December 8-25, 1941 Gander with the Royal Rifles of Canada

 Hong Kong was seen by the Allies as a undesirable, un-defendable Allied outpost  In January of 1941 Major General Grasset convinced the allies that Hong Kong could and should be defended. The Allies partially agreed and increased Hong Kong’s garrison (a body of troops stationed in a fortified place) from 4 to 6.  In September of 1941 it was decided that Canadian troops would supply the 2 extra battalions, The Winnipeg Grenadiers and The Royal Rifles of Canada would join the Royal Scots, Punjab unit, Canadian signalers and Rajput unit, already stationed in Hong Kong.  The two supplied Canadian units were poorly trained and not ready for battle. The Grenadiers had just returned from a garrison station in Jamaica and The RRC had been stationed in Newfoundland.  In October of 1941 the two units arrived in Hong Kong, 1975 of them in all, along with 2 nursing sisters, two dentists with the Canadian Dental Corp, 3 priests and one Newfoundland Retriever.

 8 Dec 1941  The Japanese crossed the border at first light. Kai Tak airport was bombed at 8 am and the RAF effectively put out of action. By last light, the screen force had retreated to the FoTan Valley, a milke north east of Sha Tin. By dawn they were established on Tau Fung Shan Ridge. In the east, the Japanese had reached Tai Po. In the west they had occupied the summit of Tai Mo Shan.  9 Dec 1941  The Japanese occupied Sha Tin and Needle Hill. During that night the attack on the Shing Mun Redoubt began.  10 Dec 1941  The Shing Mun Redoubt was captured. The defence plan was now in ruins and it was decided to evacuate the island.  11 Dec 1941  An intense Japanese bombardment broke the new line in the west. Golden Hill fell to the enemy. At noon evacuation was ordered : a) Rajputs and Punjabis to evacuate via Devils Peak peninsula to Lyemun b) The remainder to evacuate via Shamshuipo and Star Ferry Movement was to begin at last light.  12 Dec 1941  In spite of heavy artillery bombardment the evacuation began that evening.  13 Dec 1941  Evacuation completed. Japanese demand surrender and are refused.  15/16 Dec 1941  Some boats were fired on near Lyemun.  17 Dec 1941  Japanese again demand surrender.  18 Dec 1941  Japanese landed on Hong Kong Island after dark.  19 Dec 1941  Japanese captured Wong Nei Chung Gap, Mt. Parker, Mt Butler, and Jardines Lookout. They also controlled the Tai Tam Valley  20 Dec 1941  Japanese reached Repulse Bay  22 Dec 1941  The Ridge was evacuated.  Dec 1941  Fighting centered round Stanley Mound and Stanley itself.  24 Dec 1941  Leighton Hill fell.  25 Dec 1941  General Maltby surrendered. The written order reached Brig. Wallis just after midnight.

 At the end of the battle 290 Canadians were dead and 493 were wounded.  On December 24 th, one day before the surrender the Japanese attacked a hospital killing all those who were too wounded to leave their beds, and assaulting and killing nurses. This was only the beginning of the cruelty.  One thing to keep in mind, is that back in Canada Canadian born Japanese were being interned in camps by the Canadian Gov., while all their goods and business were seized by the Gov. and sold. War is not black and white.  For three and a half years Canadian POW’s were kept in some of the most inhuman disgusting conditions found in the war. They worked 12 hours a day in mines wired with explosives in the event that the Japanese lost the war. They survived on less than 800 calories a day.  One member of the Winnipeg Grenadiers had his 23 rd birthday on December the 7 th, one day before the battle, he was married for 2 weeks before he left for Hong Kong. He would spend his next 4 birthdays as a POW. He left Canada as a 6”2, 180 lb man and would return weighing a meager 101 lbs. 

More than 550 of the 1975 Canadians who left from Vancouver in October of 1941 would not return.

 Newfoundland Retriever. Mascot for the RRC.  Became a war hero when he retrieved a grenade thrown into Brigade headquarters during the battle. Upon retrieving it from an area that the men could not reach Gander ran away from the headquarters and his men ultimately saving them from the blast of the grenade, he died in the process.  Gander was known to charge the Japanese soldiers in order to protect his wounded men.  In 2000 after many reviews of eye witness accounts Gander was awarded the Dickens medal posthumously for 'displaying conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst serving with British Commonwealth armed forces or civil emergency services.‘  The Dickens medal is the equivalent to the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy.

The Royal Rifles of Canada

Pre-war party in Jamaica (The Winnipeg Grenadiers)

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When: December 8 th -25 th 1941 Where : The Chinese island of Hong Kong What : The Japanese invasion of the poorly defended allied outpost Why : Japanese imperialistic takeover of Asia and the Oceanus Outcome : The allies defending Hong Kong surrendered on December 25th Significance : - The allies realized how powerful the Japanese military was - Further land was lost by the allies in China and the Oceanus, the Japanese gained further military outposts, rich in resources. - Canadian soldiers were kept as POW’s for 3 and half, almost 4 years.