The Defence of Hong Kong. Information from Veterans Affairs Canada’s publication, Canadians in Hong Kong. Summary written by Patricia Geisler. I’ve condensed and reworded in some areas but do see the link below to it online. I’ve also include the links to some other history publications prepared by Veterans Affairs and now online.

Pt 1
It was in the defence of Hong Kong in 1941 that Canadian soldiers were first committed to battle during the Second World War.

Initially, the vulnerability of Hong Kong was apparent, and there was no intention of providing reinforcement to the British Army there. The decision was reversed in late 1941. “..It was argued that the situation in the Orient had altered; that the defences in Malaya had been improved; and that Japan was showing a certain weakness towards the United States and Great Britain. The reinforcement of Hong Kong would, it was believed, serve as a deterrent to hostile action by Japan.” It was also intended to have a morale boosting effect in the Far East and reassurance to Chiang Kai Shek that Hong Kong was meant to be held.

Canada was asked to provide one or two battalions for the purpose. The battalions chosen were The Royal Rifles of Canada (C.O. Lt-Col. W.J. Home) and The Winnipeg Grenadiers (C.O. Lt.-Col. J.L.R. Sutcliffe). The Royals had just returned from garrison duty in Newfoundland, and the Grenadiers from garrison duty in Jamaica.

“The Canadians, commanded by Brigadier J.K. Lawson, sailed from Vancouver on October 27, 1941 in the Awatea, escorted by HMCS Prince Robert. The embarkation strength of the force was 96 officers (plus two Auxiliary Services supervisors) and 1,877 other ranks. The 212 vehicles assigned to the force left a few days later on the freighter Don Jose. These vehicles were never to reach Hong Kong. The Don Jose had only just reached Manila when the war with Japan began, and the Unite States forces were given approval to use the Canadian equipment in the defence of the Philippines.

November 16, the Canadian troops were met by the Governor, Sir Mark Young, and the G.O.C. British troops in China, Major-General C.M. Maltby.

The Canadian units had not received all the required training for front line troops, as it was not thought that war with Japan was imminent and that there would be time for further training. (continued below)

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Pt 2
The GOC Hong Kong, had under his command approximately 14,000. This included naval and air force personnel, the Canadians, as well as non-combatants. The military force was comprised of two coast regiments, one anti-aircraft regiment of the Royal Artillery, a regiment of Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery, two engineer companies, one battalion of British Infantry (the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots), one British machine-gun battalion (the 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment), and two Indian infantry battalions (the 5/7 Rajput Regiment and the 2/14 Punjab Regiment). The Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps included units of artillery, infantry, and other arms.

The original defence plans for the Colony called for the main defence to be on the island with one infantry battalion deployed on the mainland for demolition duties and for delaying purposes.

The arrival of the two battalions from Canada enabled General Maltby to employ three battalions on the mainland. These battalions would man the Gin Drinkers’ Line, and 18 kilometre line stretching across rugged hill country and pocked by trenches and pillboxes. The position was intended to protect Kowloon, the harbour, and the northern part of Hong Kong Island.

The Mainland Brigade, commanded by Brigadier C. Wallis, was composed of the Royal Scots and the two Indian battalions. The Canadian signal section was allotted to this brigade. The Island Brigade, under Brigadier Lawson, consisted of the two Canadian battalions and the Middlesex Regiment. The Canadian units were facing the sea, with beach defence their primary role; the Middlesex were to hold the system of pillboxes around the island.

There was no significant air or naval defence. The Kai Tak RAF base on Hong Kong had only five planes. An earlier request for a fighter squadron had been rejected, and the nearest fully-operational RAF base was in Malaya, nearly 22,000 kilometres away. All major navel vessels had been withdrawn, and only one destroyer Thracian, several gunboats, and a flotilla of motor torpedo boats remained.

Between November 16 and December 7th (Dec 6th in Hawaii), the Canadians concentrated on intensive training. The life of the colony seemed normal. Reports of Japanese troops massing to the north of the Chinese border were considered to be false alarms, or exaggerations. The next day the Japanese attacked Hong Kong. (continued below)

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Pt 3
The garrison was not taken by surprise. On the morning of December 7, the entire garrison was ordered to war stations. The Canadian forces were ferried from Kowloon to the island, and by 5 p.m. the battalions were in position. Brigadier Lawson’s headquarters were set up at Wong Nei Chong Gap in the middle of the island.

On 8 a.m., December 8, Japanese aircraft targeted Kai Tak airport. All the RAF air craft were either damaged or destroyed. The next target was the nearly-empty camp at Sham Shui Po, where two men of the Royal Canadian Signals were Canada’s first casualties, when they were wounded.

At daybreak on December 8, the Japanese ground forces moved across the frontier of the New Territories where they met the Mainland Brigade. The strong enemy pressure caused the Brigade to fall back to the Gin Drinkers’ Line, after they had inflicted casualties and carried out demolitions. It was expected that the line would hold for a week or more. On the night of December 9/10, the Japanese captured the key position of Shing Mun Redoubt. In the darkness, “D” Company of the Winnipeg Grenadiers was dispatched to the mainland to strengthen this sector. This faced action on the 11th, becoming the first Canadian Army Unit to fight in the Second World War.

The Gin Drinkers’ Line became untenable, and at midday of the 11th, General Maltby orders the mainland troops to withdraw to the island. The Winnipeg Grenadiers covered the Royal Scots’ withdrawal down the Kowloon Peninsula. The 2/14 Punjabis moved at night and the 5/7 Rajputs, who had been left to guard Devil’s Peak, followed. Most of the Brigade’s heavy equipment was saved.

On December 13, the Japanese demand for surrender was rejected. (continued below)

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Pt 4
The defending forces were reorganized into and East and West Brigade. The West Brigade consisted of the Royal Scots, Winnipeg Grenadiers, the 2/14 Punjab, and the Canadian signallers. The East Brigade, under Brigadier Wallis, was comprised of the Royal Rifles of Canada and the 5/7 Rajput. The Middlesex were directly under Fortress Headquarters.

To reduce the defenders means of resistance, the Japanese directed heavy artillery bombardment at the island, mounted destructive air raids, and systematically shelled the pillboxes along the north shore.

On December 17, the Japanese again demanded surrender. One again it was refused, although the eventual fall of the Colony was expected. With the sinking of two British capital ships off Malaya and the crippling of the American fleet at Pearl Harbour, there was no hope of relief. The Chinese armies were in no position to give immediate aid.

The invasion came with the darkness on December 18. The Japanese began crossing the strait at its narrowest part, Lye Mun Passage, in assault boats, landing craft, an small boats towed by ferry streamers. The large number of invaders came ashore on a front of approximately three kilometres in the face of machine-gun fire from the 5/7 Rajput who manned the pillboxes.

After coming ashore, the Japanese forces fanned out east and west and proceeded to high ground. The Royal Rifles were the first Canadian troops to go into action against the invasion force. “C” Company, in reserve in an area adjacent to the landing, counter-attacked through the night. It inflicted and suffered heavy casualties. Other platoons of the Royal Rifles went into action on the west side of Mount Parker and suffered many casualties from the already entrenched enemy.

By the morning of the 19th, the Japanese had reached the Wong Nei Chong and Ti Tam Gaps, Brigadier Lawson’ and Brigadier Wallis’ headquarters. With the enemy well established on the high hills from Mount Parker to Jardine’s Lookout, General Maltby ordered the East Brigade to withdraw southward towards Stanley Peninsula. By nightfall on the 19th, a new line was established running through the vicinity of Stanley Mound. Some valuable mobile artillery was destroyed during the withdrawal. When the Japanese reached the sea at Repulse Bay, it separated the East and West Brigades. (continued below)

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Part 5

The East Brigades’ numbers were seriously reduced, as the Rajput Battalion had been decimated in their courageous action against the landing invasion. The Brigade now consisted of the Royal Rifles, some companies of the Volunteer Defence Corps, and some Middlesex machine-gunners.

The Royal Rifles were exhausted. Deprived of hot meals for several days, they had to catch whatever sleep they could get in the weapon pits which they were continually manning. During the next three days these same exhausted men strove to drive northward over rugged, mountainous terrain to join with the West Brigade, or to clear the Japanese from the high peaks.

First, they attempted a thrust along the shore of Repulse Bay in the hope of reaching Wong Nei Chong Gap. They managed to drive the enemy out of an area around the Repulse Bay Hotel, but were unable to dislodge the Japanese from the surrounding hill positions, and were forced to withdraw. One company of the Rifles was left to hold the area and a renewed effort to break though on this line would occur on December 21st.

The Brigade then attempted to reach the West Brigade at Wong Nei Chong by a more easterly route. Despite heavy opposition south of Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir, the Royal Rifles succeeded in driving the Japanese out a number of hill positions and in destroying a group holding the crossroads south of the reservoir.

The attack could not be maintained. The companies had become separated. They were out of 3-inch mortar ammunition. The enemy was still in strength nearby. Brigadier Wallis decided to withdraw his men and concentrate them in their former positions. The Fighting at Repulse Bay continued, but despite the valiant effort, the area had to be evacuated.

After December 21, no further attempts were made to drive northward, for the troops were depleted, and exhausted, and the reinforced Japanese mounted constant attacks.
At noon December 22, the Japanese too Sugar Loaf Hill, but volunteers from “C” Company went forward and by nightfall they had recaptured the hill. Another company was driven from Stanley Mound.

On the evening of the 23rd, orders were given for a general withdrawal to Stanley Peninsula. The exhausted Rifles were taken out to Stanley Fort, well down the Peninsula for a rest; however, they were shortly recalled for action. The Japanese were mounting pressure which the Volunteer Defence Corps and other available troops were having difficulty meeting. Christmas Day, the Royal Rifles returned to battle when they were ordered to counterattack to regain ground lost the previous night. “D” Company was successful, but not without heavy losses. (continued below)

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Part 6

The Winnipeg Rifles had been thrust swiftly into battle with the West Brigade. On December 18, the Brigade consisted of the Winnipeg Grenadiers, the Royal Scots in reserve in the Wan Chai Gap Mount Parish areas, 2/14 Punjab in Victoria City, and a company of the Middlesex around Leighton Hill.

The Grenadiers were charged with covering the southwest and west coasts of the island. They established their headquarters at Wan Chai Gap. The “D” Company was back in Brigade Reserve at Wong Nei Chong. In order to ready for quick action, “flying columns” were organized from the Headquarters Company and billeted just south of Wan Chai Gap.

When the enemy landed on the evening December 18, the flying columns were ordered forward. A platoon was directed to Jardine’s Lookout and another platoon was directed to Mount Butler. Both platoons were engaged in intense fighting. Heavily outnumbered they were cut to pieces and both platoon commanders killed.

“A” Company of the Grenadiers was orders to clear Jardine’s Lookout and to push on to Mount Butler. After Action reports are confused because do many officers and men became casualties. Apparently, the company became divided, and part of the Company, led by Company Sergeant Major J.R. Osborn, drove thought to Mount Butler and captured the top of the hill.

A few hours later, a heavy counter-attack forced this party back where it rejoined the rest of the Company. Then in attempting to withdraw, the whole force was surrounded. The Japanese began to throw grenades into the defensive positions occupied by the Canadians, and CSM Osborn caught several and threw them back. Eventually, one fell where he could not retrieve it in time. Osborn, shouting a warning, threw himself upon it as it exploded, giving his life for his comrades. Shortly afterwards, the Japanese rushed the position and “A” Company’s survivors became prisoners. At the end of the War, CSM Osborn was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.
(continued below)

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Part 7

When the Japanese were approaching the West Brigade Headquarters, Brigadier Lawson decided to withdraw to a new location. Before the action was completed the headquarters was surrounded. A company of Royal Scots attempted to provide assistance, but less than a dozen were able to get through. About 10 a.m., December 19, Brigadier Lawson reported to Fortress Headquarters that he was going outside to “fight it out” with the enemy who were firing into the shelter at point-blank range. Brigadier Lawson was killed.

Following the death of Lawson and his next senior officer, Colonel Hennessy, the West Brigade was without a commander. On December 20, Colonel H.B. Rose of the Hong Kong Defence Corps was appointed on December 20.

“D” Company of the Grenadiers held firmly to its position near Wong Nei Chong Gap, denying the Japanese the use of the one main north-south road across the island. The Grenadiers inflicted severe casualties on the enemy and delayed the Japanese advances for three days. They held out until the morning of December 22, when ammunition, food, and water were exhausted and the Japanese had blown in the steel shutters of the company shelters. When they surrendered there were 37 wounded Grenadiers inside.

The final phase of fighting on the western part of the island consisted of trying to maintain a continuous line from Victoria Harbour to the south shore. The Grenadiers were sent to hold Mount Cameron, which they did despite heavy dive-bombing and mortar attacks. On the night of December 22, they were forced off when the Japanese struck in the darkness.

The line now consisted of the Middlesex Regiment and the Indian battalions on the left; the Royal Scots on the western slopes of Mount Cameron; and the Grenadiers in the right sector to Bennets’ Hill. On the afternoon of December 24, the left sector fell and the Japanese made further gains on Mount Cameron. The Grenadiers held their positions against heavy attacks and on Christmas morning regained some of the ground lost at Bennet’s Hill.

After a three-hour truce, the Japanese again attacked. The Allied positions were overrun and the defenders forced to surrender. On the afternoon of Christmas Day, the GOC Hong Kong advised the Governor that further resistance was futile. After seventeen and a half days the defence of Hong Kong was over. (continued below)

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Part 8

In the defence of Hong Kong, the Canadian toll was 23 officers and 267 other ranks killed, and 28 officers and 465 other ranks wounded. Death did not end with the surrender. “The Canadians were imprisoned in the foulest of conditions and had to survive brutal treatment and near-starvation. Many did not survive. Until early in 1943, the Canadians were kept in camps in Hong Kong. Four officers (including Lt.-Co. Sutcliff) and 125 other ranks died there. From January 1943 onwards, a total of one officer and 1,183 other ranks were taken to Japan, where they were forced to work in various industries, chiefly mining. Her again, conditions were extremely bad, and some of 135 of these men died. In all more than 550 of the 1,975 Canadians who sailed from Vancouver in October 1941 never returned.

I found the following this morning. I have only hard copy, which I thought wouln't be available to most of you so posted here. However, I found that Veterans Affairs have uploaded the electronic version of this and many other historical booklets.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/series
Canadians in Hong Kong
Canada - Belgium
The Scheldt
The 1942 Dieppe Raid
A Day of Remembrance Booklet
Canada and the Netherlands
Native Soldiers - Foreign Battlefields
The Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Canada's Nursing Sisters
Valour at Sea - Canada's Merchant Navy

Here are newspaper articles on the defense of Hong Kong, http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/newspapers/operations/hongkong_e.html

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

Another link that might be of interest:

Hong Kong War Diary

Do scroll down the diary page as he has many phots of individuals and documents of the time.

__________________
Regards, Michelle

Oliver Goldsmith, "I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."