Dongji Rescue (东极岛)

British Broadcasting Corporation: On September 27th, 1942,

the Japanese transport ship Lisbon Maru,

carrying 1,816 British prisoners of war,

departed Hong Kong for Japan.

On October 1st,

she was struck by a torpedo

from the American submarine USS Grouper,

and began to sink off the Eastern coast of China.

Just two nautical miles southwest of the site

lies a small island,

known to the Chinese as Dongji Island.

As of today, from July 10th onward,

The Imperial Japanese Navy, the force that reigns over the Pacific.

588 enemy ships sunk,

503 enemy vessels captured,

and 2,529 enemy aircrafts shot down.

a series of victories. Tennōheika!

Banzai!

Banzai! Tennōheika Banzai!

Daily training, commence!

Daily training, commence!

Fire broke out here and here. Put it out immediately!

Here and here, are on fire.

Put out the fire!

Hurry up! Be quick. Follow drill standards.

Move quickly! Hurry, hurry!

On this island of ours,

there were 58 households,

263 people in total.

Life here was peaceful,

until the Japs came

and took over the island.

They locked up the boats,

and banned us from the sea.

After 3 years time,

these fisherfolk are like turtles stuck on land.

My brother and I were fished out of the sea by Old Wu.

He meant to raise us as his own sons.

But because of the mark on our necks,

the elders believed that we were pirates' blood.

Honestly, I don't even know where we came from.

I don't care whatever they say.

Life is going on anyway.

The Zhoushan Islands,

home to fishermen for generations,

blessed by the sea,

sheltered by its grace.

Old Wu.

Offer the incense.

Vast is the sea,

cradle of all life.

Under the rules they imposed,

we live on the other side of the island,

north and south,

never crossing paths...

Until this day,

everything changed.

Do you have a death wish?

What was that?

I don't know.

Go back and report.

Copy.

It looks like a Japanese ship which had been blown up.

Good hit. Keep your voice down.

This is an emergency.

The ship was attacked by torpedoes.

All crew members, assemble on the deck immediately.

Squad 1, get ready for prisoners searching.

Ah Bi, someone's there.

Someone's there!

Little bastard!

Ah Dang, the rope!

Pull!

You come up first!

Here. I'll hold him!

What are you doing?

Are you insane?

This stuff cannot be on this boat.

It's a person.

Who knows what he has to do with the ship explosion?

Why borrow trouble?

Stop being a pain in the ass.

My little brother

kept following me since he was a kid.

He wouldn't sleep unless I tucked him in.

They say the eldest brother is like father,

but the kid suddenly grew up

and always turned against me.

Won't even call me brother.

No matter what,

as long as he's by my side,

I still feel at ease.

I'll go check in at the Japanese.

Or we can forget about going out to sea tomorrow.

You'll understand when you're older,

you won't always get you way in this world.

An American submarine hit the Lisbon Maru.

Headquarters has ordered all troops in Zhoushan to stand by.

Yes, sir!

Pirates, liquor, next time...

How's the reception?

Adjusting.

Hurry up!

Copy.

Where am I?

What did you say?

Thank you.

Thank you for saving me.

What?

My name is Thomas Newman.

I need help.

My comrades are stuck on a ship out at sea, we…

Speak our language.

We need to go help them.

I don't understand.

Speak our language.

Cantonese.

Cantonese.

Please, I'm begging you.

I need help...

I have comrades stuck out at the sea.

You need to get the message out.

The ship will sink soon.

You are badly injured.

Could you give that...

Oh, you don't understand.

Here, water.

Why grab the knife?

What do you want?

Don't move! I'm not gonna hurt you, Trust me!

That thing's gonna save my life right now.

I was gonna put it in the fire

and then on my wound.

Trust me.

Trust me.

Thank you.

Sir, our troops are stationed on East Fisherman's Island.

Civilian activities spotted.

Disembark and search.

Yes, sir.

Our ship is under attack!

Rescue is on the way!

All soldiers, assemble and transport supplies!

Prepare to evacuate.

From the moment I saw her,

I knew that

we were the same kind.

She's also an outsider.

Old Wu bought and raised her as daughter.

The island women all stayed away from us,

but

she did not.

We grew up together.

During those difficult time for us,

she was always there helping.

Because of her,

I finally felt here like home.

Old Wu's retirement money.

I've got enough.

Pack up and get ready.

We'll leave in a couple of days.

Leave this island.

With Ah Dang.

To Shanghai.

What's up?

Changed your mind?

Why would I?

Shanghai is amazing.

Women can go out to sea.

And even steer ships.

You want to steer the ship again?

When we get there,

I'll sail with you every day.

What if I

don't want to go with you?

I drank your blood,

and you are mine.

Pirates' rule.

Feeling better?

I miss my family.

It's been years since I've seen them all, ever since the war.

I was captured in Hong Kong.

The Japanese wanted to take us to a prisoner-of-war camp somewhere in Japan.

I don't know.

But our ship was attacked.

There were hundreds... thousands of men on that ship that need our help.

You need to get the message out.

What is this?

This.

My home.

England. Birmingham.

Home.

Do you understand?

Wait.

China.

Your

home.

Your

here.

This