Sham Shui Po was a Good Layout

Heroes Remember

Sham Shui Po was a Good Layout

Transcript

Well, first impression was a good impression. The quarters were excellent, better than we had in Canada. We had, particularly for administrative purposes, each company had its’ own storage, we didn’t have to all work out of one building so that was great. The barracks were much better and more spacious than we had in Canada. That’s where the two battalions, it was designed for two infantry battalions and it was well designed, I thought. Interviewer: As the quarter-master, what duties did you take on once you arrived at Sham Shui Po Barracks? Well, you’re in charge of feeding the men and getting everything they need. We were there about three weeks before the hostilities started and we had our stores pretty well in order, each company, I had distributed and each company had their own stores. That took an awful load off me, now they’re yours, you administer them, use them as you needed.

Description

Mr. Hurd says that from his perspective Sham Shui Po was well laid out and spacious enough to accommodate the two Canadian regiments and their respective stores.

Lionel Hurd

Lionel Hurd was born on February 3, 1907 in Maple Leaf, P.Q. He was the eldest of three sons. After finishing school he went to work in a lumber yard, and then out to the gold mines in Kirkland Lake. In 1936 he became a surveyor. Despite being married with two children, Mr. Hurd enlisted in 1940, serving as a Captain at an internment camp near Quebec City. He then took a demotion to Lieutenant in order to join the Royal Rifles. Mr. Hurd was soon a Captain acting as regimental quartermaster. After the fall of Hong Kong, he was fortunate to be imprisoned with the other officers, thus avoiding much of the misery experienced by the non-commissioned ranks.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Recorded:: February 2, 2005
Duration:: 1:24
Person Interviewed:: Lionel Hurd
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Hong Kong
Battle/Campaign:: Hong Kong
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Royal Rifles of Canada
Rank:: Captain

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Mr. Hurd discusses being offered a Captain's commission to serve at an alien internment camp near Quebec City. Later he takes a demotion to lieutenant to join the Royal Rifles. He eventually becomes a regimental quartermaster, regaining his rank of Captain.

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Mr. Hurd discusses the failure of the Canadian army's heavy trucks and equipment to arrive in Hong Kong. He makes the point that the troop ship had plenty of room in her hold to carry several Bren gun carriers, which Mr. Hurd feels would have greatly aided the defense of Hong Kong.

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Mr. Hurd discusses his officer's relief at the Hong Kong's surrender, as he had felt the battle was futile and would cost too many unnecessary deaths among his men. The Royal Rifles were, ironically, the last Commonwealth regiment to lay down their arms.

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Mr. Hurd describes North Point as a filthy nightmare. The diet consisted of rice contaminated with rat feces, and boiled lettuce-like greens. Yams were an occasional treat.

No Medications

Mr. Hurd discusses the Japanese denial of medications to the Canadian POWs. He also accuses his captors of stealing a relief shipment of food and medicine from the Red Cross.

The War Ends

Mr. Hurd describes hearing about the atomic bombs dropped on Japan, and senses that the war is over. His officer challenges the Japanese commandant about his authority, and the Japanese soon all disappear.

Date modified:: 2019-04-03