Japanese Pillbox at Diamond Hill [????- ]

Submitted by David on Wed, 04/23/2008 - 17:34
Current condition
Ruin

The above map for this place isn't accurate, as I'm not sure exactly where it is. [Update Jun 2008: The location is accurate now, confirmed by this map from the HKHAA.] This week's HK magazine has an article 'Tearing up the town' about historical areas that may be redeveloped and disappear. Their description of Tai Hom Village, Diamond Hill says:

The old pillbox (Grade-II) [ie it's a grade II listed building] is a fort built by the Japanese to defend Kai Tak airport. It was later abandoned and subsequently occupied by squatters. The fort was retained after the demolition of the village and is now one of the few remains of the old Kai Tak airport. Also in the area is the former RAF Hangar (Grade-III), which was used by the Japanese to store jets [I think they mean 'store aeroplanes'] and other machinery following their occupation of the territory.

Can anyone else give the exact location, or links to other info / photos of the pillbox?

MrB

UPDATE: More information about the hangar here.

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Photos that show this Place

Japanese pillbox at Tai Hom / Diamond Hill
2006

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Submitted by
Anonymous (not verified)
on
Thu, 04/24/2008 - 05:14

Hi MrB,

I found a picture of the pillbox.

http://www.hk-place.com/view.php?id=258

Please click on the 2nd link which says "大 磡 村 軍 事 設 施"

I visited the area last year but I can't seem to find the pillbox or the aerodrome. In the article, it says the pillbox is located at the east side of the former aerodrome. The aerodrome is located across the Hollywood Plaza.

Thanks to Anonymous for the links and photos. It'll need a wander around the area to see exactly where that pillbox is.

Thanks also to Rusty, who has added several more pillboxes to the map, and also given some more information about this pillbox at Diamond Hill:

The location is not sure, it must be somewhere in here. It is in a plain sight though. The pillbox is highly possible built by the Japanese, but purpose is not sure because of the small loophole. Anyway, it is obvious for protecting the Japanese plane hangers, which is located just nearby in the same area.(the British hangers were located rather seaside, at the south-west corner of then Airport) (Kai Tak airport had gradually (moved) to the south in history, in the Second World War, this place is a northern boarder of the Kai Tak Airport)

Interesting to see that Rusty believes the hanger that still exists in this area to be of Japanese origin, not British. I assume the hangar is the derelict building in the middle of photo #2 here.

Regards, MrB

Moddsey sent in the following notes about the pillbox, written back in 2001:

Domed shaped structure, with an extension on one side to provide a protected entry. The domed section is approximately 5 meters in diameter and 2.4 meters from ground level to top. The walls were made of cut stone blocks and the whole structure was then covered by a layer of cement. There were originally five firing loopholes in the dome walls, and a further one through the wall to the entry. The interior was flooded, as the floor is below ground level, and the inside could not be inspected