‘Pop’ Tye B.E.M., when I first met him, was Cox’n of the 7213 though later he became the Cox’n of the Humber, the Commander British Forces personal launch, a post he held until his final retirement. Pop was an enigma; I never met anyone who could fully untangle his life story. He was married to a Chinese woman with whom he had one son, David, He had been in Hong Kong before the second war and it seemed for all the years after. Legend had it he had once been posted back to the U.K. but during his extended disembarkation leave had turned up in the Colony and presented himself to the O.C. with a request that he be posted back in quoting as his reason that his wife, son and life style all revolved around Hong Kong and as in those days compassionate postings for those with foreign links were allowed this was granted, or so the story went.

How he earned his B.E.M. was also a mystery though supposedly it had something to do with the reciting of a whole village to the new territory mainland on the Sai Kung peninsula, but as the only record of such an event is that of the village of Kao Sai in the early fifties this only added to the puzzle. In any event he seemed to have been in the Colony as long as any one could remember .He was the hairiest man I have ever seen yet was almost completely bald, He sported an impressive moustache which hung down to his chin and the ginger hair at his uniform neck and cuffs burst out like a badly stuffed sofa. The Chinese guys christened him ‘Mala Wong’ or monkey king but he didn’t seem to mind and took it with good humour. When he eventually finished with the army he grew an immense beard to match,. He took a job with the star ferry as a ticket inspector and became a well know figure on the Kowloon side.

Despite having married a local girl and living in the community no one was sure just how well he spoke Cantonese, he always addressed the lads in English and conversations would cease the moment a European face hove into view and it was not until my last posting in 1975 that I heard him do so. On my arrival I was told to watch the TV. Though no one would say why, I was just told to watch. Pop was appearing in a commercial wearing full Scottish regalia and driving a pony and trap, the advert was for Johnny Walker Whisky and featured Pop speaking in fluent Cantonese the punch line being ‘Johnny Walker, delivered in your own language’. Whether by accident or design dressing Pop as a Scott was very apt. as he was Scottish in origin so to those who knew the advert made even more sense?

Unfortunately Pop’s wife had developed leukaemia and he would disappear into China with her every few months for treatment. When the poor woman finally succumbed he left the Colony and joined his son David in Australia where his son worked for Cable and Wireless and that was the last I,or any one I asked ,ever heard of him.- He was a true eccentric in an organisation that seemed to attract them