Jim LUEY [呂景祥] was born in Greymouth in 1922. His parents ran a local fruit and vegetable business. At age three months, he was taken back to China by an Aunt and he spent all of his childhood with his Grandparents and family in Luey village.

At eleven years old he returned to Greymouth and at eighteen years old in 1940, he was called up by the New Zealand Army to serve in WW2.

Due to his young age, he was sent to train at Burnham Camp in Christchurch then transferred to Blenheim where the Nelson / Marlborough / West Coast Regiment was based for some time.

Being the only Chinese person in that Regiment, he found it quite lonely as he did not know much English and was quite shy.

He recollects the time of Singapore’s downfall to the invading Japanese forces when troops were going to be sent to help defend the island, but it was too late and many people died.

About two years ago his son Jimmy [呂智豪] applied for his Dad’s medals which consists of the War Medal 1939-45 and the NZ War Service Medal.

Susan FOON

2015

Jim LUEY

When entering Jim LUEY’s [呂景祥] home with his daughter Susan FOON [呂淑馨], I was welcomed by a full table of breakfast of Chinese dim sum. The ‘egg cake’ was one of the favourite foods of the kids of my generation. I felt at home. Until now I still regret that I forgot to take a photograph of the food.

Jim was born in New Zealand and was sent home to live with his grandmother in China at three months old, and it was until when he was eleven years old in 1933 that he returned to New Zealand with his uncle. It was common amongst the Chinese parents during that period of time to send their children back to China for many reasons. To receive education in Chinese is one of them. In China, he studied in the renowned Pui Ching [培正] School in Canton, and this enables him to speak and write fluent Cantonese and Chinese. Jim served the army for two years in the 40s and it was until about two years ago in 2013 that he was formally acknowledged for his service to the country. After losing his wife not too long ago, he lives on his own and has dinner in Susan’s home daily. Driving to the church every Sunday is a routine that he has kept for several decades where he meets up with his mates.

King Tong HO

2015

吕景祥一九二二年出生在 Greymouth 。他的父母在当地经营水果蔬菜生意。在他三个月大时, 就被姑妈带回中国, 在家乡与祖父母和其他家人一起度过了整个童年。

呂景祥在十一岁时回到 Greymouth。一九四零年满十八岁时, 响应纽西兰军队的号召入伍, 在第二次世界大战中服役。

由于年纪小, 他被派到基督城的 Burnham Camp营接受训练, 然后被转到 Blenhiem。有一阵子, 这里是 Nelson、 Marlborough 和 West Coast Regiment 所在地。

作为 West Coast Regiment 唯一的华裔, 呂景祥感到非常孤独, 因为他不太懂英语, 又很害羞。

呂景祥回忆起新加坡遭日本侵略而摧毁的情景。当时部队被派去帮助防御这个岛屿时, 已经太晚了, 死了很多人。

大约两年前, 他的儿子吕智豪为他申领包括War Medal 1939-45 和 NZ War Service Medal。

吕淑馨

2015

吕景祥

当和吕景祥的女儿吕淑馨一起进入他家时, 我得到一份早餐作为见面礼：一桌的中国点心。在我的孩提时代, 鸡蛋糕是最受孩子们欢迎的食物之一。这给了我家的感觉。直到现在我仍然后悔忘记给这些食物拍照。

吕景祥出生在纽西兰。三个月大时被送回中国和祖母一起生活。一九三三年, 十一岁的他和叔叔一起回到纽西兰。在那个年代, 华裔家长把孩子送回中国是很常见的现象。原因很多, 希望孩子在中国接受教育是其中之一。在中国广东, 吕景祥在有名的培正学校学习。这段教育令他粤语和中文书写均很流利。在四十年代, 吕景祥曾参军两年。但直到二零一三年, 他的参军履历才正式被国家确认。由于他的妻子刚过世不久, 目前他独居, 每天晚上往女儿家吃饭。多年来他习惯每星期日驾车去教堂。在那里, 可以和他的老朋友们相聚。

何经棠

2015

呂景祥一九二二年出生在 Greymouth 。他的父母在當地經營水果蔬菜生意。在他三個月大時，就被姑媽帶回中國，在家鄉與祖父母和其他家人一起度過了整個童年。

呂景祥在十一歲時回到 Greymouth。一九四零年滿十八歲時, 響應紐西蘭軍隊的號召入伍, 在第二次世界大戰中服役。

由於年紀小, 他被派到基督城的Burnham Camp營接受訓練, 然後被轉到 Blenhiem。有一陣子, 這裏是 Nelson、 Marlborough 和 West Coast Regiment 所在地。

作為West Coast Regiment唯一的華裔, 呂景祥感到非常孤獨, 因為他不太懂英語, 又很害羞。

呂景祥回憶起新加坡遭日本侵略而摧毀的情景。當時部隊被派去幫助防禦這個島嶼時, 已經太晚了, 死了很多人。

大約兩年前, 他的兒子呂智豪為他申領包括 War Medal 1939-45 和 NZ War Service Medal。

呂淑馨

2015

呂景祥

當和呂景祥的女兒呂淑馨一起進入他家時，我得到一份早餐作為見面禮：一桌的中國點心。在我的孩提時代，雞蛋糕是最受孩子們歡迎的食物之一。這給了我家的感覺。直到現在我仍然後悔忘記給這些食物拍照。

呂景祥出生在紐西蘭。三個月大時被送回中國和祖母一起生活。一九三三年，十一歲的他和叔叔一起回到紐西蘭。在那個年代，華裔家長把孩子送回中國是很常見的現象。原因很多，希望孩子在中國接受教育是其中之一。在中國廣東，呂景祥在有名的培正學校學習。這段教育令他粵語和中文書寫均很流利。在四十年代，呂景祥曾參軍兩年。但直到二零一三年，他的參軍履歷才正式被國家確認。由於他的妻子剛過世不久，目前他獨居，每天晚上往女兒家吃飯。多年來他習慣每星期日駕車去教堂。在那裏， 可以和他的老朋友們相聚。

何經棠

2015