The night passed without incident and on getting up the next morning (20th) I found it was drizzling. There was no sound of firing from Wongneichong Gap and it appeared that the Japanese now held the Police Station, Tinson’s house ((Postbridge)) and the Pillbox as we could see them wandering around quite casually.
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In the meantime, Colonel Tanaka was sending his advance party along the Wongneichong reservoir catchwater, above the Ridge. They reached a point above Repulse Bay Hotel soon after dawn on the 20th; they attacked, and by 9.30 the same morning, the hotel was surrounded and the garage was in enemy hands.
((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))
On the 20th, the Japanese occupied the D'Aguilar peninsular and deployed field artillery, to pour shells into the Stanley defences across Ty Tam Bay. They also launched an attack on Red Hill and Ty Tam. Heavy fighting took place around these areas, but the enemy was held for two days. Meanwhile, in the Western end of the Island, they were pressing forward as far as Happy Valley Racecourse, Jardine’s Lookout, and Wong Nei Chong Gap. The latter was a heavily defended area and fierce fighting took place in that region.
The next day and onwards we recieved frequent visits but on each occasion we went out in a body out onto the lawn, The behaviour of the Japanese was insulting and threatening. On the 20th December we heard men on the path and on swiching on all lights went into the hall and were there threatened by Japanese with bayonets.
Tony Banham gives a concise explanation of the military developments that are going to unfold from now until the surrender:
As they remove the defenders from the north-south road, the Japanese, are simultaneously pushing westwards towards Central {then Victoria}, and south towards Stanley.
A queer jumble of a morning. We began by accompanying A.S.P. Searle, one of the police who went out and did things, on an anti-sniping raid at Happy Valley. All this proving another rumour we returned and almost at once set off on an anti-looting expedition. This was taking place at the French Store in Queen’s Road but the shooting of one and arrest of another, a member of the A.P.S. who, in company with the Police, were having as much as anyone under the guise of escorting it into lorries stowed that.
| ((Original text)) | ((Jill Fell's translation)) |
| Dès hier soir le bruit a couru que les Japonais avaient tenté de prendre pied sur l’île du côté de Causeway Bay et Happy Valley… Ce matin la canonnade a repris, violente, vers 7h30, mais cette fois accompagnée d’une fusillade intense et d’un tac-tac incessant de mitrailleuses. Tout indique que c’est une bataille qui se livre. Depuis hier soir nous n’avons plus d’électricité ; à partir de ce soir, nous n’avons plus d’eau courante. |
A very foggy morning, brightened by the appearance of a hawker selling milk. We did not ask its source. Distantly, the battle in the hills went on all day, but it is a strangely quiet night.
It is now difficult to get food. A hawker sold bread at $1.50 a pound and a little pork could be got at $5 per pound limited to a quarter pound to each customer. The newspapers noted that there is no fresh fish in the central market, only dried fish. Firewood is also hard to get, and the Food Control is distributing cooked rice.
The tempo of the enemy’s offensive is increasing - air activity considerable, Jubilee and Mount Davis seem to be getting it. Spent morning at the office - rumours coming in thick and fast. The enemy, it appears, have landed considerable reinforcements and are advancing somewhere near Wong Nei Cheong, also they seem to have infiltrated near Tai Tam.
This day started badly . A bomb exploded outside No. 5 Ward , about 12 ft . from its wall . The blast shattered a number of the ' typhoon doors ' and filled the ward with acrid smoke and dust . The main water and sewage pipes were fractured , which meant that the kitchens and lavatories of Nos . 5 and 6 Wards were out of action .
There were no casualties from this explosion .
On reaching Stanley ((Fort)) we settled down on the verandah of one of the married quarters and slept until dawn. As soon as it is daylight, all hands set to issuing tinned rations, etc. which have been stored in the quarter’s, I drive the lorry accompanied by Hammond and Tuck to the WO’s ((Warrant Officer’s)) quarters which overlook the sea, to fetch some cases of tinned rations.
N.T.C.
Saturday 20/12/41
Sweetheart,
This was the day on which I was going to win a "packet" at the Races and fly to see you at dawn tomorrow!
Returned to Stanley 9AM for food, clean up & to await fresh orders.
Remained in Club (H.Q.) all night.
Japs shelled & bombed during the day.
Quiet night.
I went to Confession at French Mission building at top of Battery Path – a young Irish priest stopped me (and others passing) and asked if I was RC and would I like to go to Confession. Inside on ground floor a priest was hearing confessions. Because Holy Communion would not be given immediately, I left without receiving it. Olive and I had exchanged tin helmets on account of size difficulties. I now felt horribly conspicuous in a red steel one.
The next morning (21st) was a better day. The Japanese by this time were using the catchwater like a highway; they had erected a tent just below the Pillbox, and they had their flags spread out on the slopes of Mount Nicholson to indicate their position to their airmen who were flying around all day as they wished.
In the northern sector, the Japanese had pushed forward vigorously at Mount Nicholson and Black’s Link, and by 8.15 on the morning of the 21st, were dug in on the Eastern slope of Mount Nicholson.
Some of our troops, falling back from Wong Nei Chong, took up positions at 'The Ridge', a group of houses on the way towards Repulse Bay. On the 21st December, the enemy strongly attacked this position. Eventually it fell, the Japanese killed the wounded and other troops captured were taken later to ‘Eucliff’, a large house to the west of Repulse Bay. They were tied up and bayonetted at the edge of a cliff, their bodies being dumped over.
On the 21st. December 1941 a Gendarme Officer came and all Chinese were ordered to return to town and the party left under Dr.Choy. At about 5pm. the Europeans left Woodside by car and were taken to the Tsang Fook Piano companies office before being taken to the Duro Paint Factory on Marble Road. Our quarters there were on the concrete Mezzanine office entrance floor. We were joined by other refugees, Strive ((possibly R A Stride)), 2nd.
Today the Japanese defeat the last attempt to relieve Wong Nai Chung Gap and the island is now irrevocably cut in half. Japanese troops land in Causeway Bay headed for Victoria {now Central}. Governor Sir Mark Young sends a telegram to the Admiralty saying that the enemy holds key positions and soon the defenders will be reduced to holding 'a small pocket in centre of city leaving bulk of fixed population to be overrun'. He seeks permission to 'ask terms' before that happens.
This morning saw us out early at Aberdeen, Betty Kendal having been installed in the Gloucester with her friends of the previous evening. Arriving there we found it a pretty lively spot with what seemed to me a fair amount of trench mortar and serial bombing going on. Since the French was not available, arrangements had been made for us to use M.T.B.10 (Lieut.