Remembering the rescuers. Dennis Morley lived on for another 79 years instead of drowning.
The daughter of a soldier has spoken of her surprise at receiving a letter from the president of China as part of a campaign started by her father.
Denise Wynn's father Dennis Morley was a prisoner of war (POW)
on board the Lisbon Maru when it was sunk in 1942. Mr Morley was rescued by Chinese fishermen and Ms Wynn is continuing his campaign for their "heroic" actions to be recognised with a memorial in China.
"Hopefully my dad's wish will come true," Ms Wynn, from Chalford, said.
On 1 October 1942 the Japanese ship Lisbon Maru was sunk by a torpedo fired by an American submarine, USS Grouper, which had been unaware there were more than 1,800 British POWs on board.
Image caption, Dennis Morley settled in Stroud after the war and died aged 101
During the 24 hours it took for the ship to sink, Mr Morley said Japanese troops and crew were evacuated to safety, but POWs were left to force their way out, with many having no option but to jump in the sea.
More than 800 people died.
Mr Morley, then a 22-year-old in the Royal Scots regiment, settled in Stroud after the war and was among the men rescued from the water by Chinese fishermen. He died two years ago at the age of 101.
Ms Wynn contacted a friend of her father's in Hong Kong and he helped her write a letter to the Chinese president Xi Jinping.
"I wasn't really expecting a reply but a few weeks later I got a reply from the president agreeing to look into the matter and things are moving on from there," she said. "The Chinese ambassador's secretary contacted me asking if we could set a date for the ambassador to come and deliver the letter in person to me and he did. I was quite shocked and humbled," she added. ...
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