On the 24th, heavy enemy artillery fire was directed on the Central District, the Naval Yard and Victoria Barracks, and there were many fires in the town. Leighton Hill was in enemy hands, and the defence line ran from Canal Road in Wanchai, to the Lee Theatre, thence to Morrison Hill, Mount Parrish, Wanchai Gap to Bennett’s Hill. The Stanley force was concentrated on to the Peninsula and awaited the final assault. Two platoons of No 3 Company HKVDC were holding Chung Am Kok peninsula. The first line of defence at Stanley ran from the village to Tytam Beach, and was held by the remainder of No 2 Company, the “Stanley Platoon” (the European warders of the gaol), “C” Company Middlesex and “B” Company Royal Rifles. South of St. Stephen’s College was the second line, held by the gunners of First Battery HKVDC and “A” and “C” Companies Royal Rifles. The residue of the Stanley force was manning the third line – from St. Stephen’s Preparatory School to Tweed Bay. This force had been gathering since the 19th, and included survivors from Shek O, Tytam and Repulse Bay together with a large number of civilian refugees
By the 24th, the first defence line across the narrow neck of the isthmus was established and all troops not required for the operation of guns or other services in the Stanley Fort were utilized in this line. The main attack came at ten minutes to nine on Christmas Eve.
((Source - a dramatization of the history of the Hong Kong Volunteers, which was broadcast over Radio Hong Kong on 31st May 1954 as part of the HKVDC Centenary Celebrations))