"Hong Kong 1941–45" Topic

"On 8th December 1941, as part of the simultaneous combined attack against Pearl Harbor, the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) invaded the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia and the British colony of Hong Kong. After only 18 days of battle the defenders, a weak, undermanned brigade, were overwhelmed by a superior force of two battle-hardened IJA divisions. What defines the battle of Hong Kong was not the scale – just 14,000 defended the colony – but the intensity of this battle, fought not only by the British Army, Navy and Air Force but also Canadians, Hong Kong's own defence force, the Indian Army and many civilians. The campaign itself is characterized by a fierce land battle, with long artillery duals and as well as fast naval actions with intense actions at the Gin Drinkers Line as well as the battle of Wong Nai Chung Gap where a handful of defenders took on an entire Japanese regiment. Less known but equally important are individual acts valour such as CSM John Robert Osborne winning a posthumous VC, throwing himself over a Japanese grenade to save fellow combatants."

From here
link

I'm looking forward for this book.

Amicalement
Armand

Much thanks for posting this Tango. I am definitely looking forward to this. My dad was only 5 at the time, and he remembers on the morning of 8th December he was brushing his teeth when he looked up and saw a fireball rising from the direction of the airport – the beginning of the first wave of Japanese air raids.

And later on when the Japanese occupied the city, a bullet missed taking dad's head off by a couple of feet when he and one of his brother were sneaking a peek from their 4th floor window at one of the Japanese sentry posted at the street corner nearby, only to be shot at by the soldier.

Glad you enjoyed it my friend.
Strong anecdote!

Amicalement
Armand

It's been out since November 2013.

Chapters and Amazon have it showing as available June 17 – now to see what else I "need" to get free shipping…

Thanks for posting that Armand, you cost me money again ! :-)

Taskforce – has your Dad written his recollections of the occupation? If he has I'd be fascinated to read them.

Thanks Tango.