Force 136 – Special Operations Executive
Gordon Quan was born in Cumberland, British Columbia, on 14 January 1926 and was adopted by Quan Kay and Woo See. His father worked as a merchant in Cumberland’s Chinatown and died during his childhood. When Gordon was five, he and his mother moved to Hoi Ping, Guangdong Province, China, to live with his grandparents. There, they lived a basic life with no car, running water, or electricity. He attended school in China until he was nine years old.
Amid Japanese Chinese tensions, Gordon and his mother returned to Canada in 1936, settling in Victoria, British Columbia. Returning was a challenge; major restrictions were placed on oriental immigrants, and he did not speak any English. Discrimination was everywhere he looked. Chinese people were not allowed to swim at public pools and were forced to sit in the upper level at the theatre. In Victoria, Gordon attended North Ward School and spent afternoons at a Chinese school on Fisgard Street. He started working at the age of 12, washing dishes for restaurants including the Victoria Café and the Mandarin. Simultaneously, he continued his schooling up to grade nine.
During the Second World War, the Canadian government hesitated to allow Asian residents into the military. As the war progressed, restrictions gradually lifted. Allied governments began to realize the unique talent pool that they possessed and how they could be utilized, especially in the Pacific theatre against Japan.
In the summer of 1944, the British War Office asked Canada to provide Chinese men for employment with Force 136, the Far East Division of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). In August 1944, the Canadian Government responded to the request and began to allow Chinese men into service with the Canadian Army. Seeking adventure, Gordon enlisted in the army with #11 District Depot on 26 September at just 18 years old.
Gordon completed basic training at Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. In December 1944, the Canadian Government allowed the SOE to recruit 150 Chinese men. The recruiting drive led by Major Legg recruited 136 Chinese Canadians from the army including Gordon. Like him, most volunteers for the force had only been in the army for a few months. Gordon said, “They asked us if we would like to fight in Europe or somewhere else.” Knowing of the Japanese invasion of China, the war in the Pacific was personal for Gordon.
Gordon was sent to London, England, to get his documentation in order before proceeding to the Far East. In London, he witnessed the devastation of the V2 rockets, “one day you walk through the street, next day it’s gone” he said.
Force 136 worked primarily behind enemy lines to supply resistance movements, sabotage, and carry out clandestine operations. Gordon was then sent to India, where he received the intensive training required for the specialized force. He was trained at Sinhagad Hill in espionage, sabotage, identification of edible plants, purification of water, first aid, the art of killing, and other skills useful in the jungle. He was taught ‘1001 uses for bamboo’ which included transforming the plentiful plant into knives and other useful objects. Because he worked well with his hands, he was selected to receive specialized instruction in demolition. He trained to eliminate targets including bridges, ammunition, and petrol dumps with plastic explosives. The explosives were easily fitted with a ‘time pencil’ fuse that allowed the user to control the timing of the detonation.
Frequent explosions and live ammunition used in drills made training dangerous. One drill required Gordon to crawl, while instructors fired live ammunition just above the agent’s heads. If they put their head up, they could be struck by a bullet. The intensity of the training was severe, but the theory was that it would allow agents to operate calmly during operations in similar conditions. Rations in India usually consisted of rice and curry dishes. Gordon recalled using the rain to wash during monsoon season.
While stationed in India, Gordon’s duties were not limited to training. One of his additional duties included driving from Sinhagad Hill to Pune to retrieve rations for the men stationed at the ancient hill fortress. There was also some time for leisure which included sports such as soccer. On leave, Gordon and his friends went to the city of Pune. They looked all over for Chinese food, but only Indian restaurants could be found.
Gordon was assigned to a 15-man team which composed of a British captain and sergeants, as well as Chinese, East Indian, and Gurkha members of the force. Fellow Canadian, Harry Chow from Nanaimo, British Columbia, also operated as a demolition expert on his team. The East Indians were tasked with general duties for the team, such as packing, carrying, and cooking, while the Gurkhas were mostly used as scouts for forward reconnaissance. The group also had two wireless operators in charge of communications. Despite their cultural differences, the men got along well and formed brotherly bonds.
Gordon’s team was equipped with grenades, .45 pistols, and American carbines. While on operations, Force 136 members wore plain clothes and did not carry identification. If captured by the Japanese, they were not protected by the Geneva Convention and were likely to be tortured and killed. To prevent this, Gordon was issued two cyanide ‘suicide’ pills that could be taken if he was captured.
Prior to the Japanese surrender, Gordon’s team was stationed in the jungle near the Burmese border. He was preparing to go on an operation to destroy a petrol dump surrounded by the Japanese Army. When the war ended, a British officer told their group, “Hey boys, you’re going home.” The team was thrilled about the news.
At 99 years of age, Gordon claimed, “If it wasn’t for the A-Bomb, I don’t think I’d be here today, that’s what saved us.”. After the war, Gordon was sent back to England and transferred back to the Canadian Army. He received his discharge on 18 April 1946.
Realizing his skills working with his hands, Gordon chose to pursue a career in automotive mechanics and began an 18-month training course in 1947. He apprenticed with the George Mow garage, and later operated an automotive business with a partner. Eventually, he oversaw a construction firm and worked for the City of Victoria for 20 years. He also worked for the Mechanical Department as a foreman for five years. He retired in January 1991.
In 1952, Gordon was hoping to join the fight in Korea. He was declined for active service because he had a wife and child by then. Instead, he joined the 40th Technical Squadron of the part time militia. With the unit, he served as a craftsman and completed another mechanics course as his civilian licence was not recognized by the army. He took various other courses, including recovery and heavy-duty mechanics, and rose to the rank of master warrant officer. In 1964, the 40th Technical Squadron was disbanded, and he transferred to 155th Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, serving with this unit until 1970. He transferred to the 11th Victoria Service Battalion in 1972 and served until 1983, retiring as a regimental sergeant major.
Gordon passed away peacefully at hospice on 5 October 2025 after suffering from a heart attack. He was 99 years old.
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