**1927: When King's College and DBS Became Emergency Military Hospitals**

Submitted by lausanching on

**1927: When King's College and DBS Became Emergency Military Hospitals**

A fascinating snippet from the China Mail on March 21, 1927, reveals the immediate impact of a looming regional conflict right here in Hong Kong. On the preceding Saturday, units of the Royal Army Medical Corps (R.A.M.C.) moved into **King's College** and the premises in Kowloon formerly occupied by the **Diocesan Boys' School**. Their urgent mission? To rapidly convert these educational institutions into emergency military hospitals "in case of need."

**What was happening?**

That very Saturday, March 19th, witnessed a dramatic turn in China's internal strife:

*  **Shanghai on the Brink:** On the outskirts of Shanghai, the "Northerner" warlord forces, led by Sun Chuan-fang孫傳芳, completely collapsed under pressure from Chiang Kai-shek's advancing Nationalist Army ("the Southerners"). The Shantungite defence crumpled, with troops "hastily retreating without the slightest attempt at resistance."

*   **British Panic:** With foreign military experts predicting the "Southerners are now able to occupy Shanghai at leisure and may be expected here within a couple of days," Great Britain panicked over the safety of its nationals and the International Settlement in Shanghai.

*   **The Shanghai Defence Force:** In response, Britain swiftly deployed the **Shanghai Defence Force** – a massive contingent including thousands of British troops and R.A.M.C. units – to China.

**Hong Kong's Crucial Role**

Hong Kong instantly became the primary staging ground and medical base for this immense military deployment. As thousands of British soldiers flooded into the colony en route to Shanghai, Hong Kong's existing military barracks were completely overwhelmed.

This urgent situation necessitated the immediate requisitioning of large civilian buildings by the colonial government. This is precisely why King's College, a relatively new and substantial building, along with the former Diocesan Boys' School premises, were swiftly repurposed. Work began that same weekend to prepare them as emergency hospitals, anticipating potential mass casualties from the escalating conflict in Shanghai.

The impact was felt directly by students; the pupils of King's College had to be distributed among Queen's College, Ellis School, and Kadoorie School. The scale of the military presence and the British concern for troop welfare was also evident in a letter from Major-General Duncan of the Shanghai Defence Force, who stressed the importance of keeping troops in "healthy and decent surroundings and keep them away from the temptations of grog shops and such places, which are the curse of seaports."

This entry from 1927 vividly illustrates how quickly major international events could transform daily life in colonial Hong Kong, turning schools into hospitals overnight in response to a looming crisis.

*(Source: China Mail, 1927-03-21)*

China Mail 1927-03-21

R.A.M.C. units moved into King's College and the premises in Kowloon formerly occupied by the Diocesan Boys' School on Saturday. Work has begun to fit up these buildings for hospital purposes in case of need. The pupils of King's College have been distributed between Queen's College, Ellis School, and Kadoorie School.

Mr. J. H. Hunt has received a letter from Major-General Duncan, from the Headquarters, Shanghai Defence Force. The General stated: "I appreciate deeply the interest taken by Sir Arthur Yapp and the Y.M.C.A. in the welfare of the troops. I fully realise the extreme value of your work. I was asked to be a Military representative of your Association in London just before I left."

He added: "It is most important that as much as possible should be done both here and in Hong Kong to keep the troops in healthy and decent surroundings and keep them away from the temptations of grog shops and such places, which are the curse of seaports."

Shanghai, March 19. The Shantungite defence on the Sungkiang front has crumpled, and the Northerners are retreating to Shanghai. Two thousand have already arrived there.

The collapse was caused by a Nationalist flanking movement. As a result, Sun Chuan-fang's troops, holding Minghong further eastward, found their position untenable and hastily retreated without the slightest attempt at resistance.

Foreign military experts consider that the Southerners are now able to occupy Shanghai at leisure and may be expected here within a couple of days. —Reuter.

British troops did engage in brief, deadly combat on the borders of Shanghai’s International Settlement, but they did not fight a full-scale war. [1]

The primary mission of the Shanghai Defence Force was armed deterrence and strict defense of the foreign concessions. However, the chaos of late March 1927 led to several direct clashes.

Key Combat Incidents (March 1927)

  • The Durham Light Infantry Clash: On March 22, 1927, British soldiers from the Durham Light Infantry defending the northern boundary of the International Settlement were attacked. A mixed force of plainclothes Nationalist (Cantonese) troops and armed labor agitators attempted to break through the barricades. The British troops opened fire with machine guns, killing an estimated 50 Chinese fighters and wounding many others, while suffering a few wounded soldiers of their own. [1]
  • Repelling Warlord Retreats: As Sun Chuan-fang's Northern warlord army crumpled, thousands of panicked, armed defeated soldiers tried to force their way into the International Settlement to escape the advancing Nationalists. British and Italian troops guarding the perimeter ordered them to disarm. When some resisted and opened fire, British troops fired back, killing 12 Shantungese warlord soldiers and wounding 13 others before disarming the rest. [1]
  • The Nanking Incident Naval Bombardment: While not ground troops, British and American warships stationed on the Yangtze River nearby engaged in combat on March 24, 1927. When rogue Nationalist soldiers entered Nanjing and attacked foreign consulates (killing British and American citizens), British Royal Navy ships opened fire with a heavy naval bombardment of the city to create a defensive wall of shells so trapped civilians could escape. [1, 2]

The Outcome

Following these clashes, full-scale warfare between Britain and the Nationalists was avoided. On April 12, 1927, Chiang Kai-shek launched a bloody internal purge against his communist allies (the Shanghai Massacre). [1, 2]

Once the Nationalists consolidated power and stabilized the city, the threat to the International Settlement dropped significantly. By late 1927, tensions eased, and the British military began drawing down forces, eventually returning King's College back to its students. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The British troops withdrew from their emergency stations in December 1927, but they did not all return to the United Kingdom. [1, 2]
Because the British Empire spanned the globe, the units making up the Shanghai Defence Force were drawn from various colonial garrisons and were sent to different destinations depending on their regiment. [1, 2, 3]
 
The Timeline of the Withdrawal
  • August 1927: Military tensions in Shanghai eased significantly after Chiang Kai-shek purged communist elements and consolidated Nationalist control. Realizing the International Settlement was no longer in immediate danger of an attack, the British government ordered a phased drawdown of troops. [1, 2]
  • December 1927: The emergency occupation of civilian infrastructure ended. The Royal Army Medical Corps (R.A.M.C.) completely vacated King's College and handed the keys back to the Hong Kong colonial government. [1, 2, 3]
  • March 1928: After the troops left and the buildings were restored, King’s College finally celebrated its official opening for students under Governor Sir Cecil Clementi. [1, 2]