History note
The Li Wo was built for the Indo-China Navigation Company in 1938 by the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company, being specially designed and engined for service as a steamer on the Upper Yangtse. She was a small ship, only 170 feet long with a beam of 30 feet and a draught of 7 feet when loaded. After being requisitioned, HMS Li Wo was despatched to Singapore and employed on patrol duty in Malayan waters. She was sunk by a Japanese cruiser whilst in action against a Japanese convoy south of Singapore on 15 February 1942. Her captain, Temporary Lieutenant Thomas Wilkinson RNR, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the action. Of the 76 crew and 8 passengers on board, less than a dozen survived. In addition to Wilkinson's VC, one DSO, one GSM, two DSMs and six Mentions in Despatches were awarded in connection with the action.
https://www.cofepow.org.uk/armed-forces-stories-list/the-gallant-hms-li-wo
//Just twenty-four hours after this crew joined the 'Li Wo', she began her bid to get-to-hell-out-of-Singapore before the Japs arrived. Within twelve hours of sailing she had suffered four air attacks; her hull and superstructure were damaged and the radio was a shambles. A Jap invasion convoy was then sighted off the port bow and soon after, an even bigger one off the starboard bow. They knew they were for it!
The captain called his ship's company together and told them ..... chance of escape or not, he proposed doing what the 'proper Navy' called "Closing the enemy" in the hope of taking one of the transports with them as they were sunk. It didn't matter a hoot in hell what happened to him, or them, or this "bloody ship" and they all agreed with him. Altering course towards the leading ship of the convoy of transports, the little 'Li Wo' went in with all boilers bursting under the pressure of steam-right under the noses of a large escorting cruiser and destroyer. The Japs didn't seem to think that this odd looking little passenger ship posed any threat to them; they didn't realise that they were going in with malice aforethought and a four-inch gun (and exactly thirty-four shells). It was not until the 'Li Wo' bravely unfurled her battle ensign at the masthead and started lobbing shells into the transport that the Japs woke up and by then the 'Li Wo' had scored a number of direct hits and was charging in on a collision course ready to ram the transport.
The engagement lasted for nearly an hour, until finally, and seemingly reluctantly, the gallant little 'Li Wo' sank beneath the combined fire power of the cruiser and the destroyer - but her battle ensign still flying from the masthead and her captain, Temporary Lieutenant Thomas Wilkinson. RNR, was still standing on her bridge and the transport she had attacked was abandoned on fire and sinking fast.//
https://youtu.be/jlx6y5guyuQ
