ShamShui Po Police ?

Mon, 04/30/2018 - 02:26
Date picture taken
1950s
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Know very little about the where this photo was taken, it says on rear, police practicing I.S. Drill. I do remember a police station near the barracks. In the centre of photo is a banner saying WARN-— DISP——- and 2 men are holding metal plates with what looks number 8 on them.

I wonder if it was a "C.S." drill, as the men in front look like they have the type of gun that fires tear gas, aka CS gas.

The banner likely says "WARNING DISPERSE". Today the police use banners that say "DISPERSE OR WE FIRE" before using tear gas: http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/09/29/disperse-or-we-fire-hong-kongs-tear…

I have seen photos of police anti riot drills taken in 1952 showing a similar scene as noted here  Scroll to pages 2 and 3. I guess the numbers on the shields represent the police anti riot units.

Hi Moddsy and David. Thanks for your observations on what is a small photo,only 60m/m square, the writing on rear is now quite faint, with magnifying glass it is T.S. Drill!! -my first thought when reading is was I.S(internal security)-wrong!! Are you able to identify the photo as being in the area around Sham Shui Po police station?, on the very high metal fence in rear is barbed wire.I keep getting drawn to the chap in 3rd. row with hand bag on his arm. Bryan.

Greetings.  Mine is a guess, using the 1956 map of Kowloon - https://gwulo.com/node/31747#16/22.3333/114.1553/Map_by_ESRI-1956_Kowlo…  .

This photo shows the rear of what appears to be modern and taller shophouses.   Possible sites are those incomplete blocks on Fuk Wa Street west of Yen Chow Street.

Regarding the 1952 photo, the police could be on either Fuk Wing or Fuk Wa Street, next to the manufacturing factory 南針製造廠 on Yen Chow Street.  However, the shophouses look fairly new  for that part of town in 1952.  Regards,  Peter