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1. The History
Unlike my two China reports, there’s loads of history about this place, so here goes.
The Gin Drinkers Line) was a WWII British military defensive line based loosely on the concept of France’s Maginot Line. It stretched from and it was intended that it would protect the colony from Japanese invasion for at least six months. It stretched from Gin Drinker’s Bay in the west of the New Territories 18kms to the east ending in Port Shelter in the Sai Kung District. With the land border between Hong Kong and China being roughly 35 Kilometres in length and difficult to defend, the British decided to hold their line further south on this shorter stretch across the range of hills that separate Kowloon from the rural New Territories. The line was construction between 1936 to 1938 under the direction of General Maltby, and rather than being a solid defensive line, it consisted of a series of defensive positions linked together by paths. Bunkers, concrete fortified machine gun posts, trenches surrounded by barbed wire, and artillery batteries were built along the line. Brigadier John K. Lawson oversaw the construction of seventy-two concrete pillboxes. It was divided into four defence localities. The Shing Mun Redoubt to the west was one of these four and occupied a key defensive position on a spur overlooking Shing Mun Reservoir and housed the command HQ for the Line.
The Shing Mun redoubt played a key role in the colony’s World War II history. The day after the Japanese attacked on Pearl Harbour, leading to the USA declaring war on Japan, a Japanese aircraft attacked the RAF’s base at Kai Tak airfield, Hong Kong on 8th December 1941. This was a prelude to a land invasion of Hong Kong, from the Chinese mainland, with the Colony and its entire garrison being captured in just 18 days. The Japanese had been locked in a conflict on the mainland with China since 1937 and had been moving closer to the Hong Kong border in the run-up to their attack. The garrison of 15,000 men, which included both British Royal Artillery and line battalions and two Indian battalions, looked strong enough on paper. Additionally, in November 1941, two Canadian Battalions arrived in Hong Kong, one month before hostilities commenced. This led to a renewed belief that the Gin Drinker’s Line could be held for at least three weeks. However, the Canadian troops were not familiar with the terrain and were quote “not expecting to be involved in any fighting”. Additionally, the two British battalions had lost their most capable officers to the European theatre. Meanwhile, the Japanese had total air superiority after destroying the RAF’s aircraft at Kai Tak. The Gin Drinker’s line had been designed to withstand a naval attack and was designed to be manned by six Battalions. However, with only three Battalions available, it spread the British Forces far too thinly. The Royal Scots covered the left side, the Punjabis the centre and the Rajputs the right flank. The Gin Drinker’s Line lacked adequate artillery support, although some of the costal batteries could provide covering fire, albeit with armour piercing rounds rather than high explosive shells. Facing the battle-hardened Japanese Forces that numbered 40,000 and included both air force and navy, there was only ever going to be one outcome.
Rajput troops manning the trenches in 1939:
Spread over a 12-acre site, the Redoubt, located on the forward slope of Smugglers Ridge Hill, was equipped with five machine guns (Vickers and Bren LMGs) four pillboxes (numbered PB400, 401 A and B, 402 and 403), a command post , an artillery observation post and five open firing positions. The 1.5-meter-deep defensive channels or trenches were all named after the roads of London (see map below):
Key:
Dark blue: Charing Cross
Orange: Shaftsbury Avenue
Lime green : Regent’s Street
Purple: Haymarket
Light blue: Piccadilly
Yellow: Oxford Road
Dark green: open areas/trenches
Pink: Observation post
With the Redoubt being spread over various levels, it was not possible to provide supporting fire to each other resulting in numerous areas of “dead ground” that allowed attackers to infiltrate the position without being observed. There were also numerous entrances into the complex, none of which were secure. Attackers could enter the tunnels via the various fighting positions and main entrances and the ventilation holes meant they could throw grenades into the complex with ease.
The Japanese 228th Regiment crossed the Sino Hong Kong Border on 8th December 1941 reaching Shing Mun by the evening of following day. The British had blown-up the road brides but the Japanese advanced on foot, using traditional village paths. The Japanese reached Needle Hill, directly opposite and above Shing Mun Redoubt, on the afternoon of the 9th of December 1941. There were just 43 men from the Royal Scots in the position, and the Japanese observed them hanging their laundry out. At dusk, around 20 troops attacked PBs 401A and 401B. A second wave of a similar number led by Lieutenant Mochizuchi, then headed eastwards to attack and capture the OP. The garrison here needed one full company (around 40 troops) to be effective but was defended by a single platoon (circa 25 troops). Hence, the redoubt was captured relatively easily, with the Japanese taking full advantage of their advantage of surprise at dusk. Of the 43 men stationed at the Shing Mun Redoubt, three were killed, 27 captured, and 13 fled. One of the casualties was a young Canadian soldier, John Grey, who was captured when he became separated from his battalion. He was subsequently executed by the Japanese, making him the first Canadian soldier to die in combat during the war.
Two days later, by the 11th of December), they had already claimed Kam Shan and Tate's Cairn. A counterattack was ordered from The Royal Scots, but it never materialised, and the Japanese launched a series of further attacks, resulting in the complete disintegration of the defence line. With orders to withdraw all units to Hong Kong Island, the British troops had withdrawn by 13th December 1941 with minimal losses.
The British forces retreated to Hong Kong Island but were swiftly defeated and on 24th December the Governor finally surrendered to the Japanese. Britain lost around 1,500 troops during the fighting for Hong Kong , while a shocking one-in-four of survivors subsequently died during their brutal years in captivity. Imperial Japanese Force casualties were, predictably, far smaller with less than 700 killed and 1,500 wounded.
Today the Shing Mun Redoubt stands as a poignant reminder of the conflict in this far-flung theatre of the Second World War and now holds the of equivalent Grade II listed status. It is still virtually intact, although some of the tunnels are now flooded and silted up, frequently passed by by hikers on the Maclehose Trail.
2. The Explore
On to the first of my HK reports from this Summer. Explored this place five years ago (old report HERE) but the weather was absolutely terrible and, as a consequence, wasn’t happy with my pictures. It’s a fair hike up here first up to the Shing Mun Reservoir and then up the hillside along a section of the MacLehose Trail, a 100-kilometre hiking trail that crosses the New Territories of Hong Kong. I started at the Observation Post, the redoubt’s highest point, and worked my way down through the various tunnels. Saw the occasional hiker on the trail but in the tunnels themselves, only had gecko’s, frogs and bats as company. It was a very nice way to wile away an hour or so and provided a nice break from the hot and sticky climes of the HK Summer.
3. The Pictures
The walk up there is a rigorous one:
Hole in Piccadilly tunnel:
One of the many air shafts that caused weakness to the defensive line:
And we then arrive at the OP that acted as the headquarters of the redoubt. Also known as the Strand Palace Hotel, it has a telephone room, an officer shelter, two kitchens, and two toilets. Bizarrely, didn’t appear to take any external or pictures of the main room
Entrance to the OP:
The six holes here were used to support three bunk beds, along with the hook in the ceiling:
Down the stairs….
To the kitchen. Here’s the water tank:
Here’s the stoves:
Briefly out into daylight:
But no passage through Charing Cross as it’s silted up:
So back round:
x
And out:
Past the marker stone:
And the flooded bottom entrance to Charing Cross:
Into a muddy Shaftesbury Avenue:
Graffiti left by the Japanese: “Occupied by Tōichi Chūtai (Company)”
Turn right and down the stairs:
Until we hit Oxford Street:
Left turn to PB 401 (I forgot to return and go to PB 400):
Steps out of Oxford Street:
And further on, an open trench:
Then a final push on to PB 401 A and B:
Unlike my two China reports, there’s loads of history about this place, so here goes.
The Gin Drinkers Line) was a WWII British military defensive line based loosely on the concept of France’s Maginot Line. It stretched from and it was intended that it would protect the colony from Japanese invasion for at least six months. It stretched from Gin Drinker’s Bay in the west of the New Territories 18kms to the east ending in Port Shelter in the Sai Kung District. With the land border between Hong Kong and China being roughly 35 Kilometres in length and difficult to defend, the British decided to hold their line further south on this shorter stretch across the range of hills that separate Kowloon from the rural New Territories. The line was construction between 1936 to 1938 under the direction of General Maltby, and rather than being a solid defensive line, it consisted of a series of defensive positions linked together by paths. Bunkers, concrete fortified machine gun posts, trenches surrounded by barbed wire, and artillery batteries were built along the line. Brigadier John K. Lawson oversaw the construction of seventy-two concrete pillboxes. It was divided into four defence localities. The Shing Mun Redoubt to the west was one of these four and occupied a key defensive position on a spur overlooking Shing Mun Reservoir and housed the command HQ for the Line.
The Shing Mun redoubt played a key role in the colony’s World War II history. The day after the Japanese attacked on Pearl Harbour, leading to the USA declaring war on Japan, a Japanese aircraft attacked the RAF’s base at Kai Tak airfield, Hong Kong on 8th December 1941. This was a prelude to a land invasion of Hong Kong, from the Chinese mainland, with the Colony and its entire garrison being captured in just 18 days. The Japanese had been locked in a conflict on the mainland with China since 1937 and had been moving closer to the Hong Kong border in the run-up to their attack. The garrison of 15,000 men, which included both British Royal Artillery and line battalions and two Indian battalions, looked strong enough on paper. Additionally, in November 1941, two Canadian Battalions arrived in Hong Kong, one month before hostilities commenced. This led to a renewed belief that the Gin Drinker’s Line could be held for at least three weeks. However, the Canadian troops were not familiar with the terrain and were quote “not expecting to be involved in any fighting”. Additionally, the two British battalions had lost their most capable officers to the European theatre. Meanwhile, the Japanese had total air superiority after destroying the RAF’s aircraft at Kai Tak. The Gin Drinker’s line had been designed to withstand a naval attack and was designed to be manned by six Battalions. However, with only three Battalions available, it spread the British Forces far too thinly. The Royal Scots covered the left side, the Punjabis the centre and the Rajputs the right flank. The Gin Drinker’s Line lacked adequate artillery support, although some of the costal batteries could provide covering fire, albeit with armour piercing rounds rather than high explosive shells. Facing the battle-hardened Japanese Forces that numbered 40,000 and included both air force and navy, there was only ever going to be one outcome.
Rajput troops manning the trenches in 1939:
Spread over a 12-acre site, the Redoubt, located on the forward slope of Smugglers Ridge Hill, was equipped with five machine guns (Vickers and Bren LMGs) four pillboxes (numbered PB400, 401 A and B, 402 and 403), a command post , an artillery observation post and five open firing positions. The 1.5-meter-deep defensive channels or trenches were all named after the roads of London (see map below):
Key:
Dark blue: Charing Cross
Orange: Shaftsbury Avenue
Lime green : Regent’s Street
Purple: Haymarket
Light blue: Piccadilly
Yellow: Oxford Road
Dark green: open areas/trenches
Pink: Observation post
With the Redoubt being spread over various levels, it was not possible to provide supporting fire to each other resulting in numerous areas of “dead ground” that allowed attackers to infiltrate the position without being observed. There were also numerous entrances into the complex, none of which were secure. Attackers could enter the tunnels via the various fighting positions and main entrances and the ventilation holes meant they could throw grenades into the complex with ease.
The Japanese 228th Regiment crossed the Sino Hong Kong Border on 8th December 1941 reaching Shing Mun by the evening of following day. The British had blown-up the road brides but the Japanese advanced on foot, using traditional village paths. The Japanese reached Needle Hill, directly opposite and above Shing Mun Redoubt, on the afternoon of the 9th of December 1941. There were just 43 men from the Royal Scots in the position, and the Japanese observed them hanging their laundry out. At dusk, around 20 troops attacked PBs 401A and 401B. A second wave of a similar number led by Lieutenant Mochizuchi, then headed eastwards to attack and capture the OP. The garrison here needed one full company (around 40 troops) to be effective but was defended by a single platoon (circa 25 troops). Hence, the redoubt was captured relatively easily, with the Japanese taking full advantage of their advantage of surprise at dusk. Of the 43 men stationed at the Shing Mun Redoubt, three were killed, 27 captured, and 13 fled. One of the casualties was a young Canadian soldier, John Grey, who was captured when he became separated from his battalion. He was subsequently executed by the Japanese, making him the first Canadian soldier to die in combat during the war.
Two days later, by the 11th of December), they had already claimed Kam Shan and Tate's Cairn. A counterattack was ordered from The Royal Scots, but it never materialised, and the Japanese launched a series of further attacks, resulting in the complete disintegration of the defence line. With orders to withdraw all units to Hong Kong Island, the British troops had withdrawn by 13th December 1941 with minimal losses.
The British forces retreated to Hong Kong Island but were swiftly defeated and on 24th December the Governor finally surrendered to the Japanese. Britain lost around 1,500 troops during the fighting for Hong Kong , while a shocking one-in-four of survivors subsequently died during their brutal years in captivity. Imperial Japanese Force casualties were, predictably, far smaller with less than 700 killed and 1,500 wounded.
Today the Shing Mun Redoubt stands as a poignant reminder of the conflict in this far-flung theatre of the Second World War and now holds the of equivalent Grade II listed status. It is still virtually intact, although some of the tunnels are now flooded and silted up, frequently passed by by hikers on the Maclehose Trail.
2. The Explore
On to the first of my HK reports from this Summer. Explored this place five years ago (old report HERE) but the weather was absolutely terrible and, as a consequence, wasn’t happy with my pictures. It’s a fair hike up here first up to the Shing Mun Reservoir and then up the hillside along a section of the MacLehose Trail, a 100-kilometre hiking trail that crosses the New Territories of Hong Kong. I started at the Observation Post, the redoubt’s highest point, and worked my way down through the various tunnels. Saw the occasional hiker on the trail but in the tunnels themselves, only had gecko’s, frogs and bats as company. It was a very nice way to wile away an hour or so and provided a nice break from the hot and sticky climes of the HK Summer.
3. The Pictures
The walk up there is a rigorous one:
Hole in Piccadilly tunnel:
One of the many air shafts that caused weakness to the defensive line:
And we then arrive at the OP that acted as the headquarters of the redoubt. Also known as the Strand Palace Hotel, it has a telephone room, an officer shelter, two kitchens, and two toilets. Bizarrely, didn’t appear to take any external or pictures of the main room
Entrance to the OP:
The six holes here were used to support three bunk beds, along with the hook in the ceiling:
Down the stairs….
To the kitchen. Here’s the water tank:
Here’s the stoves:
Briefly out into daylight:
But no passage through Charing Cross as it’s silted up:
So back round:
xAnd out:
Past the marker stone:
And the flooded bottom entrance to Charing Cross:
Into a muddy Shaftesbury Avenue:
Graffiti left by the Japanese: “Occupied by Tōichi Chūtai (Company)”
Turn right and down the stairs:
Until we hit Oxford Street:
Left turn to PB 401 (I forgot to return and go to PB 400):
Steps out of Oxford Street:
And further on, an open trench:
Then a final push on to PB 401 A and B:
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