| Preface |
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Attempting to write an accurate account of an historical event which took
place sixty years ago is difficult. The facts are without colour to bring the
story to life. The facts supplied by eyewitness accounts vary. If the facts
vary in the eye of the beholder, then so do the colours, writing the history
is made even more difficult. The sad fact is that there are few eyewitnesses
left to add their facts and brush strokes of colour to the blood soaked
canvass on which the battle of Hong Kong was painted over 60 years ago
on December 7th., 1941.
I have used my father's memories which he wrote with painstaking care
and attention to detail. My father was Major Maurice Albert Parker,
Commander of "D" Company, the Royal Rifles of Canada. He was there
on December 7th., 1941. He spoke little of his ordeal, at least not to me,
but he wrote about the battle, and the years of captivity which followed.
He spoke more about the 44 months in prisoner of war camp than he did
of the battle. I think that the memories he would have had to drag up were
too painful to recall. His truth comes, like everyone else's, from his
perspective.
I have also gone to many other sources to gather material. Obviously I
have not been the first at any well. Those who seek facts go to every well
available. One well of information is much the same as any other. The
perspective changes giving the story different colours.
What I have attempted to do is put the facts in chronological order and to
add to the facts supplied the colours seen by those whose personal
accounts are chronicled here.
This is for my Dad. I hope I've got it right.
place sixty years ago is difficult. The facts are without colour to bring the
story to life. The facts supplied by eyewitness accounts vary. If the facts
vary in the eye of the beholder, then so do the colours, writing the history
is made even more difficult. The sad fact is that there are few eyewitnesses
left to add their facts and brush strokes of colour to the blood soaked
canvass on which the battle of Hong Kong was painted over 60 years ago
on December 7th., 1941.
I have used my father's memories which he wrote with painstaking care
and attention to detail. My father was Major Maurice Albert Parker,
Commander of "D" Company, the Royal Rifles of Canada. He was there
on December 7th., 1941. He spoke little of his ordeal, at least not to me,
but he wrote about the battle, and the years of captivity which followed.
He spoke more about the 44 months in prisoner of war camp than he did
of the battle. I think that the memories he would have had to drag up were
too painful to recall. His truth comes, like everyone else's, from his
perspective.
I have also gone to many other sources to gather material. Obviously I
have not been the first at any well. Those who seek facts go to every well
available. One well of information is much the same as any other. The
perspective changes giving the story different colours.
What I have attempted to do is put the facts in chronological order and to
add to the facts supplied the colours seen by those whose personal
accounts are chronicled here.
This is for my Dad. I hope I've got it right.
