George Cross Recipient. He was gazetted for the award posthumously on March 18, 1946, for his actions as a captain in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots, British Army, while a captive at the Sham Shui Po Prisoner of War Camp in Hong Kong. Following his education at the Royal High School in Edinburgh, Scotland, he joined the Royal Scots following the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 and received an officer's commission. He, along with his brother James Allan Ford, were stationed together at Hong Kong when it was overrun by invading Japanese forces, and they were taken prisoner. During his captivity, he was able to make contact with British agents and planned an escape for the captured officers. Before the plan could be implemented, the Japanese became suspicious and interrogated him, along with others suspected in the plot, and he was executed by a Japanese firing squad at Big Wave Bay, Hong Kong, at the age of 25. His George Cross citation reads: "Captain Ford was interrogated, tortured, starved, and finally met his death with Colonel Newnham. Throughout his terrible ordeal, the behaviour of Captain Ford was superb. He refused to implicate any others. He maintained his spirits and those of his fellow prisoners until the end. His self-control, superb heroism, and self-sacrifice in face of the most brutal torture cannot have been surpassed." His brother survived the war and wrote a novel based on Douglas's life and death, entitled "Season of Escape."
George Cross Recipient. He was gazetted for the award posthumously on March 18, 1946, for his actions as a captain in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots, British Army, while a captive at the Sham Shui Po Prisoner of War Camp in Hong Kong. Following his education at the Royal High School in Edinburgh, Scotland, he joined the Royal Scots following the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 and received an officer's commission. He, along with his brother James Allan Ford, were stationed together at Hong Kong when it was overrun by invading Japanese forces, and they were taken prisoner. During his captivity, he was able to make contact with British agents and planned an escape for the captured officers. Before the plan could be implemented, the Japanese became suspicious and interrogated him, along with others suspected in the plot, and he was executed by a Japanese firing squad at Big Wave Bay, Hong Kong, at the age of 25. His George Cross citation reads: "Captain Ford was interrogated, tortured, starved, and finally met his death with Colonel Newnham. Throughout his terrible ordeal, the behaviour of Captain Ford was superb. He refused to implicate any others. He maintained his spirits and those of his fellow prisoners until the end. His self-control, superb heroism, and self-sacrifice in face of the most brutal torture cannot have been surpassed." His brother survived the war and wrote a novel based on Douglas's life and death, entitled "Season of Escape."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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He won life for friends, this ground for Scotland, and glory for God.
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