Lin A'gen (Left), the last living Zhoushan fisherman who participated in the Lisbon Maru rescue 78 years ago in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, passes away on Aug 6. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Patrick Cooper and his younger sister Robina Cummins recently sent a letter to Zhoushan fishermen to express gratitude for their heroic actions during the Lisbon Maru rescue 78 years ago.

In 1942, during World War II, a Japanese transport ship named Lisbon Maru carrying nearly 1,850 British prisoners of war (POWs) was torpedoed by The Grouper, a US Navy submarine, and sank about 3 nautical miles off the coast of Dongji, an island in Zhoushan city.

Fishermen from the island risked their lives to rescue hundreds of British POWs. They took the soldiers into their homes and fed and clothed them.

Patrick said in the letter that this year that they found out their father George Cooper died at the sinking of the Japanese troopship.

George Cooper was a lance corporal at the Corps of Royal Engineers and stationed in Hong Kong during World War II, while his wife Barbara Brunette relocated from Hong Kong to Australia with Patrick.

Since then, Barbara has heard very little about her late husband and believed that he had died in the fight for Hong Kong.

However, records show that George was taken prisoner after the fall of Hong Kong and held below deck along with other British POWs. After Lisbon Maru was attacked, he may have escaped captivity and swam for safety.

"The courage shown by the Chinese fishermen must have given our father hope," noted Patrick in the letter, "We believe that George and Barbara would expect us to convey their gratitude and respect to the Chinese fishermen."

Lin A'gen, the last living Zhoushan fisherman who participated in the Lisbon Maru rescue, passed away on Aug 6 this year. Patrick said that they had sent their condolences to Lin's family.