Everything tagged: General

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

In December 1987 I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a copy of "Notes On The China Command 1932". This was a semi-official publication as it was on sale in Hong Kong during the latter half of 1932 and during 1933 for 50 cents. It was printed by "Ye Olde Printerie Ltd, Hong Kong".

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

Major General C.M. Maltby, General Officer Commanding British Troops in China during the battle for Hong Kong attempted to assess the casualty figures in a despatch he sent to London in November 1945.

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family. NB I've included these questions for completeness, but they were asked back in the 1980s and so have hopefully been answered long ago.

Dear Sir: I am writing an account of all the different units of the Defence Forces of the British Commonwealth and Empire, outside the United Kingdom, up to 1945. I would be extremely grateful if your readers could help me with the following "loose ends."

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

While in the United Kingdom in 1983 I purchased from a London dealer a group of medals consisting of a 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal and War Medal. The medals were loose without ribbons but were all engraved "A/178 H.W. Jackson" and were accompanied by a note indicating that Jackson was a Hong Kong policeman and a casualty.

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

One name which constantly crops up in any study of Hong Kong's Military History is that of the Hong Kong Singapore Battalion of the Royal Artillery.

However, information on the HKSRA is scarce. A very valuable account of the battalion's early history was carried in a special New Year Supplement of the South China Morning Post in 1905. The text is as follows:

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

Manuel Teixeira records In his book, The Protestant Cemeteries of Macau, details of the tombstone of Ensign John Jordan. The reference to the memorial inscription is given on pages 82 and 119. The inscription reads:

"To the Memory of Ensign John Jordan of the Bombay Establishment who died at Macao on the 28th day of August 1786 aged 20 years."

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

The following poem has been provided by Bob Yates. It was written in Shamshuipo camp by Lieutenant Alan Potter, of the First Battalion, The Royal Scots, who fought in the 1941 battle.

My prison window opens out, upon a vista wide.

An island-studded harbour with hills on every side,

and right ahead, aye calling me,

an open passage to the sea.

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

The ladies of Wanchai are often mentioned with great affection by those who endured the hardship of imprisonment in Hong Kong. Risking life and limb the girls who had formed attachments with soldiers and sailors got food through to the camps.

Hong Kong veteran Bob Yates recalls the "Angels of Wanchai."

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

The activities of the United States in Chinese waters in the [nineteenth] century are not, perhaps, appreciated as much as they should be by British-orientated historians.

It is interesting to read in the Chronicle and Directory for 1873, published by the Hong Kong Daily Press, details of the United States Navy's Asiatic Station.

This first appeared in issue #1 of 'History Notes', compiled by the late Phillip Bruce. It is reproduced here on Gwulo by kind permission of Mr Bruce's family.

From Norman Leath, via Peter Starling comes a stirring account of the re-occupation of Hong Kong which appeared in the South China Morning Post of August 31, 1945.

"Hong Kong, lost to the British for almost four years, was recovered in August 1945. On the thirtieth of that month the raising of the Union Jack at Stanley Internment Camp officially signalised the restoration of British control.'