Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong

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Battle Information

We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).

Wounded Information

No wounds recorded.

Hospital Information

No record of hospital visits found.

POW Camps

Transportation: SE Asia to Home

No related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.

Post-war Photo

Other Military Service

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Death and Cemetery Information

Gravestone Image

Obituary / Life Story

BANFILL, STANLEY MARTIN, M.B.E., B.A. (Bishops 1928), M.D.C.M. (McGill 1933)

Died April 30, 2007 at the Montreal General Hospital, one month before his one hundredth birthday. Physician, veteran of Hong Kong, R.C.A.M.C., teacher. Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong (1950-1951), Professor of Anatomy and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, McGill University; retired 1971.

Predeceased by his first wife, Anna Mae Smith (1942) and his second wife Edith Christine Scott (1999). Survived by son John (Helen) of Toronto and daughter Christine (Andrew Macdonald) of Ottawa; grandchildren, Tara Sheldon (Jeremy), Amy Banfill and Paul Banfill; great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

A service celebrating his life will take place on Saturday, May 26 at 2:00 p.m. at Mount Royal Commemorative Services, 1297 Chemin de la Foret, Outremont, Quebec H2V 2P9; Tel (514) 279-6540, www.rnountroyaIcern.com. Interment at Pine Hill Cemetery, Magog, Quebec on Monday, May 28 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, his family would appreciate donations to the charity of your choice.

Links and Other Resources

Takes you to the HKVCA.ca Store. About 2/3's down the page you will come to Books. Click on Browse. Scroll down to Royal Rifles in Hong Kong 1941 - 1945 by Grant Garneau

Facebook has proven to be a valuable resource in the documentation of 'C' Force members. The following link will take you to any available search results for this soldier based on his regimental number. Note: results may be contained within another related record. Facebook Search Results

→ Related documentation for information published in this report, such as birth information, discharge papers, press clippings and census documents may be available via shared resources in our HKVCA Vault. It is organized with folders named using regimental numbers. Use the first letter of the individual's service number to choose the correct folder, then scroll to the specific sub-folder displaying the service number of your interest.

General Comments

X03 Stanley BANFILL

Picture from VAC - Canada Remembers - website: Captain Stanley M. Banfill, a Hong Kong prisoner since 1941, meets his son for the first time on his return to Montreal in 1945. (National Archives of Canada. PA 115236)

Submitted by son John Banfill March 2017. The following is an extract from the eulogy he read at his fathers funeral May 26, 2007.

Stanley Martin Banfill known as Martin, my father, was born in East Angus, Quebec on May 28, 1907. He was the fourth of seven siblings consisting of five sisters and a brother all of whom he survived.

Martin attended Bishops University from which he graduated in 1928. Thereafter he began what was to become a long and productive association with McGill University from which he graduated in 1933 with the degree Doctor of Medicine.

In 1934 he married my mother, Anna Mae Smith, then an acting head nurse at a Montreal Hospital.

Martin and Anna moved to Cookshire, Quebec where Martin established his medical practice.

In 1940, Martin was commissioned as a Captain in the R.C.A.M.C and was attached to the Royal Rifles of Canada who were sent to Hong Kong in 1941 together with the Winnipeg Grenadiers to bolster the garrison of what was then a British Crown Colony.

On December 25, 1941 Martin was in charge of a field hospital when the Japanese Imperial Army overwhelmed the defenders. While he undoubtedly expected that his life would be over that day he survived and became a prisoner of war until the liberation of Hong Kong on August 14, 1945. Martin was presumed dead for many months and his death notice appeared in a Montreal newspaper more than sixty-five years ago.

Martin and other physicians were charged with the responsibility of caring for their comrades and they did so to the best of their ability under difficult circumstances without adequate medicine or equipment or even enough to eat.

In 1942, Martins first wife Anna died tragically. Martin did not hear of her death until March 1943. Martins lifelong friend then a prisoner of war at Shamshuipo, Ray Squires recorded in his diary on March 22, 1942 that Captain Banfill received the news of Annas death that day and he wrote, - He is a very fine man, and carries it well.-

Although Martin was reticent about talking of those years the public record gives some insight into his experiences as a prisoner of war.

In June 1946 Martin was made a member of the order of the British Empire in recognition of his services in the camp. The citation which appeared in the Canada Gazette of June 15, 1946 reads in part as follows. [See above under Decorations Received].

Throughout it all Martin retained his sense of humor. One Hong Kong prisoner of war, Bill Mayne, now the Vice President of the Sir Arthur Pearson Association of War Blinded, remembers Martins sense of humour. One day he was speaking with Dr. Banfill complaining of some type of pain. Dr. Banfill said, - Mayne, your problem is gout-too much red meat! -

While a prisoner of war Martin is said to have read and memorized large portions of Henry Grays classic text on Gross Anatomy first published in 1858. In so doing, he prepared himself whether by design or chance for what was to be the next chapter in his life.

Some years ago Martin wrote a chapter in a book on the history of the first Battalion of the Royal Rifles of Canada entitled, - Shamshuipo- describing his life in the prison camp. The last paragraph of which reads as follows in part with respect to the liberation of Hong Kong in 1945 and the condition of many of the prisoners he wrote as follows: - some were carried to the hospital ship Oxfordshire, and the last patients in the camp hospital lined up to walk to the transport waiting to carry them to the old Empiress of Australia. The senior medical officer said -Attention! Right Turn!- and he looked at the emaciated ragged men and said quietly, - I wont say - quick march -, but toddle on as best you can.- And Martin concluded, - I think that order set the pace for all our futures.-

In 1946 he returned to Hong Kong as a witness at the War Crimes trial at the request of the Government of Canada. He testified and then returned to Montreal where he had been appointed as a teaching fellow in the Department of Anatomy. While in Hong Kong however he was asked if he would accept an appointment in the Anatomy Department at the University of Hong Kong. His task was to organize the teaching of anatomy, histology and embryology so that the medical school could be reopened. He accepted, and in fact it appears that he did such a good job that in 1950 he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

In a letter dated September 18, 1947 the Professor of Anatomy at McGill, Dr. C.P. Martin wrote to Martin then in Hong Kong following his acceptance of the appointment in part as follows. - I need not say that we all and certainly I personally miss you and are in a sense are very sorry for your departure from McGill; but this chance seems to me too good an opening for you to pass it by. I advised you to accept the appointment; but we all hope to see you back in Montreal some time. -

In 1946, Martin met and shortly thereafter married Edith Scott.

In 1948, my sister Christine was born in Hong Kong thus completing our immediate family.

In 1952, Dr. C.P. Martins wish came true and the family returned to Montreal where Martin accepted an appointment as Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy at McGill. In 1964, he was appointed associate Dean (admissions) of the Faculty of Medicine. In November 1963 he was promoted to full Professor in the department of Anatomy and in 1970 he retired.

Note: Captain Stanley M. Banfill wrote chapter three of Part Three in the book - Royal Rifles in Hong Kong 1941-1945 -. Available at our HKVCA store. See the Link above which takes you to the HKVCA.ca Store. About 2/3s down the page you will come to Books. Click on Browse. Scroll down to the book titled Royal Rifles in Hong Kong 1941 - 1945 by Grant Garneau.

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End of Report.

Report generated: 25 Apr 2024.