Force 136 Part 2 - The Canadians in Force 136
In the steamy, disease-ridden jungles of Southeast Asia, a group of young Chinese Canadians undertook one of the most dangerous missions of the Second World War. They were members of Force 136, a secret British special operations unit, and their story is only now being fully told.
The Secret War
Force 136 was the British Special Operations Executive's (SOE) branch in Asia . Created to support resistance movements behind Japanese lines, its agents carried out sabotage, gathered intelligence, and organized local guerrilla forces .
But there was a problem: European agents stood out in Asian countries. They could not disguise themselves as locals due to their skin colour and inability to speak the languages . They needed operatives who could blend in, who spoke the languages, and who understood the culture.
The answer came from an unlikely place: Canada.
"Second-Class Citizens" Who Volunteered
Before the war, Chinese Canadians faced severe discrimination. They were denied the right to vote, barred from many professions, and excluded from universities . When Ronald Lee tried to enlist in 1939, he was refused "because they did not take any Chinese-Canadians in the armed forces" . Another veteran, Gordie Quan, joined despite having "no status really" as a Canadian citizen at the time .
But after Japan entered the war, the British began recruiting Chinese Canadians specifically for their language skills and ability to blend in with local populations in Burma, Malaya, and Thailand . Approximately 150 Chinese Canadians were selected for this top-secret assignment .
Training for Suicide Missions
The training was brutal. Recruits underwent basic training in Chilliwack, British Columbia, followed by intense commando instruction in the isolated BC interior . They learned demolitions, booby traps, sabotage techniques, and guerrilla warfare .
After Canada, they were shipped to England for more advanced training, including parachute school . Finally, they were sent to India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) for jungle warfare training .
The odds were grim. Ronald Lee recalled being told: "We were told, we went into Burma, our chances of coming out was negative" . Each man carried a cyanide capsule to swallow if captured .
The "Three M": How They Survived the Jungle
This brings us to a question you raised: how did they manage the heat in the tropical environment?
According to Charles Q. Lee, a wireless operator with Force 136, the jungle presented three major challenges, which he called the "Three M": Malaria, Morale, and the Monsoon .
"There were times when you realized the biggest fight was not with the Japanese … it was your personal battle with the 'Three M's and the need to survive so you could get back home." – Charles Q. Lee
Beyond the relentless heat, agents contended with:
Tropical diseases: Many returned suffering from malaria, jaundice, and other illnesses .
Heavy equipment: Wireless operators had to parachute with a 25-pound radio strapped to them—and they only had one parachute .
Difficult terrain: One team spent six days trekking through 120 kilometres of jungle, three of them in torrential rain .
Behind Enemy Lines
The missions themselves were extraordinarily dangerous. In June 1945, over 100 Force 136 officers were sent into Malaya, including ten Chinese-Canadian sergeants . Their tasks included training local resistance fighters, destroying supply lines, ambushing Japanese troops, and gathering intelligence .
Nineteen-year-old Henry Fung of Vancouver parachuted into Malaya on June 22, 1945, and worked with an SOE team sabotaging Japanese communications and harassing road convoys .
The only all-Canadian team, codenamed "Tideway Green," parachuted into Malaya on August 5, 1945. The team included Ernie Louie, a Chinese Canadian who spoke fluent Cantonese and acted as interpreter .
The Mission Changes
When Japan surrendered in September 1945, the mission shifted. Instead of fighting, Force 136 teams worked to care for prisoners of war, many of whom were suffering from disease and malnutrition after three-and-a-half years in captivity . One team organized food and medical drops for 900 near-starving POWs .
They also helped prevent local populations from taking revenge against defeated Japanese soldiers .
"Double Victory"
The contributions of these brave men went far beyond the battlefield.
At the time, Chinese Canadians were still denied the right to vote and other basic citizenship rights . By 1947, just two years after the war ended, Chinese Canadians were granted the right to vote, and the Chinese Immigration Act was repealed .
Historian Catherine Clement, curator of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum in Vancouver, calls this the "double victory": these soldiers helped the Allies win the war, and their service helped win civil rights for all Chinese Canadians .
Recognition at Last
For decades, the story of Force 136 remained largely forgotten. Few records exist of this clandestine group of spies . But today, recognition is finally coming.
The Chinese Canadian Military Museum in Vancouver's Chinatown preserves the memory of these heroes. A documentary film, "136: Canada's Forgotten Soldiers," has been produced to tell their story .
Ronald Lee, interviewed at age 97 in 2016, believed that his military service directly contributed to the changed treatment of Chinese Canadians . Gordie Quan, believed to be the last surviving Chinese-Canadian veteran of WWII, passed away at age 99 in 2025 .
Conclusion
Approximately 150 Chinese Canadians served in Force 136 . They parachuted into hostile territory, endured the "Three M" of malaria, morale, and monsoon, and faced near-certain death—all for a country that had not yet granted them full citizenship.
These men were true Canadian heroes. Their bravery in the jungles of Southeast Asia helped win the war and, just as importantly, helped win the fight for equality at home. It is a legacy worth remembering.
Some great books written about Force 136 and their exploits behind enemy lines:
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