The old name for Chung Hom Bay was West Bay, and that is the name that is used for this pillbox in the wartime records, eg:
82. 1 Mx, equipped with medium machine-guns, was manning the concrete pill boxes that dotted the entire perimeter of the Island. Company areas of this Battalion thus lay within the defence areas of the two Canadian battalions. H.Q. "B" Coy 1 Mx ws at Stone Hill utilizing the same company headquarters as "B" Coy R.R.C. Personnel of this company were manning ten pill boxes (Nos 21 to 30) around Stanley Peninsula, from West Bay to Tai Tam Bay. In the "D" Coy area of R.R.C. was "D" Coy 1 Mx, manning pill boxes (31--39) from Tai Tam Bay to Sai Wan Bay (2752) (W.D., R.R.C., December 1941, p.13). The various detachments of 1 Mx were operationally under the command of the battalion commander in whose area they were stationed.
When I last visited Pillbox 21 in 2011, both its loops facing towards the sea, including the western one seen here, were blocked.
I revisited last weekend and found that someone had broken through the western loop. By sticking the camera through the loop, here's what the inside looks like.
The three rows of rusted metal attachments and hooks seen on the walls in a number of other PB's are present, but here pipes run through those on the left wall. On the understanding that the metal attachments were hinges for beds that could be folded up vertically against the walls, secured by the hook above, to make additional space when not in use, the pipes should be the frames of the folding beds. Of the PB's I've visited, this is the only one in which there are remains of bedframes as far as I can recall.
Today, only the two front facing loops of the pillbox are visible from outside, but this internal view confirms PB 21 is a three loop PB.
The loop in the far wall appears to have lost its metal doors, allowing earth to poor through onto the floor. The other loop is in the same wall the photo was taken from. No door is visible, but I presume it's out of sight behind the internal wall sticking out from the back wall. Part of a pipe similar to the suspected bedframes on the left wall can be seen in the top metal attachment on the back wall.
Thanks for the photos, it's good to have a look inside.
Did you notice if there is any sign of the Lyon Light shelter? I haven't had a careful look up the hillside, but from memory it had a lot of debris that had come down the slope. I guess the Lyon Light shelter may have been buried.
I had a look around PB 21 when I visited in 2011 but couldn't see any sign of the LL. Also I note Rob says the LL has been demolished. PB's situated in small bays tended to have the LL above and nearer the nearest headland than the PB. If that was the arrangement here, the LL would have been on the west side of the PB. No other structure stands in that area today so there's no obvious reason why the LL was demolished.
Comments
West Bay
The old name for Chung Hom Bay was West Bay, and that is the name that is used for this pillbox in the wartime records, eg:
82. 1 Mx, equipped with medium machine-guns, was manning the concrete pill boxes that dotted the entire perimeter of the Island. Company areas of this Battalion thus lay within the defence areas of the two Canadian battalions. H.Q. "B" Coy 1 Mx ws at Stone Hill utilizing the same company headquarters as "B" Coy R.R.C. Personnel of this company were manning ten pill boxes (Nos 21 to 30) around Stanley Peninsula, from West Bay to Tai Tam Bay. In the "D" Coy area of R.R.C. was "D" Coy 1 Mx, manning pill boxes (31--39) from Tai Tam Bay to Sai Wan Bay (2752) (W.D., R.R.C., December 1941, p.13). The various detachments of 1 Mx were operationally under the command of the battalion commander in whose area they were stationed.
From: REPORT NO. 163, HISTORICAL SECTION, CANADIAN MILITARY HEADQUARTERS. "CANADIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE DEFENCE OF HONG KONG, DECEMBER, 1941"
Rob's notes
Year completed is: Approximate
Condition at last visit: Ruin
Date of last visit: Mar-1996
Ref: ROB-00621
Other:
Pillbox 21
When I last visited Pillbox 21 in 2011, both its loops facing towards the sea, including the western one seen here, were blocked.
I revisited last weekend and found that someone had broken through the western loop. By sticking the camera through the loop, here's what the inside looks like.
The three rows of rusted metal attachments and hooks seen on the walls in a number of other PB's are present, but here pipes run through those on the left wall. On the understanding that the metal attachments were hinges for beds that could be folded up vertically against the walls, secured by the hook above, to make additional space when not in use, the pipes should be the frames of the folding beds. Of the PB's I've visited, this is the only one in which there are remains of bedframes as far as I can recall.
Today, only the two front facing loops of the pillbox are visible from outside, but this internal view confirms PB 21 is a three loop PB.
The loop in the far wall appears to have lost its metal doors, allowing earth to poor through onto the floor. The other loop is in the same wall the photo was taken from. No door is visible, but I presume it's out of sight behind the internal wall sticking out from the back wall. Part of a pipe similar to the suspected bedframes on the left wall can be seen in the top metal attachment on the back wall.
re:Pillbox 21
Thanks for the photos, it's good to have a look inside.
Did you notice if there is any sign of the Lyon Light shelter? I haven't had a careful look up the hillside, but from memory it had a lot of debris that had come down the slope. I guess the Lyon Light shelter may have been buried.
Regards, David
PB 21 & LL
David,
I had a look around PB 21 when I visited in 2011 but couldn't see any sign of the LL. Also I note Rob says the LL has been demolished. PB's situated in small bays tended to have the LL above and nearer the nearest headland than the PB. If that was the arrangement here, the LL would have been on the west side of the PB. No other structure stands in that area today so there's no obvious reason why the LL was demolished.
2019 visit PB 021
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