Japanese Pillbox near Wong Chuk Yeung, Sai Kung

Mon, 05/01/2023 - 23:58

Next to Maclehose Trail Section 4, overgrown

22°24′03.42″N, 114°16′11″E

 

Date picture taken
1 May 2023

Comments

Hello 

 

I'm quite interested in trying to reach this pillbox, since it's quite unique for the area. Could you please provide me with some clear instructions to get there? Do you have to crash through the jungle to reach there? How far is it from the path? 

Thank you

 

Lewis 

Lewis, from the lat/lon coordinates pwau98 posted, it looks to be ~5 metres off the northish side of Chuk Yeung Road, a little over 220 metres before the junction with the old jeep track that leads to Po Lo Che.

I tried driving that track >30 years ago from the Po Lo Che side, but gave up as being alone, and not having the right kit should I get stuck in a two-wheel drive van with no weight over the rear axle, would have made for a less than stellar day.

At the start of the track, there was a sign that gave me the impression it was an old (British) military track.  That has me wondering who made the track - as well as the pillbox.  None of the maps on the new Gwulo site are presented by my computer's browser software, so I had to find something that would & the map with all the pillboxes (https://gwulo.com/pillboxes-in-hong-kong ), shows none whatsoever around there.  Perhaps that is why you mention this one is unique.  Who knows, perhaps there are more out there....

[start major edit from original post]

In case this (https://gwulo.com/media/45078 ) does get pulled due to copyright, Jeff subsequently posted a map from a special edition of HKIS' Surveying & Built Environment publication from 2011 (https://hkis.org.hk/archive/materials/category/20160816094458.0.pdf ) which shows other fortifications in the area thought to have been built during the occupation as the East River Column (東江縱隊) gave the Japanese a fair amount of grief around Sai Kung.

Since this pillbox seems not to be on that map, perhaps there are more - and all appear to be "fresh meat" for documenting here on Gwulo.

Cheers!

-kpl.