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19 - 12 - 41 Friday
Two hundred men from HMS Thracian are sent to take over defence
of the Little Hong Kong ordnance base area, and RAF personnel
are ordered to serve in an infantry capacity to defend the
makeshift naval base at Aberdeen where the navy is ordered
to scuttle all ships with the exception of HMS Cicala, HMS
Robin, and the MTBs.
06:50 The navy takes over infantry positions in the Aberdeen
/ Little Hong Kong area, thus freeing A Company of the Winnipeg
Grenadiers for other duties (20-15).
20 - 12 - 41 Saturday
In the southern sector, in the bowl that runs down from the
Wong Nai Chung Gap police station to Deep Water Bay, West
Brigade makes just one serious effort - on the 20th - to break
through to East Brigade. This effort by the Punjabis is stopped
at Shouson Hill. In turn, the Japanese advance is held up
only by isolated positions on Shouson Hill, Brick Hill, and
Little Hong Kong, before reaching Bennet's Hill by the 25th.
ROYAL SCOTS
Milne, Robery CSM U
Killed Little Hong Kong near road north side (126).
21 - 12 - 41 Sunday
09:00 Major H. Marsh reports from Little Hong Kong that the
Japanese can be seen moving from Wong Nai Chung Gap to the
crest of Mount Nicholson (20-20).
22 - 12 - 41 Monday
Because of suspected Japanese massing between Mount Cameron
and Little Hong Kong, 4 Company and 7 Company HKVDC are brought
up to man the line between Wan Chai Gap and Mount Kellet.
Lt. G. H. Calvert HKVDC collects all available men to help
hold the line.
Much of the ground the Japanese have captured still has elements
holding out. The HKSRA 17 AA is still hanging on to the seaward
end of Brick Hill. Elements of the Royal Navy still hold several
houses on the top of Shouson Hill. A mixed bag of British
forces (about sixty men comprising Major Marsh and eighteen
Middlesex, five Winnipeg Grenadiers, fourteen HKVDC, Major
Dewar and twenty naval ratings, and Hamlon of the RAOC) holds
the Little Hong Kong ordnance depot.
21:10 Major Trist (commanding the Canadians and Royal Engineers
on Mount Cameron, some 130 strong) runs forward and finds
that the Japanese have captured a machine-gun and mortar on
the right flank. Lieutenant-Colonel Sutcliffe orders a withdrawal
to Wan Chai Gap. The Japanese themselves (under Doi) receive
9.2-inch fire from Stanley, and 20,000 rounds of .303 from
Major H. Marsh's C Company of the Middlesex from Little Hong
Kong (95-128). "Our effort to hold Mt. Nicholson was
harassed by enemy gun fire from Red Pillar Promontory and
by machine gun fire from the area south of Mt. Nicholson"
(122).
23 - 12 - 41 Tuesday
In the west, the day starts with the fall of Mount Cameron.
West Brigade's whole line then comes under attack, at Leighton
Hill, at the Royal Scots' positions, and in the Bennet's Hill
/ Little Hong Kong area. The Japanese try to take Wan Chai
Gap but are beaten off by Royal Scots and Marines from the
dockyard. The Rajputs are pushed back at the Happy Valley
racecourse under heavy pressure, but the line holds. The Middlesex
on Leighton Hill are now under almost continuous attack. During
the morning, 25 wounded Rajputs from hospital are formed into
a new Platoon under Jemadar Shah Muhammad at Leighton Hill.
In the late afternoon, Marsh (of Middlesex C Company) gets
through to Pillbox 14 - south of little Hong Kong - on the
phone for the last time and talks to Sergeant George Rich.
Sergeant Rich, Corporal 'Timber' Wood, Lance-Corporal George
Bailey, Private Reg Bosley, Private Don Burke, Private Bill
Ball, Private Walter Bywaters, Private Eddie Edwards, and
Private Harry Newbury are engaging Japanese 20 yards away.
There are no survivors from this pillbox. Nearby, eight ammunition
lorries escorted by an armoured car (under the charge of the
ever-busy 2nd Lt. Carruthers) manage to drive from the Ordnance
Depot at Little Hong Kong to the northern perimeter. Six return
safely.
09:00 Little Hong Kong magazine reports that the Japanese
are advancing in strength both there and on Bennet's Hill
(79-264).
24 - 12 - 41 Wednesday
WINNIPEGS
Wilson, William J. Private U
Last seen Little Hong Kong (126).
25 - 12 - 41 Thursday
MIDDLESEX
Irwin, Richard Private U
Missing Little Hong Kong area (126).
On Saturday the 27th, the Japanese flag is raised in Central.
However, they are still not fully in control of the island.
Lewis Bush HKRNVR, a fluent Japanese speaker with a Japanese
wife, is sent at the request of the Japanese to the Little
Hong Kong ordnance depot near Aberdeen, where some Royal Engineers
are still refusing to surrender. Eventually they emerge and
the Japanese take them to Aberdeen, treating them as heroes
(95-163).
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