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| Background Kowloon Harbour. |
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The Mainland Evacuated ...
The Japanese took command of Kowloon, a
terrified city in total chaos, marched
triumphantly through the city with prisoners
being prodded along at bayonet point. The
Japanese officers declared Kowloon an
'open city' and branding all Chinese women
as prostitutes they left the people to the
tender mercies of their soldiers. History
records that what followed was an unbridled
orgy of raping, looting, torture and murder.
terrified city in total chaos, marched
triumphantly through the city with prisoners
being prodded along at bayonet point. The
Japanese officers declared Kowloon an
'open city' and branding all Chinese women
as prostitutes they left the people to the
tender mercies of their soldiers. History
records that what followed was an unbridled
orgy of raping, looting, torture and murder.
By nightfall of December 13th the evacuation of the mainland was successfully
completed. Despite continuous attack it was orderly and there were surprisingly
few casualties. Unfortunately much of Wallis' heavy equipment had to be left
behind.
completed. Despite continuous attack it was orderly and there were surprisingly
few casualties. Unfortunately much of Wallis' heavy equipment had to be left
behind.
From Major Parker's Memories
The following was written by Major M.A. Parker, CO "D" Coy, Royal Rifles of
Canada in 1982. He used notes which he had written in a diary while in captivity
and kept for more than 37 years. They are his observations made about the
fighting on the mainland, and about the senior leadership. He had not changed his
mind in 1982, so was not looking back with 20/20 hindsight. If anything, his
opinion was even firmer, and was shared by other officers of the Royal Rifles.
"The Mainland Brigade was commanded by Brigadier Cedric Wallis who had
previously commanded the 5/7 Rajputs. Wallis was a dedicated and energetic
officer whose personal courage was beyond question, but some of the Canadians,
particularly the Royal Rifles, were subsequently to question his military judgement.
“The Gin Drinkers Line had collapsed, Brigadier Lawson, in a telephone
conference with Brigadier Wallis, could get little information from him, or his staff,
and we were under the impression that a large battle was being fought on the
mainland. It turned out that fighting on the mainland was minimal, and that total
casualties were very few. We were astonished to see the mainland turned over to
the enemy in only 5 days, and judging from the casualties, without much of an
attempt to stop them. Was Wallis a little bit rattled?
“We were assured that the demolitions on the mainland had been so extensive that
it would take many weeks before the Japanese could bring up their artillery. The
next day the first heavy shells began exploding on Hong Kong Island.”
There was a certain amount of tension between the British and the Canadians at
the Field Officer level. The British thought the Canadians were a rag-tag bunch of
rowdy, cowardly colonists, not good for very much. Much to the consternation of
the Canadians some British historians have written as much. The Canadians
thought of the British as arrogant, condescending prigs. They also thought they
were wrong to hold fast to the idea that attack would come from the sea..
It was at this point, as the mainland troops were returning to Hong Kong on
December 13th, that General Maltby took stock of the situation and decided to
re-deploy his troops into two Brigades, the East Brigade, under Wallis, and the
West Brigade under Brigadier Lawson. Major Parker says. "A major
disadvantage of this new arrangement was that the Canadian Battalions were
separated and only one remained under Canadian Brigadier Lawson's command.
The Canadians were not very happy with this arrangement ... but little could be
done about it. This seemed unfortunate at the time and was to prove increasingly
so during the battle and in post-battle repercussions".
The Hong Kong defenders were still dueling with the Japanese artillery units
across the mile-wide strait separating the island from the mainland and had
dispersed several Japanese troop concentrations, silencing two of their artillery
sections.
Japanese planes were also bombing positions on the island and the situation was
getting grimmer by the hour. Governor, Sir Mark Young, had refused a Japanese
summons to surrender. "Military men in London agreed that the island could not
hold out indefinitely because of the problem of supplies. There were 1,500,000
Chinese civilians to feed, besides the defense forces. There were in fact enough
supplies laid up in Hong Kong to last, as mentioned, 120 days. The problem was
there were not enough men to last that long.
The Eve of Battle
The only effective forces left in the East Brigade were the Royal Rifles of Canada,
some Middlesex Machine Gunners, and some HKVDC units. The Rajputs were
exhausted at rest in the rear echelon. All troops were sleep deprived, tired and
hungry. On the night of December 16th the Japanese made a probing attack
which, in spite of their exhaustion, was beaten back by "C" Company of the Royal
Rifles.
From an interview with Rifleman John Beebe...
"From December 8th to 18th the battle went on at a distance, but with the Japs
pushing down in force and getting closer and closer. By the that time they had
surrounded Kowloon and then on the 18th they succeeded in crossing to the island
in heavy fog. From then on, it was hand-to-hand with cold steel."
The Japanese occupied the mainland from Kowloon to Devil's Peak. On the night
of December 17th. they began a heavy bombing and artillery barrage of the
island's northern coastal defenses from North Point in the northwest to Fort Sau
Ki in the northeast knocking out many of the pill box machine guns manned by the
Middlesex Regiment. They had amassed thousands of troops, tons of equipment,
and hundreds of small craft, all without causing any doubt in the mind of General
Maltby that the main attack would come from the South.
The following was written by Major M.A. Parker, CO "D" Coy, Royal Rifles of
Canada in 1982. He used notes which he had written in a diary while in captivity
and kept for more than 37 years. They are his observations made about the
fighting on the mainland, and about the senior leadership. He had not changed his
mind in 1982, so was not looking back with 20/20 hindsight. If anything, his
opinion was even firmer, and was shared by other officers of the Royal Rifles.
"The Mainland Brigade was commanded by Brigadier Cedric Wallis who had
previously commanded the 5/7 Rajputs. Wallis was a dedicated and energetic
officer whose personal courage was beyond question, but some of the Canadians,
particularly the Royal Rifles, were subsequently to question his military judgement.
“The Gin Drinkers Line had collapsed, Brigadier Lawson, in a telephone
conference with Brigadier Wallis, could get little information from him, or his staff,
and we were under the impression that a large battle was being fought on the
mainland. It turned out that fighting on the mainland was minimal, and that total
casualties were very few. We were astonished to see the mainland turned over to
the enemy in only 5 days, and judging from the casualties, without much of an
attempt to stop them. Was Wallis a little bit rattled?
“We were assured that the demolitions on the mainland had been so extensive that
it would take many weeks before the Japanese could bring up their artillery. The
next day the first heavy shells began exploding on Hong Kong Island.”
There was a certain amount of tension between the British and the Canadians at
the Field Officer level. The British thought the Canadians were a rag-tag bunch of
rowdy, cowardly colonists, not good for very much. Much to the consternation of
the Canadians some British historians have written as much. The Canadians
thought of the British as arrogant, condescending prigs. They also thought they
were wrong to hold fast to the idea that attack would come from the sea..
It was at this point, as the mainland troops were returning to Hong Kong on
December 13th, that General Maltby took stock of the situation and decided to
re-deploy his troops into two Brigades, the East Brigade, under Wallis, and the
West Brigade under Brigadier Lawson. Major Parker says. "A major
disadvantage of this new arrangement was that the Canadian Battalions were
separated and only one remained under Canadian Brigadier Lawson's command.
The Canadians were not very happy with this arrangement ... but little could be
done about it. This seemed unfortunate at the time and was to prove increasingly
so during the battle and in post-battle repercussions".
The Hong Kong defenders were still dueling with the Japanese artillery units
across the mile-wide strait separating the island from the mainland and had
dispersed several Japanese troop concentrations, silencing two of their artillery
sections.
Japanese planes were also bombing positions on the island and the situation was
getting grimmer by the hour. Governor, Sir Mark Young, had refused a Japanese
summons to surrender. "Military men in London agreed that the island could not
hold out indefinitely because of the problem of supplies. There were 1,500,000
Chinese civilians to feed, besides the defense forces. There were in fact enough
supplies laid up in Hong Kong to last, as mentioned, 120 days. The problem was
there were not enough men to last that long.
The Eve of Battle
The only effective forces left in the East Brigade were the Royal Rifles of Canada,
some Middlesex Machine Gunners, and some HKVDC units. The Rajputs were
exhausted at rest in the rear echelon. All troops were sleep deprived, tired and
hungry. On the night of December 16th the Japanese made a probing attack
which, in spite of their exhaustion, was beaten back by "C" Company of the Royal
Rifles.
From an interview with Rifleman John Beebe...
"From December 8th to 18th the battle went on at a distance, but with the Japs
pushing down in force and getting closer and closer. By the that time they had
surrounded Kowloon and then on the 18th they succeeded in crossing to the island
in heavy fog. From then on, it was hand-to-hand with cold steel."
The Japanese occupied the mainland from Kowloon to Devil's Peak. On the night
of December 17th. they began a heavy bombing and artillery barrage of the
island's northern coastal defenses from North Point in the northwest to Fort Sau
Ki in the northeast knocking out many of the pill box machine guns manned by the
Middlesex Regiment. They had amassed thousands of troops, tons of equipment,
and hundreds of small craft, all without causing any doubt in the mind of General
Maltby that the main attack would come from the South.
