"A" Company, Royal Rifles of Canada.
In the Brigade restructuring, "A" Company of the Royal Rifles, under Major
Charles A. Young, had been ordered to Repulse Bay from their original position at
Windy Gap on the far eastern side of the island. They were just North of Stanley
Mound. On December 20th, their position was considered "serious and
vulnerable". Their backs were to the sea in a literal sense. Elements of the
Japanese 230th had split their spearhead in two. The northern point continued due
West, driving straight into the West Brigade. A section had broken to the South
to confront "A" Coy of the Royal Rifles.
At the same time, the Japanese 228th broke into a four-point thrust. Their
northern point continued westward into the West Brigade, while three smaller
points struck South in advance of the Japanese 230th. "A" Coy of the Royal
Rifles was indeed in a serious and vulnerable position. This Japanese tactic was
the move that eventually cut off the East Brigade and West Brigade from each
other.
The Japanese pushed right between the two brigades,splitting them apart like a
fault line splitting during an earthquake. The Royal Rifles were on the East side of
the fault line, and the Winnipeg Grenadiers were on the West side.
"A" Coy of the Royal Rifles was in dire straits. Three senior officers of the East
Brigade, Brigadier Wallis, Lt. Col. Home and Major Parker, dodging and weaving
their way, went to evaluate "A" Company's situation themselves. Major Maurice
Parker made it as far as the steps of the Repulse Bay Hotel himself when the
group came under heavy fire. The officers became separated and, with difficulty,
they each made their own way back to Headquarters safely.
In the Brigade restructuring, "A" Company of the Royal Rifles, under Major
Charles A. Young, had been ordered to Repulse Bay from their original position at
Windy Gap on the far eastern side of the island. They were just North of Stanley
Mound. On December 20th, their position was considered "serious and
vulnerable". Their backs were to the sea in a literal sense. Elements of the
Japanese 230th had split their spearhead in two. The northern point continued due
West, driving straight into the West Brigade. A section had broken to the South
to confront "A" Coy of the Royal Rifles.
At the same time, the Japanese 228th broke into a four-point thrust. Their
northern point continued westward into the West Brigade, while three smaller
points struck South in advance of the Japanese 230th. "A" Coy of the Royal
Rifles was indeed in a serious and vulnerable position. This Japanese tactic was
the move that eventually cut off the East Brigade and West Brigade from each
other.
The Japanese pushed right between the two brigades,splitting them apart like a
fault line splitting during an earthquake. The Royal Rifles were on the East side of
the fault line, and the Winnipeg Grenadiers were on the West side.
"A" Coy of the Royal Rifles was in dire straits. Three senior officers of the East
Brigade, Brigadier Wallis, Lt. Col. Home and Major Parker, dodging and weaving
their way, went to evaluate "A" Company's situation themselves. Major Maurice
Parker made it as far as the steps of the Repulse Bay Hotel himself when the
group came under heavy fire. The officers became separated and, with difficulty,
they each made their own way back to Headquarters safely.
"A" Company of the Royal Rifles had to continue the fight at Repulse Bay on its
own when it was decided that to reestablish contact with "D" Company of the
Winnipeg Grenadiers in the West Brigade area was of vital importance. "D"
Company of the Royal Rifles were sent to try to link up with the Grenadiers before
the Japanese could consolidate their positions.
It was a long way from Stanley Mound to the Wei Nei Chong, where Brigadier
Lawson had established his Headquarters, and where the Grenadiers found
themselves in such dire straits. "D" Company of the Royal Rifles, set off on the
mission and had travelled a good distance, but still had some way to go, when
word came through that "D" Company of the Grenadiers were totally surrounded
by the Japanese and their situation hopeless.
Major Parker wrote; "The Winnipeg Company was cut off, as informed, and we
were not strong enough to help it. The enemy far outnumbered us." "D" Company
of the Royal Rifles were recalled. The East and West Brigade were finally
separated and each was on its own
Major Parker continued; "It was getting dark, and the terrain unknown. We were
without food and low on ammunition, so we decided to return by the same route
by which we had come. On the way back we spotted a Japanese Post Train.
Number 17 and number 18 Platoons took on this target of opportunity with
devastating Japanese losses in horses, mules and men, not to mention the supplies.
Our morale was lifted a bit by this action.
We had a long way to go but, taking some casualties in the process, we made it
back. We were lucky to be recognized by Major Bishop, of "C" Company of the
Royal Rifles, and allowed to pass through his defenses."
On December 20th, a B.U.P. Dispatch From London Read:
"Sir Mark Young, Governor of Hong Kong, telegraphed the Government today
that the Empire Garrison, making a gallant stand against overwhelming odds and
under furious Japanese attack, still held fast. Japanese reports that he had left the
island were totally untrue. How long the garrison could hold out was a question.
Military experts expected the last stand to be made on the Victoria and other
peaks, entirely surrounded and without hope of rescue. It was feared that the
Japanese now held positions entirely around the shores of the island, in possession
of good roads for mechanized equipment which they had transported from the
mainland.".
December 21st, the Japanese, in a night broadcast (Saturday, Dec. 21 HK time)
that was strangely candid for war-time admitted.
"The expected imminent fall of the Colony has been staved off by their stubborn
defense. We have the City of Victoria, many prisoners have been taken, the
cannon on Mount Davis, dominating a chain of forts eastward, have been silenced,
and remnants of the garrison are encircled on the peak of the island, Mount
Victoria, although its guns still replay at intervals."
The Winnipeg Grenadiers of the West Brigade, badly hurt by the loss of "A" Coy,
the Brigade Commander and his Chief of Staff, was still a force to be reckoned
with. Though badly mauled, it still had claws. The remaining companies of the
Grenadiers, the Royal Scots, the Middlesex Regiment and the Punjabs continued
to fight, punishing the Japanese for every inch of ground they took.
"D" Company of the Grenadiers, though unable to be assisted, held onto its
position at Wong Nei Chong Gap with fierce determination. They were blocking
the one road that ran from North to South, through the Gap, and thus badly
needed by the Japanese. "D" Company kept the road closed to the Japanese for
three long days.
The struggle was brutal and grizzly. With less than one hundred Grenadiers
fighting with their lives to keep the road closed. Sergeant Bob Manchester of the
Winnipeg Grenadiers mentioned, "The guys who've never thrown a grenade
before are acquiring some experience. We were outnumbered 50 to 1, at least."
The Japanese were ordered to make a series of suicide attacks against the
Grenadiers. They rushed forward in waves and were cut down by the prairie boys
like a field of wheat. Still, the Japanese kept coming. Their bodies were strewn in
heaps across the ground. Hundred of them lay wounded, unattended. The stench
of blood was sickening. Still, the Japanese kept coming.
own when it was decided that to reestablish contact with "D" Company of the
Winnipeg Grenadiers in the West Brigade area was of vital importance. "D"
Company of the Royal Rifles were sent to try to link up with the Grenadiers before
the Japanese could consolidate their positions.
It was a long way from Stanley Mound to the Wei Nei Chong, where Brigadier
Lawson had established his Headquarters, and where the Grenadiers found
themselves in such dire straits. "D" Company of the Royal Rifles, set off on the
mission and had travelled a good distance, but still had some way to go, when
word came through that "D" Company of the Grenadiers were totally surrounded
by the Japanese and their situation hopeless.
Major Parker wrote; "The Winnipeg Company was cut off, as informed, and we
were not strong enough to help it. The enemy far outnumbered us." "D" Company
of the Royal Rifles were recalled. The East and West Brigade were finally
separated and each was on its own
Major Parker continued; "It was getting dark, and the terrain unknown. We were
without food and low on ammunition, so we decided to return by the same route
by which we had come. On the way back we spotted a Japanese Post Train.
Number 17 and number 18 Platoons took on this target of opportunity with
devastating Japanese losses in horses, mules and men, not to mention the supplies.
Our morale was lifted a bit by this action.
We had a long way to go but, taking some casualties in the process, we made it
back. We were lucky to be recognized by Major Bishop, of "C" Company of the
Royal Rifles, and allowed to pass through his defenses."
On December 20th, a B.U.P. Dispatch From London Read:
"Sir Mark Young, Governor of Hong Kong, telegraphed the Government today
that the Empire Garrison, making a gallant stand against overwhelming odds and
under furious Japanese attack, still held fast. Japanese reports that he had left the
island were totally untrue. How long the garrison could hold out was a question.
Military experts expected the last stand to be made on the Victoria and other
peaks, entirely surrounded and without hope of rescue. It was feared that the
Japanese now held positions entirely around the shores of the island, in possession
of good roads for mechanized equipment which they had transported from the
mainland.".
December 21st, the Japanese, in a night broadcast (Saturday, Dec. 21 HK time)
that was strangely candid for war-time admitted.
"The expected imminent fall of the Colony has been staved off by their stubborn
defense. We have the City of Victoria, many prisoners have been taken, the
cannon on Mount Davis, dominating a chain of forts eastward, have been silenced,
and remnants of the garrison are encircled on the peak of the island, Mount
Victoria, although its guns still replay at intervals."
The Winnipeg Grenadiers of the West Brigade, badly hurt by the loss of "A" Coy,
the Brigade Commander and his Chief of Staff, was still a force to be reckoned
with. Though badly mauled, it still had claws. The remaining companies of the
Grenadiers, the Royal Scots, the Middlesex Regiment and the Punjabs continued
to fight, punishing the Japanese for every inch of ground they took.
"D" Company of the Grenadiers, though unable to be assisted, held onto its
position at Wong Nei Chong Gap with fierce determination. They were blocking
the one road that ran from North to South, through the Gap, and thus badly
needed by the Japanese. "D" Company kept the road closed to the Japanese for
three long days.
The struggle was brutal and grizzly. With less than one hundred Grenadiers
fighting with their lives to keep the road closed. Sergeant Bob Manchester of the
Winnipeg Grenadiers mentioned, "The guys who've never thrown a grenade
before are acquiring some experience. We were outnumbered 50 to 1, at least."
The Japanese were ordered to make a series of suicide attacks against the
Grenadiers. They rushed forward in waves and were cut down by the prairie boys
like a field of wheat. Still, the Japanese kept coming. Their bodies were strewn in
heaps across the ground. Hundred of them lay wounded, unattended. The stench
of blood was sickening. Still, the Japanese kept coming.
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