Ford was still serving in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots, when he and his brother were taken prisoner by the invading Japanese upon the fall of Hong Kong in December 1941. During his captivity at Sham Shui Po POW camp he made contact with British agents and planned, in conjunction with other officers, a major break out. Before the plans could be put into operation the Japanese grew suspicious and interrogated him and others they suspected of involvement. Despite torture in Stanley Prison, starvation and a sentence of death he refused to betray his comrades. After being forced to dig his own grave, he was executed by Japanese firing squad, at Sham Shui on 18 December 1943, with two fellow prisoners, Colonel Lanceray Arthur Newnham, MC, the Middlesex Regiment, and Flight Lieutenant Hector Bertram Gray, Royal Air Force. He is buried in Stanley Prison cemetery.