Christopher Maltby

Major-General Christopher Michael Maltby, (13 January 1891 – 6 September 1980) was a senior officer in the British Indian Army who served as Commander of British Troops in Hong Kong in 1941 before the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong, after which he became a prisoner of war.

Military career Educated at Bedford School, Maltby attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from where he was commissioned onto the Unattached List For Indian Army, with a view to an appointment to the Indian Army.

After passing his probationary year attached to a British Army regiment stationed in India, he was posted to the 95th Russell's Infantry of the Indian Army. From 1913 to 1914, he served in the Persian Gulf.

In October 1914, the 95th Russell's Infantry were sent to reinforce the British garrison in Muscat, as information had been received that the Imam and many local tribal leaders intended to attack.

It was while based here that 95th Russell's Infantry took part in operations across the Straits of Hormuz, at Jask and Chahbar in Persia, during April and May 1915. It was during these operations that Maltby was awarded a Military Cross for gallantry displayed when defending the British post at Chabhar on the night of 2 May 1915.

In addition to being awarded the Military Cross, was wounded and thrice mentioned in despatches. which in October 1937 moved to Landi Kotal on the North West Frontier of India and took part in the operations during 1937, for which he was again Mentioned in Despatches.

He was appointed an instructor at the Staff College at Quetta from June to December 1938 before being appointed a General Staff Officer, grade 1, Baluchistan District in India in January 1939.

He initially established a 10-mile line of defence known as Gin Drinkers Line across the Southern part of the mainland but was rapidly forced to withdraw his troops back to Hong Kong Island. General Takashi Sakai began a bombardment of the Island and, after a brief counter-attack by British Troops which commenced on 19 December 1941, He was a prisoner of war from 1941 to 1945. He was granted the honorary rank of major-general on 10 June 1946. In 1953, Maltby was granted a commission as a Deputy lieutenant of Somerset, where he spent his remaining years, the last five of them a widower.