Video: 1945 flight over wartime Hong Kong

Submitted by David on

In this video I look at Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation, via aerial photos taken by an American aircraft on 1 Feb 1945.

Video chapters:

   1. Introduction

   2. Japanese construction during the occupation

   3. British preparations for war

   4. American air raids

   5. Looting of buildings

   6. The area around Sai Kung

   7. Additional resources

Comments

Well done David and nicely put together. Thanks to Dr. Kwong Chi-man for allowing us to view the aerial photographs on the Gwulo website.

It's quite amazing to be able to corroborate the weather over Stanley from an old diary entry with one of these images. Fascinating video. Great work once again.

Thank you David for another fascinating insight into what the old aerial photographs can reveal about the history of Hong Kong.

The final photograph in the sequence indicates that the old camp road down into the RAF camp at Little Sai Wan (now the Leaping Dragon path) must have been constructed by the Japanese during the time when they also dug the tunnels and observation 'windows' overlooking the Eastern approaches to the harbour.  Prior to that time, PB37, its Lyon Light structure  and the small British radio station at Little Sai Wan would have been accessed by sea.

At 34:26 in the video, I mentioned how there were more roads around Sai Kung in 1945 than I expected. Thanks to Rob Weir for sending this extra information about them:

Listening to the soundtrack on the latest map/photo video triggered a memory of having read something about it at the NA:

"The road built by the Japanese branches from Clearwater Bay Road NW of Taipo Tsai and the first mile is mostly a cutting in the hillside liable to be washed away in the wet weather. However as far as Sai Kung itself the road is Jeepable, and with the dry season approaching, small repairs carried out on the surface of the road could quickly make it suitable for medium transport traffic. The road from Sai Kung itself, and up to the Japanese gun position near the village of Wong Chuk Yeung is in less good condition and two miles past Sai Kung are large ruts in the road which stopped even the jeep."

UKNA Ref. WO 208/750A, Weekly Intell Reports Oct 45 - Aug 46. (This was an undated page but next to a similar document dated 9-10 Sept 1945.)

That's the first mention I've seen of 'the Japanese gun position near the village of Wong Chuk Yeung'. I guess it is connected with the Japanese Pillbox that was discovered in that area.

Hi David,

Congratulations on your excellent video of the 1945 aerial photos. 

Going back about 10 to 15 years the Mapping Office at North Point had two terminals where Joe Public could view the Government collection of aerial photos.  The zoom function was excellent, and I’d visit for a viewing session whenever in the area. Later, I think it was all installed on their website ( www.hkmapservice.gov.hk ), but when I recently checked it I can only find the aerial photos, not the zoom function so can’t see any details. I’m probably doing something wrong, but perhaps the zoom function was removed or my memory is playing tricks and it never existed on the website? 

Anyway, during one of those North Point viewing sessions, utilizing full zoom, I noticed two WW2 outdoor kitchens that were new to me at that time.

The first was the one behind Deep Water Bay Golf Club that you talk about in your video. I’ve posted some comments on its “place” page at https://gwulo.com/node/62050 .

The second was near Aberdeen Lower Reservoir - an area not covered by the 1945 aerial pics. I’ve created a “place” for it at https://www.gwulo.com/node/62054 .

Thanks again for the video. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

There is mention in the HK museum newsletter of rural cooking localities at the locations given : Hatton Road vicinity, South Bay vicinity, Deepwater Bay, Stanley Bay, Aberdeen Reservoir, near Green Island Brick Factory, and Taikoo Reservoir. 

 

I think I've found the South Bay site: https://gwulo.com/node/62056

At 26:46 in the video, I say that the Union Church site is a 'bomb site', and that it was destroyed by American bombing. 

I don't have any evidence for that - I got carried away with the American air raids. Instead, the information I do have about the church in WW2 comes from a talk given by Dr Brooke Himsworth back in 2009. In my notes about the talk I wrote:

Now the 'disappearance'. Himsworth's father was interned in Stanley Camp during WW2.  After the Japanese surrender he was one of the first people to leave the camp and head into Central. He walked up to see the church, but when he got there all he found was a small pile of rubble, and the three dedication plaques from the walls of the old church. It's understood that the Japanese took their turn at recycling, and the church materials were used in the Japanese reconstruction of Government House!

Thanks to Youtube viewer @richardharrisportshelterin4378 for catching my mistake.

If you know of any eyewitness accounts of the destruction of Union Church in WW2, please let us know.

David, your work is first class and for once I had to watch a YouTube video to the end!  I am humbled by your depth of research!

I confirm that from my research about James Legge and Union Church, I learned that the Japanese had broken down the church to use its materials, e.g.   ? lead roof?   during WW II

 

bowman@sfu.ca