At 2.15 a.m. on the 8th December (Hong Kong time) a message was received that war was imminent. Battle plans were at once put into operation, troops deployed, while Government Emergency Laws called up civilians for air raid precautions and other essential work. Hong Kong was now on a definite wartime footing. At 3.1 5 a.m. on the 8th December 1941 the message came through: "WE ARE AT WAR WITH JAPAN".
At that time, I was with 965th Beach Defence Battery, R.A. of the East Brigade at Stanley Fort, at the east end of the Island, the East Brigade consisted of a mixed force of about 2,000 troops. The main armament of the Island comprised two Regiments of Coast Artillery (mainly 9.2” and 6” Guns), a Regiment of the Hong Kong Singapore Royal Artillery (Medium and Mountain Artillery), an A.A. Regiment (3.7”, 3” and Bofors 40mm) and an Independent Defence Battery.
These regular forces were supplemented by units of the H.K. Volunteer Regiment. Infantry troops consisted of units of the Royal Scots and the Middlesex Regiment, the recently arrived Canadian troops, the 5/7th Rajputs, and 2/14 Punjabis.
The Naval forces consisted of one destroyer (HMS Thracian), 2 gunboats, a number of motor torpedo boats (MTB's) and a few small patrol boats, while the only aircraft we possessed comprised of three obsolete 'Vildebeest' torpedo bombers, and two 'Walrus' fleet spotting aircraft.
The first attack by the Japanese came in the form of a lightning bombing raid on KAI TAK aerodrome, destroying practically all our aircraft, with a simultaneous bombing raid on SHAM SHUI PO Barracks in Kowloon. Fortunately, these barracks were empty of troops who had already been deployed to their respective battle locations. These bombing raids coincided with a two-pronged attack by the Japanese forces across the border in the New Territories. Advancing through SHUM CHUN and SHA TAU KOK and infiltrating along the general direction of the Castle Peak and Tai Po Roads. Our troops fighting a rearguard action, retreated to our main defence line along the ridge called the 'GIN DRINKERS LINE', roughly a line along the ridge of the Kowloon Hills stretching from CASTLE PEAK to TOLO HARBOUR. The main area of defence being the redoubt at SHING MUN near the JUBILEE reservoir, manned by the Royal Scots. The rearguard action was fought by the Royal Scots, Rajputs, and 'Volunteers', supported by Medium and Mountain Batteries of the HKSRA.