Issue 101
July / Aug 2008
Contents
news
Early Scottish gardens unturfed
Kent Anglo-Saxon cemetery could be royal
Poetry to assist transfer of Hadrian's Wall collection
features
The Copper Age
Special: did Britain have a fourth age?
Portable Antiquities
The Scheme must go on
Drawing Stonehenge
A major fieldwork project is explored by six artists
Severn estuary
Martin Bell describes the unique world of ancient mudflats
Gin Drinker's Line
Insights into WWII Hong Kong defence system
on the web
Recommended websites
Caroline Wickham-Jones explores the realms of archaeological fiction and a look at Barwick-in-Elmet Historical Society's website
letters
CBA correspondent
Campaigns, comment and communications from the CBA
Mike Heyworth says it's time to think big – The CBA at Discover Archaeology LIVE, London Olympia
spoilheap
An exhibition to make you think (and a bog body)
Mick's travels & more travels
Mick Aston goes to Glamorgan in search of monasteries, and Jon Cannon tours south-east Wales
in view
New columnist Greg Bailey probes a coming major TV series – BBC's Bonekickers
ISSN 1357-4442
Editor Mike Pitts
features
Gin Drinkers' Line
Analysis of the Japanese attack on the Gin Drinker's Line, Hong Kong, in December 1941, by Lawrence Lai, YK Tan and Stephen Davies. For further information and photos see article by Lai, Tan and Davies in British Archaeology Jul/Aug 2008.
In the morning of December 8 1941, Japanese troops invaded Hong Kong, then a British colony, from the north. Within the first 48 hours of the 18-day Battle of Hong Kong, they captured Shing Mun redoubt, a bastion of the Gin Drinker's Line, held by the Royal Scots, at about 03:50 to 04:00 on December 10. The ensuing Battle of Golden Hill triggered a premeditated and complete evacuation of the British garrison from the mainland (the New Territories and Kowloon) to Hong Kong Island, which was the stage for the final phase of the battle.
Called the "Maginot of the East," the Gin Drinker's Line (GDL) was a system of pillboxes - machine gun strongpoints - built of reinforced concrete in key hilly and coastal positions, and such related defence structures as command headquarters, observation posts, coastal and anti-aircraft searchlight positions, and bunkers. It stretched from "Texaco peninsula" (near the Riviera Gardens section of today's Tsing-Tsuen Bridge across Rambler Channel, Kwai Chung), a headland of Gin Drinker's Bay in the west, to Hang Hau, Junk Bay (now largely reclaimed as part of Tseung Kwan O New Town) and Silverstrand, Port Shelter, in the east.
A very useful guide for tracing the action details of the GDL by the hour is Tony Banham's Not the Slightest Chance: the Defence of Hong Kong, 1941 (Hong Kong University Press, 2005). Information from public records form the data base of his work. We have combined this with our own discoveries (consolidated here) to show a chronological listing of the order in which the pillboxes (PBs) were in action in their vain attempt to defend Hong Kong during the first three days of the Japanese invasion.
The locations have been confirmed by our aerial photo analysis. The PB numbers were ascertained by looking at the markings engraved into the defence structures (as in the case of the Shing Mun redoubt), marker stones, or simply guessing after reading the war diaries.
After the war, an inquiry was held to examine the loss of the Shing Mun redoubt. In this list, CAB 44/175 refers to the report, held in the PRO at the National Archives, Kew, in west London. WO files are also at Kew. WO/72/1692 can be found in the PRO in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong.
DAY 1: December 9 1941
Shing Mun Redoubt: manned by A Coy, 2 Royal Scots
PB 401b: in action at 23:00 or so; lost 23:20 (CAB 44/175).
PB 402: in action at 23:00 or so (CAB 44/175).
DAY 2: December 10 1941
Morning
Shing Mun Redoubt: manned by A Coy, 2 Royal Scots
Observation Post: the garrison surrendered with 11 casualties at 02:30 (CAB 44/175).
Pillboxes to the east of the Shing Mun Redoubt:
Generally:
"C Coy, 5/7th Rajputs reported shelling of PBs and that the PBs of 2/14th Punjabis at Wong Uk (Yuen Chau Kok) received direct hits. Captain Newton issued orders that 50% of all PB crews were to remain in their alternative positions. Later C Coy reported that Coy Hqts area was shelled by observed fire but with no casualties.
"B Coy was ordered to detail one platoon to recce Sleeper Knoll position. The MMG position at PB 118 (above Anderson Road, facing Clear Water Bay Road) moved up at dusk to prepared position at One Rise More to reinforce the right flank of C Coy." (WO/72/1692)
PB 115 (Pik Uk Au): manned by D Coy, 2/14 Rajiputs, at 02:30 (Banham 2005).
PB 116 (Tseng Lan Shue): manned by D Coy, 2/14 Rajiputs, at 02:30 (Banham 2005).
PB 118 (Ridge above Lung Wu Village): manned by D Coy, 2/14 Rajiputs, at 02:30 (Banham 2005).
Pillboxes to the west of the Shing Mun Redoubt:
PB 406 (South of Castle Peak Road, now Ta Chuen Ping Street): manned by C Coy, 2 Royal Scots at 02:30 (Banham).
PB 407 (near present Kwai Hing Estate): manned by C Coy, 2 Royal Scots at 02:30 (Banham).
PB 408 (near present Kwai Hing mass transit rail station): manned by C Coy, 2 Royal Scots at 02:30 (Banham).
Shing Mun Redoubt: manned by A Coy, 2 Royal Scots
Shing Mun Redoubt: considered occupied by the enemy at 04:00, although one PB is still held by the British.
PB 402: hit by a British shell at 07:30 and defenders recovered and captured by Japanese upon excavation (CAB 44/175, Banham 2005).
Evening
PB 205 (Chap Wai Kon): manned by A Coy 2/14 Punjabis, shelled by the Japanese at 18:00 and crew withdrew to Dome Hill. The PB was later destroyed (CAB 44/175).
PB: 206 (Ma Lai Hau Hang): manned by A Coy 2/14 Punjabis, shelled by the Japanese at 18:00 and crew withdrew to Dome Hill. The PB was later destroyed (CAB 44/175).
PB: 208 (ridge above Sha Tin Wai): manned by A Coy 2/14 Punjabis, engaged by the Japanese at 18:00; later destroyed (CAB 44/175).
PB: 209 (location not yet identified): manned by A Coy 2/14 Punjabis, engaged by the Japanese at 18:00 (CAB 44/175).
PB 210 (location not yet identified): manned by B Coy 2/14 Punjabis, destroyed two sampans carrying Japanese soldiers at 16:00 on 10 Dec 1941; engaged by the Japanese at 18:00 (CAB 44/175).
PB 211 (Yuen Chau Kok?): manned by A Coy 2/14 Punjabis, engaged by the Japanese at 18:00; later destroyed (CAB 44/175).
PB: 212 (now Sha Kok Estate?): manned B Coy 2/14 Punjabis engaged by the Japanese at 18:00 (CAB 44/175).
PB: 213 (east of Tai Chung Kiu?): manned B Coy 2/14 Punjabis, engaged by the Japanese at 18:00 (CAB 44/175).
PB: 214 (Crown Point): manned B Coy 2/14 Punjabis, engaged by the Japanese at 18:00; later destroyed (CAB 44/175, WO 176/1685-1694, WO 172/1691).
Night
PB 308 (lower Shing Mun Valley): manned by D Coy 2/14 Punjabis, fired on by the Japanese at 23:00 (WO 176/1685-1694, WO 172/1691).
DAY 3: December 11 1941
PBs to the east of Shing Mun Redoubt
PB 300 (Shatin Tau): manned by B Coy 2/14 Punjabis, hit and destroyed by the Japanese at 08:00 (WO 176/1685-1694, WO 172/1691).
Other PBs in Port Shelter and Hang Hau area:
"At 11:00, Brigadier Wallis rang Lt. Colonel Cadogan-Rawlinson, Rajputs' Commander, to inform him that the left of the GDL was gone and that the regiment was to cover the withdrawal to Hong Kong Island, and move to the Mau Lau Tong Line possibly at 23:59.
"At 12:30, A Coy, 5/7th Rajputs was ordered to leave their positions to occupy the original positions of D Coy, 5/7th Rajputs (at Customs Pass/Hill area, overlooking Kai Tak air field) by 17:00. All carriers were withdrawn from the Hang Hau patrol to Customs Pass. All beach PBs (100, 101, 102, 107, 108, 109) crews remained in position till further orders except crew of PB 101 (Silverstrand) which was ordered to move up to PB 100 (Hang Hau promontory) before dusk.
"All beach PB guns except those of PB 101 later moved to pre-selected areas Devil's Peak." (WO/72/1692)
Below is a list of the new place names for key positions in the base map of 1957 produced by the Ministry of War.
- Hebe Hill = Tsim Fung Shan
- Lower Hebe Hill = Kwai Au Shan
- Razor Hill = Chek Ku Shan
- Heather Hill = Tsim Shan
- One Rise More = Tung Yeung Shan
- Stokers Peak = Ngau Au Shan
- Sleeper's Hill = Cham Tin Shan
- Tate's Cairn = Tai Lo Shan
- Dome Hill = Man Tau Tun
- Temple Hill = Tsz Wan Shan
- Sugar Loaf Peak = Shui Chuen O
- Crown Point = Crown Point
- Unicorn Ridge = Lion Rock
- Grasscutter's Pass = Miu Cho Ngam
- Customs Pass = Chau Liu Au
- Garter Pass (seldom mentioned in new maps)
- Kowloon Pass = Kowloon Au
- Railway Pass (seldom mentioned in new maps)
The full article is availble online.
CBA web:
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