
Let go!
Let go!
Let go of him!
You let go first.
You let go first.
Together.
You let go first.
Stop pulling his hair.
You're brothers.
Your teacher is here.
Your teacher is here.
I'm here.
What the hell is this?
You think you're all noble, huh?
I said not to save him. Did you hear me?
Are you trying to piss me off?
It's a damn human life!
Still talking back?
I'll beat the hell out of you!
Recognize situation before making a move!
Teacher rules here.
What do we have here?
Don't touch me!
Left nothing for me?
I see you taught him well.
Never drink my liquor again.
I'll have to drink it.
Go get a cigarette.
A cigarette.
You little bastard.
I'll talk to the foreigner.
Where did you find him?
Fished out of the sea.
Ask first, drink later.
Name?
You speak English?
My name is Thomas Newman.
Friend.
Chen Teacher.
Student.
I understand.
Talk.
You who?
Name?
My name is Thomas Newman. Look.
Niu Men.
Niu Men, Mr. Niu.
Niu Men.
Your name is Niu Men?
US?
US dollar?
U...?
Dollar.
I don't have any money.
But there are hundreds
of men that need our help.
We have to go to save them.
Please pass... Could you pass me that?
I'm British Armed Forces.
We were captured in Hong Kong.
The Japanese wanted to take us to a
POW camp in Japan.
But our ship was attacked by a
torpedo this morning.
What is he saying?
I managed to escape Wait!
But I need to get back to save those men.
Wait!
No, no, no!
You help me reach...
No. Long! Too Long!
Too long.
1,800 Englishmen.
English?
Yes, Englishman English people.
On a ship, sinking.
SOS
What did he say?
The Allied Forces!
What is that?
Back when I was in the army, I knew it all.
I'm telling you.
What is Allied Forces?
People who help us fight Japanese.
Shit!
Open the door!
No, you're gonna sell him to Japanese!
Guess you've got enough good life?
Saving lives isn't wrong, Ah Bi.
It's an act of righteousness
and patriotism!
You deserter.
What do you know about patriotism?
Well, that was my only option then.
Deserters are still soldiers!
Open it!
Open the door, you hear me?
Ah Bi!
The Japanese might not even know
this guy is on the island.
Go scout things out first.
Understand?
Troublemaker.
Ah Dang,
get him changed first.
Hide him.
We need to get through this first.
(Jap) Higher, still no reception.
(Jap) Corporal, these things are too old.
Gotta replace them.
(Jap) I'll go check up there.
(Jap) Copy.
(Jap) This way. Fukuta.
(Jap) No. This way.
(Jap) Hold it up higher.
(Jap) I'm trying.
So many words.
East.
Fish.
Man.
Bird.
No.
Island.
Island.
British.
Army.
British Army.
Two.
Double hours...
Later.
4 hours later...
Disembark.
Ah Dang.
Ah Dang.
Who ask you to come?
Back off.
Old Wu!
Anybody stop him!
You're in the south,
we're in the north.
Cut off all ties for life. That's the rule.
Old Wu.
I need to talk to you about some issue.
I'm the boss here.
Just talk to me.
Hell with him the boss.
It's been 3 years,
Want to be turtle forever?
Except for offering incense day after day,
what else had he done?
Get out of my way.
Ah Kui!
Come on in!
Ah Lu!
Help me!
My ears.
Step aside!
The Japanese are disembarking
looking for someone.
Who?
An Englishman with
blonde hair and blue eyes.
Person who helped us fight Japs.
Why is there an Englishman on the island?
I fished him out of the sea.
Where is he?
Gone.
Gone where?
Where? Tell me!
Go, Niu Men!
Be quick!
Stop there!
You go first!
Niu Men.
My brother is coming. Go! Quick!
You stay out of my business.
I'm just here to let you know.
The Japanese might disembark in 4 hours.
Be careful.
Uncle,
I can't hold him.
You two hold down his arms.
He is tough.
Go. Turn left.
Woodhouse.
Search him.
He's got cigarettes.
Search.
Uncle,
What did he say he fished out of the sea?
A person.
From another country.
Another country?
Englishman.
What man?
Englishman.
Even my poor ears could hear that.
What is an Englishman?
People who helps us fight the Japanese.
Uncle,
Do you think if the Japanese find out,
they'll attack us?
You can't trust pirates.
Trying to scare us?
With people who cut off ties?
What is he scaring us for?
Just hand him over to the Japanese.
We can't.
The Japanese are looking for
the Englishman, not him.
If we let them find the Englishman first,
we'll never be able to explain ourselves.
We need to find the English first.
We do have to.
Where is this Englishman?
Tell the truth.
Get away from me.
Stay away.
What do you want?
No!
No, please!
I'm begging you!
Go back to where you came from.
I won't kill you.
Please.
Jump off yourself.
Please.
Jump!
Ah Bi!
Let go!
Do you want to die?
Let go!
He's here to help us.
He's here to help us.
The Japanese are coming.
For him.
You'll die protecting him.
He's a human, too!
I can't die here!
Let me die with him.
There's still a lot of people on the boat,
Come on.
I have to save them.
Ah Bi!
Ah Bi!
Leave tonight.
Leave this island.
You hide him.
Hide him well.
Wait for me to come back.
Niu Men.
Don't blame my brother.
He's just looking out for me.
Sorry, I don't understand.
I...
take you
to that place you call home.
Home.
Home?
Yes.
Home.
You want to take me...
return me back to England?
Yes.
Home.
It's a long way There's a ship.
Ship.
A big one.
And a ball.
I...
take you
home.
I want to take Chu to England.
Chu.
My girlfriend,
Chu.
Yeah.
We met in Hong Kong.
It was love at first sight.
I don't care if I can't go home.
But Chu would be over the moon if
she finds out I'm still kicking.
I know you don't understand, but thank you.
Thank you.
Come here.
Of course.
Chinese way.
(Jap) You! Son of a bitch.
Where have you been?
(Jap) An Englishman with blonde hair
and blue eyes is missing.
(Jap) Suspected of being on our island.
(Jap) We need all
villagers to find him out.
(Jap) Quick, translate!
They're looking for
a man with blonde hair and blue eyes.
We searched.
We've looked all over
the mountain several times,
but didn't see anyone who looks like that.
(Jap) No one had seen such a person.
(Jap) The whole village went out to search,
(Jap) but no one saw him.
(Jap) You idiot don't know about it?
(Jap) I'm sorry, Lieutenant.
(Jap) Did you
(Jap) hide him?
(Jap) Sir.
(Jap) That...
(Jap) That...
(Jap) That...
(Jap) That's absolutely impossible, sir.
Why leave in all of a sudden?
Pack your things up.
Important items only.
What if they find the Englishman?
No time for these now.
You can't...
What about my father?
He risked his life to save me
from the human traffickers.
How can I leave?
I'm not leaving. You go.
Ah Hua, Ah Hua!
And you two little pirates.
Almost died at sea back then.
Everyone objected.
Wasn't my father the one who took you in?
One in the south, one in the north.
Cut off all ties.
That's the rule he set.
I've already told him what I could.
And left him enough money for golden years.
What else can I do?
I don't owe him anymore.
I do.
I owe him.
You have a brother,
I have a father.
(Jap) Launch!
It's grenade.
It's grenade discharger.
It's grenade discharger.
You can't move.
The Japanese are coming. They'll kill you!
They'll kill you all!
You don't move. Wait for me here.
Watari Hisao!
That's my family's boat.
How can you...
Everyone, stay put!
A lost boat can be rebuilt.
A lost life is gone forever.
Father!
Father! They just want the
blonde hair and blue eyes man.
We'll be fine just to hand him over.
I know we are familiar
but
hiding the man,
you'll be punished.
(Jap) Sir.
(Jap) We really don't
know where that person is.
(Jap) Lieutenant, he's saying
that man is on the island.
(Jap) Ready!
Stop!
Talk to me if you got problem.
The officer wants to shake hands.
(Jap) You're not going to tell the truth,
aren't you?
He's saying you're not
going to tell the truth.
Stop, stop.
(Jap) Kill!
Stop.
You all listen to me. It's the Japanese.
They'll kill you all!
Go back. Go back.
Wait, you're not listening to me.
Stay out of it!
This is my business.
I go, it has nothing to do with them.
(Jap) Don't stop.
Dad!
What did he say?
Dad!
He said, kill.
Brother...
Help me up.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm the one they want.
I'm sorry.
It's going to be okay. Trust me.
I'm sorry.
(Jap) Kill!
No more killing, no more.
No more killing.
(Jap) Kill!
Kill me, kill me!
(Jap) I'll keep going until you say.
(Jap) Stop, it's not them, please stop.
Kill me, let me be the last one.
Kill just me.
Stop!
I'm the one you are looking for.
It's got nothing to do with these people.
Officer, I'm Thomas Newman.
I'm a lance bombardier
from the 12th Battalion,
of the 8th coastal
Regiment, Royal Artillery.
I took a tumble into the sea from
the Lisbon Maru this morning
and washed up on this island.
I'm here to surrender myself, sir.
Everything I've done since being
on this island has been my own doing.
It's got nothing to do with anyone else.
I'm at your service, sir.
(Jap) Take him!
(Jap) Yes, sir!
(Jap) Kneel down.
(Jap) You're lying.
(Jap) Someone has hidden him.
He's saying you are lying.
And someone has hidden him.
(Jap) What have you been doing?
(Jap) You.
You.
Wanliang.
(Jap) You.
And you.
Ah Lu.
(Jap) You.
You. Qianjin.
And you.
Uncle.
(Jap) Yes, you.
It's you.
(Jap) Take these people as hostages.
(Jap) If any news about those Brits leaks,
execute the hostage.
(Jap) Translate!
(Jap) Yes.
The people he pointed at
will all be
will all be taken away.
No one will be taken.
I'm the boss.
I saved the guy.
It has nothing to do with them.
They will kill more if you go.
Just stay down.
Stay down.
Those two shouldn't get involved, either.
I myself is going with you.
I saved the man.
I'm the boss.
No one here leaves.
Go back.
Go home.
Go home, nothing to see here.
Go home.
Go home and cook.
Go put away your clothes.
Bastards.
Go.
Go.
You motherfuckers!
Old Wu!
Why are you doing this?
You animals!
(Jap) Don't move!
They are all innocent!
(Jap) Take them away.
Er-ye.
Uncle.
You'll come back, you will.
Careful words and you'll all come back.
Everyone will come back.
I'm also going.
No.
(Jap) Come here.
(Jap) You're from Kansai, aren't you?
(Jap) Yes, sir!
(Jap) I'll leave two men with you.
(Jap) Stay alert and wait for orders.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) This is Gokoku Maru.
(Jap) We have reached
the assigned coordinates.
(Jap) Stand by for orders.
Prepare for extraction.
(Jap) Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) This is Gokoku Maru.
(Jap) We have reached
the assigned coordinates.
(Jap) Stand by for orders.
Prepare for extraction.
(Jap) We are maintaining
maritime surveillance.
(Jap) and readiness for the
Lisbon Maru rescue operations.
(Jap) Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) This is Kuri.
(Jap) Coming to rescue your crew.
(Jap) Proceeding to your coordinates.
(Jap) Kuri and Gokoku Maru
are in assigned positions.
(Jap) All soldiers! Prepare to evacuate!
Hang in there, just a little longer.
As for Ah Dang,
it's up to fate now.
Stay, for your family bloodline.
If you go,
it'll just be one more casualty.
Old Wu treated you well.
This whole thing started because of you.
Those lives are on you.
Sound fair?
All in peril at sea must be saved.
This is the island rule.
You landlubber know nothing.
Chen Zhusheng!
The entire village saved what we could
to support you,
hoping you'd educate
our children well.
You knew about the Englishman, didn't you?
I knew.
Why didn't you tell me?
I just wanted peace.
Who knew they would come up and kill... I'm
the chief appointed by the Japs after all.
I could at least negotiate.
Why didn't you tell me? Why?
This wouldn't have happened.
It's my job to protect
the people on this island.
Enough lives had been lost.
Stay down.
Just stay down.
Two Japanese?
Yes.
Two guns?
Yes.
Almost 300 village people.
Yes.
Three years! We've been from sea.
We have to stay down.
People are killed.
We must stay down.
They took my brother.
We must stay down.
Stay down.
Stay down.
Even more?
Stay down.
How about now?
Stay down.
When it's time to stay down, we stay down.
But when it's time to run, we should run!
Where can we run to?
A child was killed.
No one fought back.
Ah Dang was taken.
You're his teacher.
You raised him with your own eyes.
You kept your mouth shut.
Right? Mr. Deserter.
I was a deserter!
Deserter is soldier.
Did you find peace always running away?
Not at all.
Then nobody should.
It's every man for himself now!
(Jap) The Lisbon Maru is sinking.
(Jap) The Imperial Army, carrying
the spirits of our fallen soldiers,
(Jap) continues to fulfill the mission
bestowed by our Emperor.
(Jap) Tennheika.
(Jap) Banzai!
(Jap) Banzai!
(Jap) All hands emergency!
(Jap) The engine room is flooding severely.
(Jap) The vessel is immobilized.
(Jap) All crews shall transport
the supplies and evacuate.
(Jap) Squad 3! Prepare to disembark!
(Jap) Prepare to disembark!
(Jap) All hands emergency!
(Jap) The engine room is flooding severely.
(Jap) The vessel is immobilized.
(Jap) All crews shall transport
the supplies and evacuate.
(Jap) Colonel, thank
you for boarding the ship.
(Jap) You British
prisoner, trying to escape?
(Jap) It's pointless. We
will always catch you.
Escape?
I wasn't trying to escape.
I was blown off the ship.
The torpedo hit.
And you people tried to shoot me!
(Jap) Shut up.
(Jap) Stop arguing.
I hate you!
Don't argue.
I hate you.
(Jap) Now we punish the deserters.
(Jap) Throw these Chinamen into Hold 3.
(Jap) Yes, sir!
(Jap) Quick! This way.
Hey mate, I want to know your name.
What's your name?
My name is Thomas Newman.
Remember that.
Thank you. Thank you for everything.
I will always remember you.
Don't forget what we talked about. Home!
I'm not gonna make it, but you can!
You can! You can go home!
Home!
I'm not gonna make it, but you can!
You can go home!
Go home!
(Jap) Open the hatch.
(Jap) Don't move.
(Jap) Don't be stupid.
(Jap) Don't push your luck.
(Jap) Wait, have them enter one by one.
(Jap) No talking, no disturbing the order.
(Jap) Once the supplies are transferred,
(Jap) we will return to Japan
immediately with Kuri.
(Jap) Retain 6 Yuzuru members
and 2 landing crafts.
(Jap) Ensure security alert
until the Lisbon Maru sinks.
(Jap) After that,
(Jap) send troops to the
East Fisherman's Island.
(Jap) To prevent any
information from leaking,
(Jap) the villagers must be eliminated.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) What about the POWs on the ship?
(Jap) They'll go down with the Lisbon Maru.
No one can live.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) Seal the hatch
tight. Use a waterproof tarp.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
Let us out, you bastards!
We are not animals!
Keep going!
Don't freeze now!
Hold him up!
(Jap) Stay quiet. Not a sound.
(Jap) Lieutenant, 6 Gyokusai members
have stepped forward.
(Jap) They vow to die with the Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) Banzai!
(Jap) Banzai!
It's a long way to Tipperary,
It's a long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary,
To the sweetest girl I know!
Goodbye, Piccadilly,
Farewell, Leicester Square!
It's a long long way to Tipperary,
I'm Thomas Newman.
Remember that.
Thank you.
Thank you for everything!
Thank you so much. Thank you.
Thank you.
Don't forget what we talked about.
Home.
You can go home!
I'm not gonna make it, but you can.
You can go home!
To the sweetest girl I know!
Goodbye, Piccadilly,
Farewell, Leicester Square!
Thank you for saving my life.
Thank you.
Remember me.
I'm Thomas Newman.
I'm Thomas.
I'm Thomas.
I'm Thomas.
It's a long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary,
(Jap) Throw the body into the sea.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
Come back home.
Don't get lost, come to the island.
Come to the island.
Lost souls, let the banner guide you home.
Come back home.
Don't get lost, come to the island.
Come to the island.
Lost souls, let the banner guide you home.
Come back home.
Don't get lost, come to the island.
Come back home.
Don't get lost, come to the island.
(Jap) Corporal, the villagers have
violated the curfew.
(Jap) Should we take care of it?
(Jap) Corporal!
We must live.
We must live.
I'll do it.
I'll do it.
I'll do it.
Stop!
(Jap) Stop!
(Jap) Don't shoot!
(Jap) You should respect the dead.
(Jap) Don't shoot!
(Jap) You should respect the dead.
(Jap) Don't shoot!
(Jap) You should respect the dead.
Run!
I can't swim. Somebody save me.
Man, the water is coming
in. Get up the ladder!
Help me! Help!
Come on, get up the ladder.
Ladder is collapsing.
Keep pulling.
(Morse code: Seawater breached
lower level of Hold 3)
(Morse code: It's all over)
Little Pirate,
what are you doing?
Little Pirate,
Go find the exit.
(Jap) Have some respect for the dead.
(Jap) Stop!
(Jap) Don't shoot!
(Jap) Have some respect for the dead.
Father!
Don't shoot!
Stop shooting!
Father!
Don't you have parents?
When your parents die,
don't you need to bury them?
Animal!
Bastard!
I'm not leaving.
I'm not leaving. No.
I'm not leaving. I'm not.
Pull!
(Jap) Squad 2, assemble
on the deck, level 2!
(Jap) Check the front area again.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) What are you doing here?
(Jap) Bastard!
(Jap) What are you waiting for?
Ah Dang!
(Jap) 6 Gyokusai members stay.
(Jap) Others shall assemble.
Go!
Go!
(Jap) People of the island.
All of you.
Remember.
This is what happens
to those who defy
the Imperial Japanese Army!
(Jap) Kneel!
(Jap) Execution begins now.
Li Yuanxing.
Don't kneel!
The longer you kneel,
the harder you rise again.
Don't kneel!
Execute him.
The River Runs Red (poem).
Recite! Ten times!
The River Runs Red (poem).
Recite! Ten times!
Let's go home.
Ah Dang.
Ah Dang.
(Jap) Deck patrol reporting: All clear.
(Jap) Roger. Handing over watch now.
Go!
So many people down there.
We gotta save them.
Brother.
Brother.
Full of people down there.
Pirate boy.
Come on up!
(Jap) All units assemble!
(Jap) Don't let them escape, kill them all!
Move!
Wanliang!
Ah Dang.
You fucking murderer!
You fucking murderer!
Everyone, let's jump!
Go to hell!
Hang in there.
Almost there.
We're almost home.
Hang in there.
When all began.
First came the sky.
Rain fell down.
Earth rose high.
Sun and tide.
Watched seas expand.
Waves brought forth.
The waiting land.
Land bore life, both you and I,
Land bore life, both you and I...
(Jap) To the East Fisherman
Island dispatch team:
(Jap) Keep all the islanders
under control to prevent leaks.
(Jap) No one is allowed to leave or move.
(Jap) Our forces will land in four hours.
(Jap) to eliminate the village.
(Jap) The mission must be carried out.
(Jap) I repeat,
(Jap) the mission must be carried out.
(Jap) Commander of the Navy's 13th
Artillery Fleet, Yano Yoshitoshi.
(Jap) Watanabe.
(Jap) Watanabe!
(Jap) Corporal, Watanabe has been killed.
(Jap) Pirate...
(Jap) Fukuda, what's happening there?
They've got...
Blonde hair.
Blue eyes.
Wearing uniforms.
Some starved to death.
Some drowned.
A whole bunch of them.
The place was stinkier than dead fish.
Some were covered in sores...
Some were sick...
They were caught back once came out.
People were dying...
More and more were dying.
Ah Lu died.
Wanliang died.
Qianjin.
Qianjin.
Go untie my dad's boat.
Kibosh.
Women out at sea is against the rules.
Translate.
To cover up what happened here,
Japs are slaughtering the village.
All be dead.
We'll all be dead.
We're all going to die.
I've untied all the boats on island.
As for the way out...
Ah Hua knows.
People want to live,
go with her.
Go as far as you can.
Live
day by day.
Stop.
Stop right there.
Ah Dang's business
needs settling.
I said stop!
Blood in drinks, it's the
pirates' wedding ritual.
You are mine.
The ship is sinking.
People are dying.
Lives are at stake,
gotta be saved.
It's open.
You did it.
Let's push!
Go save the men in the hold.
Got it.
Stay down.
(Jap) Emergency, the
prisoners are escaping!
Everybody take cover! Take cover!
What's that?
There are only a few Japanese men.
Dispersed positioning.
(Jap) Go to hell!
(Jap) Asshole!
We survived.
God save the King.
(Jap) 6 Gyokusai members are dead.
(Jap) Requesting permission
to launch the attack.
Alright, men, listen up. And Listen well!
First, we've all our thanks
to this brave Chinese man.
It's his courage and spirit as a man
that kept us alive standing here today.
Our objective is clear, survival.
The ship's going down fast,
so we don't have much time.
We need to begin evacuation immediately.
We've already been through hell,
but now, more than ever,
you must remember
your training and discipline.
Remember why we fight.
Remember the faces of those waiting for us.
Our loved ones who believe in us,
and the comrades we've lost.
Some of us may be lucky
enough to make it back.
And it's up to them to tell the truth
of what happened here.
Many Chinese gave their lives for us.
The men of this nation are still
resisting the invasion.
They won't be forgotten.
And we're not fighting this war alone.
Now, let's survive this.
And get the bloody hell home!
It's the Japanese!
It's grenade launcher!
Quick, take cover!
Motorboats! On the other side!
Jump, jump over!
Get down!
Jump!
Machine gun!
Take cover!
Middlesex Regiment, come with me!
Get down!
The mast is falling.
Jump!
Jump, everybody.
Keep your heads under water!
(Jap) What's happening?
They stopped.
Let's go flip that boat.
If we go, we go together.
Let's go there.
(Jap) Go to hell!
You're not getting away!
Middlesex Regiment,
hold the line!
Yes, sir!
Everybody spread out!
The Chinese man is on the boat.
We gotta go to help him.
We do not stop until we're on that deck.
Move!
Yes, sir!
Middlesex Regiment,
turn the boat over!
(Jap) Tennheika Banzai!
Father,
you kneel in front of this wall every day.
Forgive me for being disobedient.
I'm tear it down
to let our ancestors
watch with their own eyes.
The Japanese burned
down our ancestral hall,
killed so many of us,
and you told us to stay down.
We did.
They sealed off the sea,
forced us to live like soft shell turtles,
and we did nothing.
Then what happened?
The Bian family three are dead.
Mr. Chen is dead.
Ah Dang is dead.
Even you are gone.
You stayed down.
Stay down...
Did that help?
The Japanese
are now coming to slaughter us,
how do we stay down?
So many dead people, how do we stay down?
And all those people out at sea,
how do we stay down?
(Jap) Pass the order up.
(Jap) Motorboat has been destroyed.
(Jap) British POWs have escaped.
(Jap) Requesting permission to
strike the designated waters.
(Jap) Copy that.
We can't stay down anymore.
And we don't want to.
The Japs have guns and cannons.
We've got nothing
but people.
Either they kill us all
or, if they fail,
even if only one of us remains,
we're heading out to sea today.
The hell with the blockade!
Our ancestors said,
all in peril at sea
must be saved.
Women can't sail?
I, Ah Hua,
am breaking that rule today.
We gotta save them.
We must save them.
We must save them.
We must save them.
We must save them.
Aye, brothers,
hoist the sail, push the pole!
Dig in now,
row with soul!
Northeast breeze,
won't you ease!
Shallow waters, head for shore!
Slack tide's here!
Aye, brothers,
hoist the sail, push the pole!
Dig in now,
row with soul!
Northeast breeze,
won't you ease!
Shallow waters, head for shore!
(Jap) Chinese fishermen broke
through the torpedo blockade.
Ah Hua.
So many of them.
The Japanese bomb vessels are still there.
The hell with the bomb vessel.
Steer left!
Cast the net!
For big fish!
Steer left and cast the net for big fish.
Steer left and cast the net for big fish.
Steer left and cast the net for big fish.
Steer left and cast the net for big fish.
What a blast!
It's the Chinese!
It's the Chinese!
It's the Chinese.
Help us!
Get on the boats!
They are here to save us.
Cast the net and fish them out!
Cast the net and fish them out!
Come on! Grab it.
Cast the net!
Hold the net!
Pull!
Come up!
Hold tight!
(Jap) Commander,
(Jap) artillery is ready,
requesting permission to fire.
(Jap) Roger.
Pull the rope!
Swim over here, quick!
Thank you.
Quick!
Swim over here. Quick!
Big whirlpool!
Turn sideways!
Turn the boat sideways!
Big whirlpool! Turn sideways!
Hurry up! Turn sideways.
Big whirlpool! Turn sideways!
Swim! Big whirlpool!
Swim, swim on woods!
Grab my hand!
I got you.
Rope!
OK!
Go!
Ah Hua, your left!
Uncle Gui, come and help!
Ah Bi!
Ah Bi!
The suction is getting stronger!
We can't hold it! Pull back!
Ah Hua, stop moving forward!
Let go!
Let go!
Ah Bi!
Ah Bi!
I got this!
Grab the net!
Come on up!
Catch the rope!
Take my hand.
Take my hand, come on, get up!
Release the dinghy!
Release the dinghy!
Release the dinghy!
One, two, go!
Grab my hand.
Come on. Hang in there.
Move faster. Come on!
We are spinning again.
The ship is spinning!
Keep the bow down!
To stop spinning.
Keep the bow down!
Closer.
Hold on tight.
Li Yuanxing!
Li Yuanxing!
Hook it onto your boat!
Catch it!
Fuck this!
Come back!
You're gonna die in there.
No.
No.
Pull!
Pull the rope!
Pull.
Grab the rope! Hurry!
Grab the rope!
Release the rope!
Release the rope!
Release the rope!
Release the rope!
Try to hold it.
Keep swimming.
Grab the rope.
Pull!
Pull!
Pull!
Keep pulling!
(Jap) Order received.
(Jap) Due to the arrival of
a large number of Chinese fishers,
(Jap) opening fire may trigger
negative international backlash.
(Jap) Abort the attack.
Hold position and stay alert.
Where is he?
I didn't see him.
Where is the Chinese man?
Thank you. Thank you for saving us.
Thank you.
Row with might!
Row till dusk,
with stomachs tight.
Row with the tide,
drink the wine.
Hold your children,
sleep through the night!
They came from the sea,
and in the end, they returned to it.
I believe,
that is their home.
The place they are meant to return to.
Attention!
Royal Regiment of Scotland, fall all in!
The Middlesex Regiment, fall all in!
My name is Ah Hua.
I remember that we saved many lives.
Some of them survived
and eventually made it home.
Attention!
Royal Navy, report.
Present.
Royal Scots, report.
Present.
About turn!
Salute!
As the years passed,
someone asked about it again.
Why we risked our lives to save those men.
I couldn't quite explain it.
I just knew,
no matter who they are,
no matter the language,
no matter how different they look,
a life is a life.
As human beings,
we ought to help each other,
don't you think?
My name is Denise Wynne.
And I am 76 years old.
My father, Dennis Morley.
Who passed away on 3rd of January, 2021,
was the last survivor of the Lisbon Maru.
Before he died,
he told me to honor the
Dongji fishermen on his behalf.
My father was very emotional to
think of all the POWs
being trapped below deck
as the ship was sinking.
Then to finally escape
and jump into the sea
to be shot by the Japanese!
And then those very brave heroes,
the Chinese Fishermen, appeared
and began rescuing the POWs.
My dad remembers
the Chinese fishermen as being like angels
coming along to rescue
them all out of hell.
Because he said it really was a hell.
There was a loud bang.
Especially on Qingbang Island,
because he could see it.
My grandfather was from Miaozihu Island.
He said a ship had sunk
just off Qingbang Island.
He told everyone to sail out there.
Brothers and friends, he said.
All the Wu family, same last name.
Every boat that could row went out.
My father-in-law helped
with the rescue too.
He was the head fisherman.
His own boat saved over a dozen people.
My dad saved fourteen or fifteen.
There wasn't enough room,
they squatted on the deck.
My grandfather used to tell the story
that once my grandfather managed to
get above the deck
and he dived into the water to swim.
There was lots of Japanese
were shooting at them.
One of the sad things is that
he was swimming through
a sea of dead bodies.
The shots were still ringing out
but at that point some Chinese fishermen
from the island
had seen what was going on.
There's a tradition on Dongji Island:
All perils at sea, they go out and help.
The more people you save,
the more lives are spared.
The British are very honourable.
After being rescued and brought ashore,
they had tears in their eyes,
shook my hand, and nodded to
express their gratitude.
Those people would be
killed by the Japanese Army
if they found the prisoners amongst
the villagers harboring them.
When someone's drowning, you go save them.
You can't just let a living person die.
Doesn't matter where they're from.
Can't just watch a living person die.
This whole atrocity would never happened
if the Japanese had complied to
the Geneva Convention.
I think the Japanese thought,
they were in an area where nobody
would know what they were doing.
That's why they stopped shooting
when the Chinese arrived
cause, as I said, they suddenly realized
there would've been
witnesses to this great crime.
My dad said if it wasn't for
the Chinese fishermen,
and the shooting had stopped,
he wouldn't be alive.
He wouldn't have gone home
he wouldn't have met his wife
who was the love of his life.
My uncle's remains are here.
Maybe it was his destiny to stay in China
because he's still here.
Gazing out across the sea,
knowing the wreckage was over there
in that direction.
It was lovely.
It was a nice ending to the John's story.
They were true heroes
and that they should always be remembered.
There's no one alive
who was there at the time
but their relatives.
The relatives.
We are all here because of the act.
The unconditional love, that those Chinese
people had to go there and saved them.
On September 27th, 1942,
the Japanese transport ship Lisbon Maru,
carrying 1,816 British prisoners of war,
departed Hong Kong for Japan.
On October 1st,
she was struck by a torpedo
from the American submarine USS Grouper,
and began to sink off the
Eastern coast of China.
Just two nautical miles
southwest of the site
lies a small island,
known to the Chinese as Dongji Island.
(Jap) As of today, from July 10th onward,
(Jap) The Imperial Japanese Navy,
the force that reigns over the Pacific.
(Jap) 588 enemy ships sunk,
(Jap) 503 enemy vessels captured,
(Jap) and 2,529 enemy aircrafts shot down.
(Jap) a series of victories.
Tennheika!
Banzai!
Banzai!
Tennheika Banzai!
(Jap) Daily training, commence!
Daily training, commence!
(Jap) Fire broke out here and here.
Put it out immediately!
Here and here, are on fire.
Put out the fire!
(Jap) Hurry up! Be quick.
Follow drill standards.
(Jap) Move quickly!
Hurry, hurry!
On this island of ours,
there were 58 households,
263 people in total.
Life here was peaceful,
until the Japs came
and took over the island.
They locked up the boats,
and banned us from the sea.
After 3 years time,
these fisherfolk are
like turtles stuck on land.
My brother and I were fished
out of the sea by Old Wu.
He meant to raise us as his own sons.
But because of the mark on our necks,
the elders believed that
we were pirates' blood.
Honestly, I don't even
know where we came from.
I don't care whatever they say.
Life is going on anyway.
The Zhoushan Islands,
home to fishermen for generations,
blessed by the sea,
sheltered by its grace.
Old Wu.
Offer the incense.
Vast is the sea,
cradle of all life.
Under the rules they imposed,
we live on the other side of the island,
north and south,
never crossing paths...
Until this day,
everything changed.
Do you have a death wish?
(Jap) What was that?
(Jap) I don't know.
(Jap) Go back and report.
(Jap) Copy.
It looks like a Japanese ship
which had been blown up.
Good hit.
Keep your voice down.
(Jap) This is an emergency.
(Jap) The ship was attacked by torpedoes.
(Jap) All crew members,
assemble on the deck immediately.
(Jap) Squad 1, get ready
for prisoners searching.
Ah Bi, someone's there.
Someone's there!
Little bastard!
Ah Dang, the rope!
Pull!
You come up first!
Here. I'll hold him!
What are you doing?
Are you insane?
This stuff cannot be on this boat.
It's a person.
Who knows what he has to do with
the ship explosion?
Why borrow trouble?
Stop being a pain in the ass.
My little brother
kept following me since he was a kid.
He wouldn't sleep unless I tucked him in.
They say the eldest brother is like father,
but the kid suddenly grew up
and always turned against me.
Won't even call me brother.
No matter what,
as long as he's by my side,
I still feel at ease.
I'll go check in at the Japanese.
Or we can forget about
going out to sea tomorrow.
You'll understand when you're older,
you won't always get you way in this world.
(Jap) An American
submarine hit the Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) Headquarters has ordered
all troops in Zhoushan to stand by.
(Jap) Yes, sir!
Pirates, liquor, next time...
(Jap) How's the reception?
(Jap) Adjusting.
(Jap) Hurry up!
(Jap) Copy.
Where am I?
What did you say?
Thank you.
Thank you for saving me.
What?
My name is Thomas Newman.
I need help.
My comrades are stuck
on a ship out at sea, we
Speak our language.
We need to go help them.
I don't understand.
Speak our language.
Cantonese.
Cantonese.
Please, I'm begging you.
I need help...
I have comrades stuck out at the sea.
You need to get the message out.
The ship will sink soon.
You are badly injured.
Could you give that...
Oh, you don't understand.
Here, water.
Why grab the knife?
What do you want?
Don't move!
I'm not gonna hurt you, Trust me!
That thing's gonna save my life right now.
I was gonna put it in the fire
and then on my wound.
Trust me.
Trust me.
Thank you.
(Jap) Sir, our troops are stationed
on East Fisherman's Island.
(Jap) Civilian activities spotted.
(Jap) Disembark and search.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) Our ship is under attack!
(Jap) Rescue is on the way!
(Jap) All soldiers, assemble and
transport supplies!
(Jap) Prepare to evacuate.
From the moment I saw her,
I knew that
we were the same kind.
She's also an outsider.
Old Wu bought and raised her as daughter.
The island women all stayed away from us,
but
she did not.
We grew up together.
During those difficult time for us,
she was always there helping.
Because of her,
I finally felt here like home.
Old Wu's retirement money.
I've got enough.
Pack up and get ready.
We'll leave in a couple of days.
Leave this island.
With Ah Dang.
To Shanghai.
What's up?
Changed your mind?
Why would I?
Shanghai is amazing.
Women can go out to sea.
And even steer ships.
You want to steer the ship again?
When we get there,
I'll sail with you every day.
What if I
don't want to go with you?
I drank your blood,
and you are mine.
Pirates' rule.
Feeling better?
I miss my family.
It's been years since I've seen them all,
ever since the war.
I was captured in Hong Kong.
The Japanese wanted to take us to
a prisoner-of-war camp somewhere in Japan.
I don't know.
But our ship was attacked.
There were hundreds... thousands of men
on that ship that need our help.
You need to get the message out.
What is this?
This.
My home.
England. Birmingham.
Home.
Do you understand?
Wait.
China.
Your
home.
Your
here.
This
is your home.
Home.
I'm here?
Yes.
Yes, your home.
We are here.
You get it.
(Morse code: Hull struck by torpedo)
(Morse code: Hold 2, 3rd Squadron,
Royal Artillery)
(Morse code: Men on deck
break, several overboard)
(Morse code: Japanese forces
suspected to be searching nearby waters)
There's someone missing in Hold 2.
Who is missing?
(Morse code: Hold 3 copy)
(Morse code: Requesting name and
rank of overboard soldier)
(Jap) Squad 2 and 2
landing crafts are ready.
(Jap) Begin landing.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
'Raising my eyes, '
'I roar at the sky...'
Still can't memorize?
Sir, I'm hungry,
All you know is food.
Memorize nothing and thinking about eating?
Dig in!
Chen.
Chen.
Did you bring me booze?
A ship is blown up and
you're craving booze?
It's done?
The higher-ups ordered the
township office to teach this.
Elementary Japanese Textbook.
Take a look.
I can't.
I'd rather die than teach that.
Children speak Japanese? What a disgrace!
You yourself hadn't had enough for that?
Impressive, really impressive.
Go ahead.
Throw the books in the Japanese' faces.
There are only two here, do it.
You know exactly what's behind them.
One cannon shell,
and there won't be a need for a second.
Our village will be flattened.
Forgot the first time
Japanese came to the island?
Old Wu led the resistance,
fought to the very end.
The ancestral hall was
burned to the ground.
Look at Old Wu now,
you can see by yourself.
Sometimes, we can only endure.
Under someone's roof,
you have to bow your head.
Under whose roof?
It's our own roof. Why
should we bow at all?
Where is our code of ethics, our dignity?
What's even with...
And teach your chief.
'Through the roof the anger rises.' Repeat.
'Through the roof the anger rises.'
Quieter!
Louder!
You and I are the only
outsiders on the island.
Mr. Chen.
We need to go with the flow.
Mr. Chen.
Mr. Chen.
Done it?
Do you like Yue Fei?
Do you know how many sons he had?
There are so many
characters I don't recognize.
One at a time.
Your brother gave up halfway through.
The Pirate King, the Demon Crown,
Terror of the East Sea town.
Navy chased to Xisha's edge,
Pirates are here!
Old pirates, young pirates,
Go wait for me at home.
Hugging babies in ocean blue,
Drifting east where winds blow true,
Pissing pants from fright they do!
Not hungry now, huh?
Sir, I fished out a foreigner.
You speak their language, come with me.
OK. No problem.
I'll go at once.
Now.
Now.
Just give me a spoonful.
I'll be waiting at home.
Recite the poem ten times.
'Through the roof the anger rises, '
'At the rail's edge, '
'... the lashing rain dies...'
Eat.
You little bastard.
Sorry to disturb you.
The ship I was on was attacked
and I fell overboard.
A Chinese man saved me.
I really need to get the message out.
You drank my liquor?
Who gave you permission?
What is wrong with you?
Get lost!
Get lost!
I'm sure to go back to the ship.
What are you doing?
Let go!
Let go!
Let go of him!
You let go first.
You let go first.
Together.
You let go first.
Stop pulling his hair.
You're brothers.
Your teacher is here.
Your teacher is here.
I'm here.
What the hell is this?
You think you're all noble, huh?
I said not to save him. Did you hear me?
Are you trying to piss me off?
It's a damn human life!
Still talking back?
I'll beat the hell out of you!
Recognize situation before making a move!
Teacher rules here.
What do we have here?
Don't touch me!
Left nothing for me?
I see you taught him well.
Never drink my liquor again.
I'll have to drink it.
Go get a cigarette.
A cigarette.
You little bastard.
I'll talk to the foreigner.
Where did you find him?
Fished out of the sea.
Ask first, drink later.
Name?
You speak English?
My name is Thomas Newman.
Friend.
Chen Teacher.
Student.
I understand.
Talk.
You who?
Name?
My name is Thomas Newman. Look.
Niu Men.
Niu Men, Mr. Niu.
Niu Men.
Your name is Niu Men?
US?
US dollar?
U...?
Dollar.
I don't have any money.
But there are hundreds
of men that need our help.
We have to go to save them.
Please pass... Could you pass me that?
I'm British Armed Forces.
We were captured in Hong Kong.
The Japanese wanted to take us to a
POW camp in Japan.
But our ship was attacked by a
torpedo this morning.
What is he saying?
I managed to escape Wait!
But I need to get back to save those men.
Wait!
No, no, no!
You help me reach...
No. Long! Too Long!
Too long.
1,800 Englishmen.
English?
Yes, Englishman English people.
On a ship, sinking.
SOS
What did he say?
The Allied Forces!
What is that?
Back when I was in the army, I knew it all.
I'm telling you.
What is Allied Forces?
People who help us fight Japanese.
Shit!
Open the door!
No, you're gonna sell him to Japanese!
Guess you've got enough good life?
Saving lives isn't wrong, Ah Bi.
It's an act of righteousness
and patriotism!
You deserter.
What do you know about patriotism?
Well, that was my only option then.
Deserters are still soldiers!
Open it!
Open the door, you hear me?
Ah Bi!
The Japanese might not even know
this guy is on the island.
Go scout things out first.
Understand?
Troublemaker.
Ah Dang,
get him changed first.
Hide him.
We need to get through this first.
(Jap) Higher, still no reception.
(Jap) Corporal, these things are too old.
Gotta replace them.
(Jap) I'll go check up there.
(Jap) Copy.
(Jap) This way. Fukuta.
(Jap) No. This way.
(Jap) Hold it up higher.
(Jap) I'm trying.
So many words.
East.
Fish.
Man.
Bird.
No.
Island.
Island.
British.
Army.
British Army.
Two.
Double hours...
Later.
4 hours later...
Disembark.
Ah Dang.
Ah Dang.
Who ask you to come?
Back off.
Old Wu!
Anybody stop him!
You're in the south,
we're in the north.
Cut off all ties for life. That's the rule.
Old Wu.
I need to talk to you about some issue.
I'm the boss here.
Just talk to me.
Hell with him the boss.
It's been 3 years,
Want to be turtle forever?
Except for offering incense day after day,
what else had he done?
Get out of my way.
Ah Kui!
Come on in!
Ah Lu!
Help me!
My ears.
Step aside!
The Japanese are disembarking
looking for someone.
Who?
An Englishman with
blonde hair and blue eyes.
Person who helped us fight Japs.
Why is there an Englishman on the island?
I fished him out of the sea.
Where is he?
Gone.
Gone where?
Where? Tell me!
Go, Niu Men!
Be quick!
Stop there!
You go first!
Niu Men.
My brother is coming. Go! Quick!
You stay out of my business.
I'm just here to let you know.
The Japanese might disembark in 4 hours.
Be careful.
Uncle,
I can't hold him.
You two hold down his arms.
He is tough.
Go. Turn left.
Woodhouse.
Search him.
He's got cigarettes.
Search.
Uncle,
What did he say he fished out of the sea?
A person.
From another country.
Another country?
Englishman.
What man?
Englishman.
Even my poor ears could hear that.
What is an Englishman?
People who helps us fight the Japanese.
Uncle,
Do you think if the Japanese find out,
they'll attack us?
You can't trust pirates.
Trying to scare us?
With people who cut off ties?
What is he scaring us for?
Just hand him over to the Japanese.
We can't.
The Japanese are looking for
the Englishman, not him.
If we let them find the Englishman first,
we'll never be able to explain ourselves.
We need to find the English first.
We do have to.
Where is this Englishman?
Tell the truth.
Get away from me.
Stay away.
What do you want?
No!
No, please!
I'm begging you!
Go back to where you came from.
I won't kill you.
Please.
Jump off yourself.
Please.
Jump!
Ah Bi!
Let go!
Do you want to die?
Let go!
He's here to help us.
He's here to help us.
The Japanese are coming.
For him.
You'll die protecting him.
He's a human, too!
I can't die here!
Let me die with him.
There's still a lot of people on the boat,
Come on.
I have to save them.
Ah Bi!
Ah Bi!
Leave tonight.
Leave this island.
You hide him.
Hide him well.
Wait for me to come back.
Niu Men.
Don't blame my brother.
He's just looking out for me.
Sorry, I don't understand.
I...
take you
to that place you call home.
Home.
Home?
Yes.
Home.
You want to take me...
return me back to England?
Yes.
Home.
It's a long way There's a ship.
Ship.
A big one.
And a ball.
I...
take you
home.
I want to take Chu to England.
Chu.
My girlfriend,
Chu.
Yeah.
We met in Hong Kong.
It was love at first sight.
I don't care if I can't go home.
But Chu would be over the moon if
she finds out I'm still kicking.
I know you don't understand, but thank you.
Thank you.
Come here.
Of course.
Chinese way.
(Jap) You! Son of a bitch.
Where have you been?
(Jap) An Englishman with blonde hair
and blue eyes is missing.
(Jap) Suspected of being on our island.
(Jap) We need all
villagers to find him out.
(Jap) Quick, translate!
They're looking for
a man with blonde hair and blue eyes.
We searched.
We've looked all over
the mountain several times,
but didn't see anyone who looks like that.
(Jap) No one had seen such a person.
(Jap) The whole village went out to search,
(Jap) but no one saw him.
(Jap) You idiot don't know about it?
(Jap) I'm sorry, Lieutenant.
(Jap) Did you
(Jap) hide him?
(Jap) Sir.
(Jap) That...
(Jap) That...
(Jap) That...
(Jap) That's absolutely impossible, sir.
Why leave in all of a sudden?
Pack your things up.
Important items only.
What if they find the Englishman?
No time for these now.
You can't...
What about my father?
He risked his life to save me
from the human traffickers.
How can I leave?
I'm not leaving. You go.
Ah Hua, Ah Hua!
And you two little pirates.
Almost died at sea back then.
Everyone objected.
Wasn't my father the one who took you in?
One in the south, one in the north.
Cut off all ties.
That's the rule he set.
I've already told him what I could.
And left him enough money for golden years.
What else can I do?
I don't owe him anymore.
I do.
I owe him.
You have a brother,
I have a father.
(Jap) Launch!
It's grenade.
It's grenade discharger.
It's grenade discharger.
You can't move.
The Japanese are coming. They'll kill you!
They'll kill you all!
You don't move. Wait for me here.
Watari Hisao!
That's my family's boat.
How can you...
Everyone, stay put!
A lost boat can be rebuilt.
A lost life is gone forever.
Father!
Father! They just want the
blonde hair and blue eyes man.
We'll be fine just to hand him over.
I know we are familiar
but
hiding the man,
you'll be punished.
(Jap) Sir.
(Jap) We really don't
know where that person is.
(Jap) Lieutenant, he's saying
that man is on the island.
(Jap) Ready!
Stop!
Talk to me if you got problem.
The officer wants to shake hands.
(Jap) You're not going to tell the truth,
aren't you?
He's saying you're not
going to tell the truth.
Stop, stop.
(Jap) Kill!
Stop.
You all listen to me. It's the Japanese.
They'll kill you all!
Go back. Go back.
Wait, you're not listening to me.
Stay out of it!
This is my business.
I go, it has nothing to do with them.
(Jap) Don't stop.
Dad!
What did he say?
Dad!
He said, kill.
Brother...
Help me up.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm the one they want.
I'm sorry.
It's going to be okay. Trust me.
I'm sorry.
(Jap) Kill!
No more killing, no more.
No more killing.
(Jap) Kill!
Kill me, kill me!
(Jap) I'll keep going until you say.
(Jap) Stop, it's not them, please stop.
Kill me, let me be the last one.
Kill just me.
Stop!
I'm the one you are looking for.
It's got nothing to do with these people.
Officer, I'm Thomas Newman.
I'm a lance bombardier
from the 12th Battalion,
of the 8th coastal
Regiment, Royal Artillery.
I took a tumble into the sea from
the Lisbon Maru this morning
and washed up on this island.
I'm here to surrender myself, sir.
Everything I've done since being
on this island has been my own doing.
It's got nothing to do with anyone else.
I'm at your service, sir.
(Jap) Take him!
(Jap) Yes, sir!
(Jap) Kneel down.
(Jap) You're lying.
(Jap) Someone has hidden him.
He's saying you are lying.
And someone has hidden him.
(Jap) What have you been doing?
(Jap) You.
You.
Wanliang.
(Jap) You.
And you.
Ah Lu.
(Jap) You.
You. Qianjin.
And you.
Uncle.
(Jap) Yes, you.
It's you.
(Jap) Take these people as hostages.
(Jap) If any news about those Brits leaks,
execute the hostage.
(Jap) Translate!
(Jap) Yes.
The people he pointed at
will all be
will all be taken away.
No one will be taken.
I'm the boss.
I saved the guy.
It has nothing to do with them.
They will kill more if you go.
Just stay down.
Stay down.
Those two shouldn't get involved, either.
I myself is going with you.
I saved the man.
I'm the boss.
No one here leaves.
Go back.
Go home.
Go home, nothing to see here.
Go home.
Go home and cook.
Go put away your clothes.
Bastards.
Go.
Go.
You motherfuckers!
Old Wu!
Why are you doing this?
You animals!
(Jap) Don't move!
They are all innocent!
(Jap) Take them away.
Er-ye.
Uncle.
You'll come back, you will.
Careful words and you'll all come back.
Everyone will come back.
I'm also going.
No.
(Jap) Come here.
(Jap) You're from Kansai, aren't you?
(Jap) Yes, sir!
(Jap) I'll leave two men with you.
(Jap) Stay alert and wait for orders.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) This is Gokoku Maru.
(Jap) We have reached
the assigned coordinates.
(Jap) Stand by for orders.
Prepare for extraction.
(Jap) Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) This is Gokoku Maru.
(Jap) We have reached
the assigned coordinates.
(Jap) Stand by for orders.
Prepare for extraction.
(Jap) We are maintaining
maritime surveillance.
(Jap) and readiness for the
Lisbon Maru rescue operations.
(Jap) Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) This is Kuri.
(Jap) Coming to rescue your crew.
(Jap) Proceeding to your coordinates.
(Jap) Kuri and Gokoku Maru
are in assigned positions.
(Jap) All soldiers! Prepare to evacuate!
Hang in there, just a little longer.
As for Ah Dang,
it's up to fate now.
Stay, for your family bloodline.
If you go,
it'll just be one more casualty.
Old Wu treated you well.
This whole thing started because of you.
Those lives are on you.
Sound fair?
All in peril at sea must be saved.
This is the island rule.
You landlubber know nothing.
Chen Zhusheng!
The entire village saved what we could
to support you,
hoping you'd educate
our children well.
You knew about the Englishman, didn't you?
I knew.
Why didn't you tell me?
I just wanted peace.
Who knew they would come up and kill... I'm
the chief appointed by the Japs after all.
I could at least negotiate.
Why didn't you tell me? Why?
This wouldn't have happened.
It's my job to protect
the people on this island.
Enough lives had been lost.
Stay down.
Just stay down.
Two Japanese?
Yes.
Two guns?
Yes.
Almost 300 village people.
Yes.
Three years! We've been from sea.
We have to stay down.
People are killed.
We must stay down.
They took my brother.
We must stay down.
Stay down.
Stay down.
Even more?
Stay down.
How about now?
Stay down.
When it's time to stay down, we stay down.
But when it's time to run, we should run!
Where can we run to?
A child was killed.
No one fought back.
Ah Dang was taken.
You're his teacher.
You raised him with your own eyes.
You kept your mouth shut.
Right? Mr. Deserter.
I was a deserter!
Deserter is soldier.
Did you find peace always running away?
Not at all.
Then nobody should.
It's every man for himself now!
(Jap) The Lisbon Maru is sinking.
(Jap) The Imperial Army, carrying
the spirits of our fallen soldiers,
(Jap) continues to fulfill the mission
bestowed by our Emperor.
(Jap) Tennheika.
(Jap) Banzai!
(Jap) Banzai!
(Jap) All hands emergency!
(Jap) The engine room is flooding severely.
(Jap) The vessel is immobilized.
(Jap) All crews shall transport
the supplies and evacuate.
(Jap) Squad 3! Prepare to disembark!
(Jap) Prepare to disembark!
(Jap) All hands emergency!
(Jap) The engine room is flooding severely.
(Jap) The vessel is immobilized.
(Jap) All crews shall transport
the supplies and evacuate.
(Jap) Colonel, thank
you for boarding the ship.
(Jap) You British
prisoner, trying to escape?
(Jap) It's pointless. We
will always catch you.
Escape?
I wasn't trying to escape.
I was blown off the ship.
The torpedo hit.
And you people tried to shoot me!
(Jap) Shut up.
(Jap) Stop arguing.
I hate you!
Don't argue.
I hate you.
(Jap) Now we punish the deserters.
(Jap) Throw these Chinamen into Hold 3.
(Jap) Yes, sir!
(Jap) Quick! This way.
Hey mate, I want to know your name.
What's your name?
My name is Thomas Newman.
Remember that.
Thank you. Thank you for everything.
I will always remember you.
Don't forget what we talked about. Home!
I'm not gonna make it, but you can!
You can! You can go home!
Home!
I'm not gonna make it, but you can!
You can go home!
Go home!
(Jap) Open the hatch.
(Jap) Don't move.
(Jap) Don't be stupid.
(Jap) Don't push your luck.
(Jap) Wait, have them enter one by one.
(Jap) No talking, no disturbing the order.
(Jap) Once the supplies are transferred,
(Jap) we will return to Japan
immediately with Kuri.
(Jap) Retain 6 Yuzuru members
and 2 landing crafts.
(Jap) Ensure security alert
until the Lisbon Maru sinks.
(Jap) After that,
(Jap) send troops to the
East Fisherman's Island.
(Jap) To prevent any
information from leaking,
(Jap) the villagers must be eliminated.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) What about the POWs on the ship?
(Jap) They'll go down with the Lisbon Maru.
No one can live.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) Seal the hatch
tight. Use a waterproof tarp.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
Let us out, you bastards!
We are not animals!
Keep going!
Don't freeze now!
Hold him up!
(Jap) Stay quiet. Not a sound.
(Jap) Lieutenant, 6 Gyokusai members
have stepped forward.
(Jap) They vow to die with the Lisbon Maru.
(Jap) Banzai!
(Jap) Banzai!
It's a long way to Tipperary,
It's a long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary,
To the sweetest girl I know!
Goodbye, Piccadilly,
Farewell, Leicester Square!
It's a long long way to Tipperary,
I'm Thomas Newman.
Remember that.
Thank you.
Thank you for everything!
Thank you so much. Thank you.
Thank you.
Don't forget what we talked about.
Home.
You can go home!
I'm not gonna make it, but you can.
You can go home!
To the sweetest girl I know!
Goodbye, Piccadilly,
Farewell, Leicester Square!
Thank you for saving my life.
Thank you.
Remember me.
I'm Thomas Newman.
I'm Thomas.
I'm Thomas.
I'm Thomas.
It's a long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary,
(Jap) Throw the body into the sea.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
Come back home.
Don't get lost, come to the island.
Come to the island.
Lost souls, let the banner guide you home.
Come back home.
Don't get lost, come to the island.
Come to the island.
Lost souls, let the banner guide you home.
Come back home.
Don't get lost, come to the island.
Come back home.
Don't get lost, come to the island.
(Jap) Corporal, the villagers have
violated the curfew.
(Jap) Should we take care of it?
(Jap) Corporal!
We must live.
We must live.
I'll do it.
I'll do it.
I'll do it.
Stop!
(Jap) Stop!
(Jap) Don't shoot!
(Jap) You should respect the dead.
(Jap) Don't shoot!
(Jap) You should respect the dead.
(Jap) Don't shoot!
(Jap) You should respect the dead.
Run!
I can't swim. Somebody save me.
Man, the water is coming
in. Get up the ladder!
Help me! Help!
Come on, get up the ladder.
Ladder is collapsing.
Keep pulling.
(Morse code: Seawater breached
lower level of Hold 3)
(Morse code: It's all over)
Little Pirate,
what are you doing?
Little Pirate,
Go find the exit.
(Jap) Have some respect for the dead.
(Jap) Stop!
(Jap) Don't shoot!
(Jap) Have some respect for the dead.
Father!
Don't shoot!
Stop shooting!
Father!
Don't you have parents?
When your parents die,
don't you need to bury them?
Animal!
Bastard!
I'm not leaving.
I'm not leaving. No.
I'm not leaving. I'm not.
Pull!
(Jap) Squad 2, assemble
on the deck, level 2!
(Jap) Check the front area again.
(Jap) Yes, sir.
(Jap) What are you doing here?
(Jap) Bastard!
(Jap) What are you waiting for?
Ah Dang!
(Jap) 6 Gyokusai members stay.
(Jap) Others shall assemble.
Go!
Go!
(Jap) People of the island.
All of you.
Remember.
This is what happens
to those who defy
the Imperial Japanese Army!
(Jap) Kneel!
(Jap) Execution begins now.
Li Yuanxing.
Don't kneel!
The longer you kneel,
the harder you rise again.
Don't kneel!
Execute him.
The River Runs Red (poem).
Recite! Ten times!
The River Runs Red (poem).
Recite! Ten times!
Let's go home.
Ah Dang.
Ah Dang.
(Jap) Deck patrol reporting: All clear.
(Jap) Roger. Handing over watch now.
Go!
So many people down there.
We gotta save them.
Brother.
Brother.
Full of people down there.
Pirate boy.
Come on up!
(Jap) All units assemble!
(Jap) Don't let them escape, kill them all!
Move!
Wanliang!
Ah Dang.
You fucking murderer!
You fucking murderer!
Everyone, let's jump!
Go to hell!
Hang in there.
Almost there.
We're almost home.
Hang in there.
When all began.
First came the sky.
Rain fell down.
Earth rose high.
Sun and tide.
Watched seas expand.
Waves brought forth.
The waiting land.
Land bore life, both you and I,
Land bore life, both you and I...
(Jap) To the East Fisherman
Island dispatch team:
(Jap) Keep all the islanders
under control to prevent leaks.
(Jap) No one is allowed to leave or move.
(Jap) Our forces will land in four hours.
(Jap) to eliminate the village.
(Jap) The mission must be carried out.
(Jap) I repeat,
(Jap) the mission must be carried out.
(Jap) Commander of the Navy's 13th
Artillery Fleet, Yano Yoshitoshi.
(Jap) Watanabe.
(Jap) Watanabe!
(Jap) Corporal, Watanabe has been killed.
(Jap) Pirate...
(Jap) Fukuda, what's happening there?
They've got...
Blonde hair.
Blue eyes.
Wearing uniforms.
Some starved to death.
Some drowned.
A whole bunch of them.
The place was stinkier than dead fish.
Some were covered in sores...
Some were sick...
They were caught back once came out.
People were dying...
More and more were dying.
Ah Lu died.
Wanliang died.
Qianjin.
Qianjin.
Go untie my dad's boat.
Kibosh.
Women out at sea is against the rules.
Translate.
To cover up what happened here,
Japs are slaughtering the village.
All be dead.
We'll all be dead.
We're all going to die.
I've untied all the boats on island.
As for the way out...
Ah Hua knows.
People want to live,
go with her.
Go as far as you can.
Live
day by day.
Stop.
Stop right there.
Ah Dang's business
needs settling.
I said stop!
Blood in drinks, it's the
pirates' wedding ritual.
You are mine.
The ship is sinking.
People are dying.
Lives are at stake,
gotta be saved.
It's open.
You did it.
Let's push!
Go save the men in the hold.
Got it.
Stay down.
(Jap) Emergency, the
prisoners are escaping!
Everybody take cover! Take cover!
What's that?
There are only a few Japanese men.
Dispersed positioning.
(Jap) Go to hell!
(Jap) Asshole!
We survived.
God save the King.
(Jap) 6 Gyokusai members are dead.
(Jap) Requesting permission
to launch the attack.
Alright, men, listen up. And Listen well!
First, we've all our thanks
to this brave Chinese man.
It's his courage and spirit as a man
that kept us alive standing here today.
Our objective is clear, survival.
The ship's going down fast,
so we don't have much time.
We need to begin evacuation immediately.
We've already been through hell,
but now, more than ever,
you must remember
your training and discipline.
Remember why we fight.
Remember the faces of those waiting for us.
Our loved ones who believe in us,
and the comrades we've lost.
Some of us may be lucky
enough to make it back.
And it's up to them to tell the truth
of what happened here.
Many Chinese gave their lives for us.
The men of this nation are still
resisting the invasion.
They won't be forgotten.
And we're not fighting this war alone.
Now, let's survive this.
And get the bloody hell home!
It's the Japanese!
It's grenade launcher!
Quick, take cover!
Motorboats! On the other side!
Jump, jump over!
Get down!
Jump!
Machine gun!
Take cover!
Middlesex Regiment, come with me!
Get down!
The mast is falling.
Jump!
Jump, everybody.
Keep your heads under water!
(Jap) What's happening?
They stopped.
Let's go flip that boat.
If we go, we go together.
Let's go there.
(Jap) Go to hell!
You're not getting away!
Middlesex Regiment,
hold the line!
Yes, sir!
Everybody spread out!
The Chinese man is on the boat.
We gotta go to help him.
We do not stop until we're on that deck.
Move!
Yes, sir!
Middlesex Regiment,
turn the boat over!
(Jap) Tennheika Banzai!
Father,
you kneel in front of this wall every day.
Forgive me for being disobedient.
I'm tear it down
to let our ancestors
watch with their own eyes.
The Japanese burned
down our ancestral hall,
killed so many of us,
and you told us to stay down.
We did.
They sealed off the sea,
forced us to live like soft shell turtles,
and we did nothing.
Then what happened?
The Bian family three are dead.
Mr. Chen is dead.
Ah Dang is dead.
Even you are gone.
You stayed down.
Stay down...
Did that help?
The Japanese
are now coming to slaughter us,
how do we stay down?
So many dead people, how do we stay down?
And all those people out at sea,
how do we stay down?
(Jap) Pass the order up.
(Jap) Motorboat has been destroyed.
(Jap) British POWs have escaped.
(Jap) Requesting permission to
strike the designated waters.
(Jap) Copy that.
We can't stay down anymore.
And we don't want to.
The Japs have guns and cannons.
We've got nothing
but people.
Either they kill us all
or, if they fail,
even if only one of us remains,
we're heading out to sea today.
The hell with the blockade!
Our ancestors said,
all in peril at sea
must be saved.
Women can't sail?
I, Ah Hua,
am breaking that rule today.
We gotta save them.
We must save them.
We must save them.
We must save them.
We must save them.
Aye, brothers,
hoist the sail, push the pole!
Dig in now,
row with soul!
Northeast breeze,
won't you ease!
Shallow waters, head for shore!
Slack tide's here!
Aye, brothers,
hoist the sail, push the pole!
Dig in now,
row with soul!
Northeast breeze,
won't you ease!
Shallow waters, head for shore!
(Jap) Chinese fishermen broke
through the torpedo blockade.
Ah Hua.
So many of them.
The Japanese bomb vessels are still there.
The hell with the bomb vessel.
Steer left!
Cast the net!
For big fish!
Steer left and cast the net for big fish.
Steer left and cast the net for big fish.
Steer left and cast the net for big fish.
Steer left and cast the net for big fish.
What a blast!
It's the Chinese!
It's the Chinese!
It's the Chinese.
Help us!
Get on the boats!
They are here to save us.
Cast the net and fish them out!
Cast the net and fish them out!
Come on! Grab it.
Cast the net!
Hold the net!
Pull!
Come up!
Hold tight!
(Jap) Commander,
(Jap) artillery is ready,
requesting permission to fire.
(Jap) Roger.
Pull the rope!
Swim over here, quick!
Thank you.
Quick!
Swim over here. Quick!
Big whirlpool!
Turn sideways!
Turn the boat sideways!
Big whirlpool! Turn sideways!
Hurry up! Turn sideways.
Big whirlpool! Turn sideways!
Swim! Big whirlpool!
Swim, swim on woods!
Grab my hand!
I got you.
Rope!
OK!
Go!
Ah Hua, your left!
Uncle Gui, come and help!
Ah Bi!
Ah Bi!
The suction is getting stronger!
We can't hold it! Pull back!
Ah Hua, stop moving forward!
Let go!
Let go!
Ah Bi!
Ah Bi!
I got this!
Grab the net!
Come on up!
Catch the rope!
Take my hand.
Take my hand, come on, get up!
Release the dinghy!
Release the dinghy!
Release the dinghy!
One, two, go!
Grab my hand.
Come on. Hang in there.
Move faster. Come on!
We are spinning again.
The ship is spinning!
Keep the bow down!
To stop spinning.
Keep the bow down!
Closer.
Hold on tight.
Li Yuanxing!
Li Yuanxing!
Hook it onto your boat!
Catch it!
Fuck this!
Come back!
You're gonna die in there.
No.
No.
Pull!
Pull the rope!
Pull.
Grab the rope! Hurry!
Grab the rope!
Release the rope!
Release the rope!
Release the rope!
Release the rope!
Try to hold it.
Keep swimming.
Grab the rope.
Pull!
Pull!
Pull!
Keep pulling!
(Jap) Order received.
(Jap) Due to the arrival of
a large number of Chinese fishers,
(Jap) opening fire may trigger
negative international backlash.
(Jap) Abort the attack.
Hold position and stay alert.
Where is he?
I didn't see him.
Where is the Chinese man?
Thank you. Thank you for saving us.
Thank you.
Row with might!
Row till dusk,
with stomachs tight.
Row with the tide,
drink the wine.
Hold your children,
sleep through the night!
They came from the sea,
and in the end, they returned to it.
I believe,
that is their home.
The place they are meant to return to.
Attention!
Royal Regiment of Scotland, fall all in!
The Middlesex Regiment, fall all in!
My name is Ah Hua.
I remember that we saved many lives.
Some of them survived
and eventually made it home.
Attention!
Royal Navy, report.
Present.
Royal Scots, report.
Present.
About turn!
Salute!
As the years passed,
someone asked about it again.
Why we risked our lives to save those men.
I couldn't quite explain it.
I just knew,
no matter who they are,
no matter the language,
no matter how different they look,
a life is a life.
As human beings,
we ought to help each other,
don't you think?
My name is Denise Wynne.
And I am 76 years old.
My father, Dennis Morley.
Who passed away on 3rd of January, 2021,
was the last survivor of the Lisbon Maru.
Before he died,
he told me to honor the
Dongji fishermen on his behalf.
My father was very emotional to
think of all the POWs
being trapped below deck
as the ship was sinking.
Then to finally escape
and jump into the sea
to be shot by the Japanese!
And then those very brave heroes,
the Chinese Fishermen, appeared
and began rescuing the POWs.
My dad remembers
the Chinese fishermen as being like angels
coming along to rescue
them all out of hell.
Because he said it really was a hell.
There was a loud bang.
Especially on Qingbang Island,
because he could see it.
My grandfather was from Miaozihu Island.
He said a ship had sunk
just off Qingbang Island.
He told everyone to sail out there.
Brothers and friends, he said.
All the Wu family, same last name.
Every boat that could row went out.
My father-in-law helped
with the rescue too.
He was the head fisherman.
His own boat saved over a dozen people.
My dad saved fourteen or fifteen.
There wasn't enough room,
they squatted on the deck.
My grandfather used to tell the story
that once my grandfather managed to
get above the deck
and he dived into the water to swim.
There was lots of Japanese
were shooting at them.
One of the sad things is that
he was swimming through
a sea of dead bodies.
The shots were still ringing out
but at that point some Chinese fishermen
from the island
had seen what was going on.
There's a tradition on Dongji Island:
All perils at sea, they go out and help.
The more people you save,
the more lives are spared.
The British are very honourable.
After being rescued and brought ashore,
they had tears in their eyes,
shook my hand, and nodded to
express their gratitude.
Those people would be
killed by the Japanese Army
if they found the prisoners amongst
the villagers harboring them.
When someone's drowning, you go save them.
You can't just let a living person die.
Doesn't matter where they're from.
Can't just watch a living person die.
This whole atrocity would never happened
if the Japanese had complied to
the Geneva Convention.
I think the Japanese thought,
they were in an area where nobody
would know what they were doing.
That's why they stopped shooting
when the Chinese arrived
cause, as I said, they suddenly realized
there would've been
witnesses to this great crime.
My dad said if it wasn't for
the Chinese fishermen,
and the shooting had stopped,
he wouldn't be alive.
He wouldn't have gone home
he wouldn't have met his wife
who was the love of his life.
My uncle's remains are here.
Maybe it was his destiny to stay in China
because he's still here.
Gazing out across the sea,
knowing the wreckage was over there
in that direction.
It was lovely.
It was a nice ending to the John's story.
They were true heroes
and that they should always be remembered.
There's no one alive
who was there at the time
but their relatives.
The relatives.
We are all here because of the act.
The unconditional love, that those Chinese
people had to go there and saved them.