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Lung, Chou (1908? - 2000)

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    Chou Lung and Jane Hoong, 1940s, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Chou Lung family, 1940s - 1960s, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Jane Hoong and Chou Lung, 1960s, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Jane and Chou Lung, 1950s - 1960s, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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    Joe Lung, courtesy of Chinese Museum (Museum of Chinese Australian History).
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Born
29 July 1908?
Tzeyang, Shantung, China
Died
20 Dec 2000
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Alternative Names
  • Lung, Joe

Details

According to his family, Chou Lung claimed he was the cousin of Chou En-lai and a friend of Madame Chiang Kai Shek. He spoke three or four different Chinese dialects as well as fluent German. He also stated that his date of birth was on the 29th of July in 1908, but upon finding his Alien Registration form his date of birth was shown as the 15th of August in 1906.

Chou was working on an American Oil Tanker during WWII when his vessel was torpedoed by a German submarine. When at last the survivors were rescued they were bought to the nearest allied port which was Sydney.

He was introduced to Jane Florence Maud Dawson, the widowed daughter of George Hoong, by George Chen at the Albany Coffee Lounge where she worked. When they married he gained an instant family of nine step children.

According to the family at the end of the war the then immigration minister, Arthur Calwell, had him deported as an illegal immigrant when Jane could not come up with four hundred pounds.

Under a Liberal government, Chou Lung returned to Australia after proving he had been sending money back to Australia to support his adoptive family.

During his two years away Chou would not only send his wages but also remembered to send gifts for birthdays and so on. One of his step sons would ride a pushbike from Preston to Essendon airport to collect their gifts.

When he was finally able to return to Australia Chou Lung became a naturalized Australian.

Prepared by: Julieann Dawson, family researcher

Family member

Images

Title
Chou Lung and Jane Hoong
Type
Photograph
Date
1940s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Chou Lung family
Type
Photograph
Date
1940s - 1960s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Jane and Chou Lung
Type
Photograph
Date
1950s - 1960s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Jane and Chou Lung
Type
Photograph
Date
1960s
Place
Australia - Victoria - Melbourne
Details
Title
Joe Lung
Type
Photograph
Details

Created: 11 November 2011, Last modified: 27 July 2012