There Was a Misconception of the Japanese Ability to Fight

Heroes Remember

There Was a Misconception of the Japanese Ability to Fight

Transcript

I was in a movie, and it came on the screen to all military personnel, “report to their headquarters,” and then we went up to Wong Nai Chung Gap on December the 7th. It was a high point in the Island where it sloped off one side and down the other. Originally, there was quite a bit of controversy as to why Brigadier Lawson would have the West Brigade headquarters at Wong Nai Chung Gap, but let’s face it, the pillboxes and everything else were there because they kind of anticipated the Japanese would come in from the seaside and not from the Kowloon side. They made a big mistake there. There was a misconception of the Japanese ability to fight, and rumours spread rampantly about, well, they can’t see too well and they’re little short types that didn’t fight, but one thing they knew to do was to obey orders. And, if one fellow was killed, the other one would go over, if he was killed on top of him . . . until they took the place. They started to come, shortly after the landing. The British troops and some of the Grenadiers were supposedly to be holding them back, you know, but they just progressed all through and started to come along Jardine’s Lookout, which was opposite, in the valley on the opposite side there, and that’s when the fun really started. The Japanese established a machine gun post right behind the cook house, at brigade headquarters, and had command of pretty well anything. We had, to begin with, when we saw them coming in, we could shoot across the valley, or the Gap if you wish to call it that, and we made some casualties but they just kept coming along, and then when they started up with the machine gun, you had to keep your head down pretty well. But I would like to read that report if you wouldn’t mind. As the war progressed, the brigade headquarters was subjected to enemy artillery fire although no casualties were inflicted by such action at that time. English troops were fighting a retreating battle from the New Territories bordered down into Kowloon. ‘D’ Company of the Grenadiers were moved from the brigade headquarters to assist in this action, and after the evacuation of the mainland to the Island, this company did not return in full to Wong Nai Chung Gap and consequently the defence of the Headquarters was up to two platoons of Grenadiers, headquarter staff, and a few others that drifted in. The Japs landed on the Island on the night of the 18th of December. We were on continuous stand to from then on. Just after dawn on the morning of the 19th, a large body of Japs were engaged coming along to Cecil’s Ride, a path-like road halfway up Jardine’s Lookout. Their objective was to take the machine gun pillbox on the top of this hill. We were given artillery support that morning by the Hong Kong Singapore Royal Artillery. With this support and the fire from our Bren guns and rifles, many casualties were inflicted upon the enemy. However, they finally achieved their objective. By about 10 o’clock, Major Linden and a captain in the Royal Artillery attached from the Hong Kong volunteers, and I think his name was Captain Fox, decided to see if they could find a way out that was not covered by Japs in order that the headquarters could get out. Previous to this, Captain Bush had gone across the road to where the remnants of “D” Company were and the majority of the men were concentrated. Two platoons had endeavoured to fight their way out. I don't know exactly what happened as far as they were concerned. Soon after, Major Linden and Captain Fox made their way directly up the hill above the brigade headquarters. A volley of fire was heard and the only indication they got was the squealing of Captain Fox’s springer spaniel that accompanied them.

Description

Mr. Barton describes being deployed to the Wong Nai Chung Gap, the underestimation of the enemy and being surrounded. (Includes an excerpt from a report Mr. Barton authored in 1945.)

Thomas Barton

Thomas Barton was born in Victoria, British Columbia, on June 8, 1920. His father worked as the Deputy Registrar with the Supreme Court in Victoria. After attending high school, Mr. Barton worked for the Victoria Times, a local newspaper before joining the Underwood Typewriter Company. He enlisted in September, 1939 as a staff clerk. Upon reaching Hong Kong, Mr. Barton was attached to Brigade Headquarters. Despite minimal training, he was compelled by heavy Canadian losses to assume a combat role. After the surrender of Hong Kong, he spent time in North Point and Sham Shui Po, POW camps in the colony, and was then sent to the Japanese labour camps, Sendai being the last. Mr. Barton feels that the Canadian Government was remiss in not recognizing the Veterans of Hong Kong much sooner than it did.

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