Canadians in the Battle of Hong Kong

Canadian Troops Defended Hong Kong During Japanese Attack in WW II

Aug 18, 2009 Susanna McLeod

The savage fight for Hong Kong lasted only 18 days but claimed the lives of hundreds of Canadian soldiers during battle and in the miserable prisoner-of-war camp.

In the fall of 1941, the call for aid came to Canada’s Prime Minister Mackenzie King. Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill asked for help to protect the Crown Colony of Hong Kong in the event of Japanese attack. World War Two was underway and British troops were already fighting on other battlefields, far from the island territory. King agreed to provide assistance. A difficult island to defend, Hong Kong itself had almost no air or naval defences.

Two Canadian Battalions to Hong Kong

The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada from Quebec completed garrison duties away from action and were available to take on the task. But the two battalions were not yet combat-ready. Under the command of Brigadier J.K. Lawson, the 1,975 troops set sail on the Awatea from Vancouver, BC on October 27th and arrived on the shores of Hong Kong on November 16th. Another ship carrying their vehicles, the Don Jose, was waylaid at Manila, the cargo instead approved for use to protect the Philippines. In charge of protecting the colony, General C.M. Maltby also had at his use soldiers from Hong Kong and Singapore regiments, infantry units from India, England and China, and Royal Engineers. The whole force was less than 15,000 troops.

Pearl Harbour, then Hong Kong

Separated by General Maltby into the East Brigade ( under General Wallis) and the West Brigade (under Brigadier Lawson) to guard the south beaches, training got underway for the Canadians, but there was no time to finish. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese assault erupted on Pearl Harbour, causing immense damage and shock to the United States fleet. The next day was Hong Kong’s turn.

At 8 a.m. on December 8th, the Japanese air force attacked the Kai Tak airport, putting the few planes of the Royal Air Force based there out of commission. “That same morning, the Japanese ground forces moved across the frontier of the New Territories and met resistance,” said Veterans Affairs Canada, but by the next day, the invaders had ”captured Shing Min Redoubt, an area of high ground and the most important strategic position on the left flank” of the line.

Japanese Flooded onto the Island

The Japanese took the battle for Hong Kong with great intent, directing “heavy artillery bombardment at the island, mounted destructive air raids,” and noted Veterans Affairs Canada, “systematically shelled the pillboxes along the north shore.” On December 17, the Japanese demanded the surrender of Hong Kong. The suggestion was flatly refused. The next day, invading troops flooded ashore, pushing through machine-gun fire of the defenders, taking the high ground and overwhelming the Allied soldiers. Parts of the East Brigade were nearly decimated and valuable artillery equipment was lost in the invasion on December 18th. Struggling over jagged mountain terrain, the East Brigade united with the West Brigade in an attempt to force the Japanese from the high positions. Abandoning the mission on December 23rd, all Allied troops were ordered to gather at the Stanley Peninsula.

Canadians Made a Last Attempt

The Canadians made a last counter-attack on Christmas Eve, but were battered by heavy mortar attacks and air bombing. Christmas Day saw the allies in a poor position. The British Governor, Sir Mark Aitchison Young finally admitted defeat and surrendered at 3:15 p.m. The vicious, exhausting, 18-day Battle of Hong Kong was over.

Allies Overwhelmed by Enemy

The Allied troops fought valiantly for Hong Kong, but it was a losing battle from the start. Of the nearly 15,000 allied soldiers, 4,500 were killed or wounded. Two-hundred and ninety Canadians were killed in battle and 493 were wounded. Overwhelming the Allies with sheer numbers, the Japanese sent 50,000 soldiers to Hong Kong, seeing 706 killed and 1,534 wounded in the conflict. The Japanese took 8,500 Allied soldiers to Prisoner of War camps. Conditions in the northern Japan camps were horrific. Filthy, primitive and with cruel captors, the Allies were tortured, assaulted and nearly starved. Expected to work in mines or at harbours without sufficient food, many soldiers died. The remaining POWs, including Governor Young, were captive for nearly four years.

The Canadian battalions included two nurses, dentists and assistants, three chaplains and others sent to the island; 554 of them did not return home. Among the many, Brigadier Lawson perished in battle, guns in hand, along with a brave Sergeant-Major John Osborne, who flung himself on a grenade to protect his troops. The Canadians didn’t have a fighting chance. They had no mortar ammunition or anti-tank rifles, said the Royal Canadian Legion, and their vehicles and equipment were far away in another country.

The Battle of Hong Kong was commemorated in 1991 with a Canada Post stamp. This year, on August 15, 2009, a ceremony was held in Ottawa, Ontario to unveil a beautiful, polished black granite wall with the names of all the courageous Canadians engaged in the merciless combat in 1941.

The copyright of the article Canadians in the Battle of Hong Kong in Canadian History is owned by Susanna McLeod. Permission to republish Canadians in the Battle of Hong Kong in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Canadians Troops Arriving in Hong Kong, Nov 1941	British and Canadian POWS Waiting for Rescue Ship	Canada Post Commemorated Battle of Hong Kong, 1991
British Governor Sir Mark A. Young