The
Battle of Hong Kong took place during the
Pacific campaignThe Pacific War was the part of World War II—and preceding conflicts—that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia. The war began as a conflict with the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China on July 7, 1937, but by December 1941, became part of the greater World War II,...
of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on Christmas Day with
Hong KongHong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...
, then a
Crown colonyA Crown colony was a type of colonial administration of the British Empire.Crown colonies were ruled by a governor appointed by the Crown...
, surrendering to
Empire of JapanThe Empire of Japan was a Japanese political entity that existed during the period from the...
.
Background
BritainThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
had first thought Japan a threat with the ending of the
Anglo-Japanese AllianceThe first was signed in London at what is now the , on January 30 1902, by Lord Lansdowne and Hayashi Tadasu . A diplomatic milestone for its ending of Britain's splendid isolation, the alliance was renewed and extended in scope twice, in 1905 and 1911, before its demise in 1921...
in the early 1920s, a threat which increased with the expansion of the
Sino-Japanese WarThe Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany and the Soviet Union...
. On 21 October 1938 the Japanese occupied
CantonCanton may refer to:*Canton , territorial subdivision in some countries**township , called canton in Canadian FrenchPlacenames:China:* Guangzhou, city formerly Kwongchau/Kwangchou, traditionally romanized as Canton....
(present day's Guangzhou) and Hong Kong was effectively surrounded. Various British Defence studies had already concluded that Hong Kong would be extremely hard to defend in the event of a Japanese attack, but in the mid-1930s, work had begun on new defences, including the Gin Drinkers' Line.
By 1940, the British had determined to reduce the
Hong Kong GarrisonThe Hong Kong Garrison was a British and Commonwealth force that protected Hong Kong.In December 1941 during the Battle of Hong Kong in the Second World War, the Japanese Army attacked Hong Kong and after a brief but violent series of engagements the garrison surrendered.- Kowloon Brigade :**C.O...
to only a symbolic size. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, the
Commander-in-ChiefA commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the...
of the
British Far East CommandThe Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods.* 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 succeeded by the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command...
argued that limited reinforcements could allow the garrison to delay a Japanese attack, gaining time elsewhere.
Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
and his army chiefs designated Hong Kong an outpost, and initially decided against sending more troops to the colony. In September 1941, however, they reversed their decision and argued that additional reinforcements would provide a military deterrent against the Japanese, and reassure Chinese leader Chiang Kai Shek that Britain was genuinely interested in defending the colony.
In Autumn 1941, the British government accepted an offer by the Canadian Government to send two infantry battalions and a brigade headquarters (1,975 personnel) to reinforce the Hong Kong garrison.
C Force"C" Force was the Canadian military contingent involved in the Battle of Hong Kong, in December 1941. Members of the force were the first Canadian soldiers to see action in World War II....
, as it was known, arrived on 16 November on board the
troopshipA troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
Awatea and the armed merchant cruiser
Prince Robert. It did not have all of its equipment as a ship carrying its vehicles was diverted to Manila at the outbreak of war. The Canadian battalions were the
Royal Rifles of CanadaThe Royal Rifles of Canada was a rifle regiment in the Canadian Army and fought alongside the Winnipeg Grenadiers in the Battle of Hong Kong during World War II....
from Quebec and Winnipeg Grenadiers from Manitoba. The Royal Rifles had only served in
NewfoundlandThe Dominion of Newfoundland was a British dominion from 1907 to 1949. The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
and
Saint John, New BrunswickSaint John is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the oldest incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 68,043...
prior to their duty in Hong Kong, and the Winnipeg Grenadiers had been posted to
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. As a result, many of the Canadian soldiers did not have much field experience before arriving in Hong Kong.
Overview of the battle
The Japanese attack began shortly after 8 am on 8 December 1941 (
Hong Kong local time), less than eight hours after the
Attack on Pearl HarborThe attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Japanese navy against the United States' naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941 , later resulting in the United...
(because of the day shift that occurs on the international date line between Hawaii and Asia, the Pearl Harbor event is recorded to have occurred on 7 December).
BritishThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
, Canadian and
IndianThe Indian Army , now sometimes called the British Indian Army to distinguish it from the modern army of the Republic of India, was the principal army of the British Raj in India during the last half-century before the partition of India in 1947.The Indian Army served both in India and,...
forces, commanded by Major-General
Christopher Michael MaltbyMajor General Christopher Michael Maltby, CB, MC was a British military officer.* 1911 Joined the British Indian Army;* 1913–1914 Persian Gulf* 1914–1918 World War I* 1923–1924 Staff College, Quetta, India...
supported by the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Forces resisted the Japanese invasion by the Japanese 21st, 23rd and the 38th Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant General
Sakai Takashiwas a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, known for his role in the Battle of Hong Kong in late 1941.-Biography:Sakai was born in Kamo District, Hiroshima, now part of Hiroshima city...
, but were outnumbered three to one (Japanese, 52,000; Allied, 14,000) and lacked their opponents' recent combat experience.
The Japanese achieved
air superiority on the first day of battle as two of the three
Vickers VildebeestThe Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engine British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles...
torpedo-reconnaissance aircraft and the two
Supermarine WalrusThe Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm. It also served with the Royal Air Force, RAAF, RNZN, RCAF, and RNZAF...
amphibious planes of the RAF Station, which were the only military planes at Hong Kong's
Kai Tak AirportKai Tak Airport was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. It was officially known as the Hong Kong International Airport from 1954 to July 6 1998, when it was closed and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 km to the west...
, were destroyed by 12 Japanese bombers. The attack also destroyed several civil aircraft including all but two of the aircraft used by the Air Unit of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corp. The RAF and Air Unit personnel from then fought on as ground troops. British naval vessels were ordered to leave Hong Kong for
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At , Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast...
.
The Commonwealth forces decided against holding the
Sham Chun RiverSham Chun River serves as the natural border between Hong Kong and mainland China, together with the Sha Tau Kok River....
, which was quickly forded by the Japanese using temporary bridges, and instead established three battalions in the Gin Drinkers' Line across the hills. These defences were rapidly breached at the Shing Mun Redoubt early on 10 December 1941. The evacuation from
KowloonKowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong, comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
started on 11 December 1941 under aerial bombardment and artillery barrage. As much as possible, military and harbour facilities were demolished before the withdrawal. By 13 December, the Rajputs of the British Indian Army, the last Commonwealth troops on the mainland, had retreated to
Hong Kong IslandHong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
.
Maltby organised the defence of the island, splitting it between an East Brigade and a West Brigade. On 15 December the Japanese began systematic bombardment of the island's North Shore. Two demands for surrender were made on 13 December and 17 December. When these were rejected, Japanese forces crossed the harbour on the evening of 18 December and landed on the island's North-East. They suffered only light casualties, although no effective command could be maintained until the dawn came. That night, approximately 20 gunners were massacred at the
Sai WanSai Wan , or Western District, or simply Western, is an area in Hong Kong that corresponds to Sai Ying Pun, Shek Tong Tsui, Belcher Bay and Kennedy Town....
Battery after they had surrendered.
On the morning of 19 December, a Canadian
Company Sergeant MajorA Company Sergeant Major is the senior non-commissioned soldier of a company in the armies of many Commonwealth countries, responsible for standards and discipline. In combat, his prime responsibility is the supply of ammunition to the company...
,
John Robert OsbornJohn Robert Osborn, VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
of the Winnipeg Grenadiers, threw himself on top of a grenade, sacrificing himself to save the lives of the men around him; he was later posthumously awarded the
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
. Fierce fighting continued on Hong Kong Island but the Japanese annihilated the headquarters of West Brigade and could not be forced from the
Wong Ne Chong GapWong Nai Chung Gap is a geographic gap in the middle of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The gap is between Mount Nicholson and Jardine's Lookout behind Wong Nai Chung. Five roads meet at the Gap Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Tai Tam Reservoir Road, Repulse Bay Road, Deep Water Bay Road and Black's Link...
that secured the passage between downtown and the secluded southern parts of the island. Again there was a massacre of prisoners, this time of medical staff, in the Salesian Mission on
Chai WanChai Wan , formerly known as Sai Wan mistakenly, is at east end of the urban area on Hong Kong Island and next to Shau Kei Wan in Hong Kong. It is built on land reclaimed from the bay. The land extends west near Lei Yue Mun in Heng Fa Chuen and east to Siu Sai Wan...
Road. From 20 December the island became split in two with the British Commonwealth forces still holding out around the Stanley peninsula and in the West of the island. At the same time, water supplies started to run short as the Japanese captured the island's reservoirs.
On the morning of 25 December, Japanese soldiers entered the British field hospital at St. Stephen's College, and tortured and killed over 60 injured soldiers, along with the medical staff.
By the afternoon of 25 December 1941, it was clear that further resistance would be futile and British colonial officials headed by the
Governor of Hong KongThe Governor of Hong Kong was the head of Government, ex-officio Commander-in-Chief and Vice-Admiral of Hong Kong during British rule between 1841 and 1997....
, Sir
Mark Aitchison YoungSir Mark Aitchison Young, GCMG was a British administrator who became the Governor of Hong Kong during the years immediately before and after World War II.-Early life, service in war:...
, surrendered in person at the Japanese headquarters on the third floor of the
Peninsula Hong Kong hotelThe Peninsula Hong Kong is one of the most internationally recognizable hotels in Hong Kong. Opened in 1928, it is Hong Kong's very first hotel. It is located at the junction of Nathan Road and Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong...
. This was the first occasion on which a British
Crown ColonyA Crown colony was a type of colonial administration of the British Empire.Crown colonies were ruled by a governor appointed by the Crown...
has surrendered to an invading force. The garrison had held out for 17 days.
Aftermath
Eighteen days after the battle began, British colonial officials headed by the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Aitchison Young, surrendered in person on 25 December 1941 at the Japanese headquarters. This day is known in Hong Kong as "Black Christmas".
Isogai Rensuke became the first Japanese governor of Hong Kong. This ushered in the three years and eight months of Imperial Japanese administration. Japanese soldiers also terrorised the local population by murdering many, raping an estimated 10,000 women, and looting.
Prisoners of war were sent to:
- Shamshuipo Prisoner Camp (later a Vietnamese detention centre)
- Argyle Street Camp for officers
- North Point Camp
North Point Camp was a Japanese World War II Prisoner-of-war camp in North Point, Hong Kong which held Canadian prisoners. Conditions at camp were overcrowded and unsanitary...
primarily for Canadians and Royal Navy
- Yokohama Camp in Japan
- Fukuoka Camp in Japan
- Osaka Camp in Japan
Although Hong Kong surrendered to the Japanese, the local Chinese waged a small guerilla war in New Territories. As a result of the resistance, some villages were razed as a punishment. The guerillas fought until the end of the Japanese occupation. Western historical books on the subject have not significantly covered their actions. The resistance groups were known as the Gangjiu and Dongjiang forces.
Enemy civilians (meaning Allied nationals) were interned at the
Stanley Internment CampStanley Internment Camp was a civilian internment camp in Hong Kong during World War II. Located in Stanley, on the southern end of Hong Kong Island, it was used by the Japanese imperial forces to hold non-Chinese enemy nationals after their victory in the Battle of Hong Kong, a battle in the...
. Initially, there were 2400 internees although this number was reduced following some repatriations during the war. Internees who died, together with prisoners executed by the Japanese, are buried in
Stanley CemeteryStanley Military Cemetery is located near St. Stephen Bay in Stanley, Hong Kong. It is the only military cemetery at the early colonial era, used for the burials of the members of the garrison force and their family in between 1841 and 1866...
.
British sovereignty was restored in 1945 following the surrender of the Japanese forces on 15 August, six days after the United States dropped the
atomic bombThe atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuclear attacks near the end of World War II against the Empire of Japan by the United States at the executive order of U.S. President Harry S. Truman on August 6 and August 9, 1945, respectively...
on Nagasaki.
General
Takashi Sakaiwas a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, known for his role in the Battle of Hong Kong in late 1941.-Biography:Sakai was born in Kamo District, Hiroshima, now part of Hiroshima city...
, who led the invasion of Hong Kong and subsequently served as governor for some time, was tried as a war criminal and executed by a firing squad in 1946.
The Allied dead from the campaign, including British, Canadian and Indian soldiers were eventually interred at the
Sai Wan Military CemeterySai Wan War Cemetery is a military cemetery located in Chai Wan, Hong Kong. The cemetery contains the graves of the dead of the Second World War, mostly soldiers from the Commonwealth and Allied Forces who fell during the Battle of Hong Kong.-Background:...
on the northeastern corner of Hong Kong Island. A total of 1,528 soldiers, mainly
CommonwealthThe Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the Commonwealth and previously as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-three independent member states. Most of them were formerly part of the British Empire. They co-operate within a framework of common values...
, are buried there. There are also graves of other Allied combatants who died in the region during the war, including some Dutch sailors, and were re-interred in Hong Kong post war.
The
CenotaphThe Cenotaph , constructed in 1923 in the Statue Square, Central, Hong Kong, commemorates the dead in the First and Second World War that served in Hong Kong in the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force....
in
CentralCentral , the central business district of Hong Kong, was commonly known as part of Victoria City. It is an area on the north shore of Hong Kong Island. It is located across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
commemorates the Defence as well as war-dead from World War I.
The shield in the colonial coat of arms of Hong Kong granted in 1959 featured the
battlementA battlement in defensive architecture such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
design to commemorate the Defence of Hong Kong during World War II. The arms was in use until 1997 when it was replaced by the current regional emblem.
Lei Yue Mun Fort has lost its defence significance in the post-war period. After the war, it became a training ground for the British Forces until 1987 when it was finally vacated. In view of its historical significance and unique architectural features, the former Urban Council decided in 1993 to conserve and develop Lei Yue Mun Fort into the
Hong Kong Museum of Coastal DefenceThe Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence is a museum in Hong Kong, located Lei Yue Mun near Shau Kei Wan on Hong Kong Island.The total area of the museum is 34,200 square metres. An exhibition entitled "600 years of Coastal Defence" is held permanently in the museum.The museum was built as a fort...
.
The nearby Sai Wan Battery, with buildings constructed as far back as 1890, housed the Depot and Record Office of the
Hong Kong Military Service CorpsHong Kong Military Service Corps was a British army unit and part of the British garrison in Hong Kong...
for nearly four decades after the War. The barracks were handed over to the government in 1985 and were subsequently converted into
Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday VillageLei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village used to be Lyemun Barracks, barracks for the British Soldiers stationed in Hong Kong.-Old Lyemun Barracks:Lyemun Barracks was named after the fishing village of Lei Yue Mun....
.
British Commonwealth
-
- 2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) UK
- 1st Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment (Machine gun battalion) UK
- 5th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment
The 7th Rajput Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government decided to reform the army moving away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
India
- 2nd Battalion, 14th Punjab Regiment
The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regular infantry regiment of man British Indian Army, it was formed in 1922 by the amalgamations of the 19th, 20th, 22nd and 24th Punjabis, the 40th Pathans and the 21st Punjabis...
India
- The Winnipeg Grenadiers
The Winnipeg Grenadiers was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army formed in 1908. In 1965 it was placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle....
Canada
- The Royal Rifles of Canada
The Royal Rifles of Canada was a rifle regiment in the Canadian Army and fought alongside the Winnipeg Grenadiers in the Battle of Hong Kong during World War II....
Canada
- Hong Kong Chinese Regiment
Hong Kong Chinese Regiment was a small regiment used during the Battle of Hong Kong during World War II.The regiment consisted of 23 Chinese soldiers and 3 British regulars . Most British Army regiments in Hong Kong had few Chinese members, including Royal Hong Kong Regiment .-Members:* Major H.W...
Hong Kong
- Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC) Hong Kong
- Artillery
- 8th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery
The Royal Artillery is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, an arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
UK
- 12th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery UK
- 5th Anti-Air Regiment UK
- 1st Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery (2 batteries) Hong Kong /
- 956th Defence Battery, Royal Artillery UK
- Supporting Units
- Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. It provides combat engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces...
, RE UK
- Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a former corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration...
, RASC UK
- Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
, RAMC UK
- Royal Signals, RS UK
- Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a former corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
, RAOC UK
- Royal Army Dental Corps
The Royal Army Dental Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army that provides dental care services to British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
, RADC UK
- Royal Army Pay Corps
The Royal Army Pay Corps was a former corps of the British Army responsible for administering all financial matters. It was amalgamated into the Adjutant General's Corps in 1992....
, RAPC UK
- Military Provost Staff Corps
The Military Provost Staff Corps was the corps of the British Army which ran its military prisons. As the Military Provost Staff , the corps is now administratively part of the Adjutant General's Corps. It also provides operational support and technical advice for Prisoner of War handling during...
UK
- Hong Kong Mule Corps UK
Empire of Japan
- Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army , or literally Army of the Empire of Greater Japan was the official ground based armed force of Imperial Japan from 1867 to 1945...
- Twenty-Third Army (Japan)
- Southern Expeditionary Army Group
The was a army group of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It was responsible for all military operations in South East Asian and South West Pacific campaigns of World War II...
- 38th Division: 228th, 229th and 230th Infantry Regiments
- Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy , literally Navy of the Empire of Greater Japan was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
- 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet
British Commonwealth defensive positions
Key sites of the defence of Hong Kong included:
- Wong Ne Chong Gap
Wong Nai Chung Gap is a geographic gap in the middle of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The gap is between Mount Nicholson and Jardine's Lookout behind Wong Nai Chung. Five roads meet at the Gap Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Tai Tam Reservoir Road, Repulse Bay Road, Deep Water Bay Road and Black's Link...
- Lye Moon Passage
Lei Yue Mun is a short channel in Hong Kong, between Junk Bay and Victoria Harbour, separating Kowloon and Hong Kong Island....
- Shing Mun Redoubt
- Gin Drinkers' Line
- Devil's Peak
Devil's Peak is the peak besides Lei Yue Mun on Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area around the peak was garrisoned by the British Army or local pirates to control the passage of Lei Yue Mun, which is an important nautical passage in South China. The remains of a redoubt and batteries are still visible on...
See also
- History of Hong Kong
Hong Kong began as a coastal island geographically located in southern China. While pockets of settlements had taken place in the region with archaeological findings dating back thousands of years, regularly written records were not made until the engagement of Imperial China and the British Colony...
- Pacific War
The Pacific War was the part of World War II—and preceding conflicts—that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia. The war began as a conflict with the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China on July 7, 1937, but by December 1941, became part of the greater World War II,...
- Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany and the Soviet Union...
- Hong Kong Garrison
The Hong Kong Garrison was a British and Commonwealth force that protected Hong Kong.In December 1941 during the Battle of Hong Kong in the Second World War, the Japanese Army attacked Hong Kong and after a brief but violent series of engagements the garrison surrendered.- Kowloon Brigade :**C.O...
- Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence is a museum in Hong Kong, located Lei Yue Mun near Shau Kei Wan on Hong Kong Island.The total area of the museum is 34,200 square metres. An exhibition entitled "600 years of Coastal Defence" is held permanently in the museum.The museum was built as a fort...
- Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong
The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December, 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces...
- Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers)
External links and references
- Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association
- BBC submissions
- Official report by Major-General C.M Maltby, G.O.C. Hong Kong
- Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineers and the Second World War - the Far East
- Canadians at Hong Kong - Canadians and the Battle of Hong Kong.
- MTB The 2nd MTB Flotilla escapes from Hong Kong
- GUEST OF HIROHITO by Kenneth Cambon, M.D. Story of the youngest royal rifle (Archived version as of 24 August 2006)
- The Fall of Hong Kong
- The Hong Kong Defence
- Thomas David Frank Evans
Thomas David Frank Evans was a British soldier during World War II, during which he was also a Prisoner of War of the Japanese Army. He published his memoirs in Welsh and English in the 1980s.-Biography:...
, Roll Call at Oeyama, P.O.W. Remembers, 1985
- Tony Banham
Tony Banham is founder of the Hong Kong War Diary project, which studies and documents the 1941 defence of Hong Kong, the defenders, their families, and the fates of all until liberation...
, Not the Slightest Chance: The Defence of Hong Kong, 1941, University of British Columbia PressThe University of British Columbia Press is a university press that is part of the University of British Columbia. It was established in 1971.-External links:*...
; Hardcover (5/1/2003): ISBN 0-7748-1044-0. Paperback (1/1/2004): ISBN 0-7748-1045-9
- The blog of the author of the above book
- http://www.hkvca.ca/historical/banham.htmTony Banham
Tony Banham is founder of the Hong Kong War Diary project, which studies and documents the 1941 defence of Hong Kong, the defenders, their families, and the fates of all until liberation...
, Battle of Hong Kong Background And Battlefield Tour Points of Interest]
- "The detailed story of the actual battle and a tribute to Major Maurice A. Parker, CO "D" Coy, Royal Rifles of Canada.
- "The story of Alfred Babin, stretcher bearer, HQ Company, Royal Rifles of Canada.
- Philip Doddridge, Memories Uninvited - "A fascinating story of a young man who finds himself caught up in the horrific battle for Hong Kong and the years of captivity he lived through after the battle was over on December 25th, 1941."
- "Story of the Stanford family and the effect of the fall of Hong Kong in 1941."