Outward bound.
The Defending Forces
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Page 7
The Canadian Troops Arrive
If indeed the men of the Royal Rifles were so poorly trained as
some have said, it is a testament to their courage that they fought so
long, so hard, and inflicted such devastating damage on the
battle-hardened Japanese Troops. For eighteen long days, they
fought some of the fiercest battles in WWII.
some have said, it is a testament to their courage that they fought so
long, so hard, and inflicted such devastating damage on the
battle-hardened Japanese Troops. For eighteen long days, they
fought some of the fiercest battles in WWII.
A Testament to Courage
From Newfoundland the Royal Rifles were sent to St. John, New
Brunswick for three weeks. From there they returned to Quebec
City for 48 hours' leave.
In October of 1941, the Royal Rifles of Canada said their
good-byes to loved ones and friends on the platform of the Gare du
Palais, the railroad station in Quebec City, and boarded a train for
the long journey West to Vancouver. There they joined up with the
Winnipeg Grenadiers, many of whom were suffering the effects of
dengue fever and malaria picked up while in the tropics. On
October 27, they boarded the Awatea, a converted cruise ship,
and accompanied by the H.M.C.S. Prince Robert set sail for
destinations unknown.
The Awatea carried 90 officers, a Headquarters staff and 2 nursing
sisters and 1,877 other ranks. The ship was so overcrowded that
49 Grenadiers and 1 Rifleman jumped ship in protest the night
before she sailed and had to be "persuaded" to re-board and make
the ill-fated journey. "C" Company of the Royal Rifles made the trip
aboard the Prince Robert under the command of Major W.A.
Bishop.
Rifleman Sydney Skelton was a short, slim 19 year-old man,
married for 10 months, with a baby on the way. He had
volunteered for service in Europe and had served a year in the army
when he found himself on the way to Asia with "D" Company of the
Royal Rifles of Canada. He remembered the first night aboard the
Awatea, "Things began to look pretty bad (the first night). Supper
time came and the lads waited hours for it and it turned out to be
tripe and onions." Even Brigadier W.J. Home commented about
things on board that night, "..things were in a hopeless muddle.", he
said.
Both ships sailed under sealed orders for security reasons. Their
final destination was unknown, even to the ship's captain. Some of
the men put two and two together and guessed that their destination
was somewhere tropical. They had been issued tropical uniforms,
were sailing from Vancouver...they were going someplace warm.
They did not know, or even guess, that it was to get deadly hot.
Brunswick for three weeks. From there they returned to Quebec
City for 48 hours' leave.
In October of 1941, the Royal Rifles of Canada said their
good-byes to loved ones and friends on the platform of the Gare du
Palais, the railroad station in Quebec City, and boarded a train for
the long journey West to Vancouver. There they joined up with the
Winnipeg Grenadiers, many of whom were suffering the effects of
dengue fever and malaria picked up while in the tropics. On
October 27, they boarded the Awatea, a converted cruise ship,
and accompanied by the H.M.C.S. Prince Robert set sail for
destinations unknown.
The Awatea carried 90 officers, a Headquarters staff and 2 nursing
sisters and 1,877 other ranks. The ship was so overcrowded that
49 Grenadiers and 1 Rifleman jumped ship in protest the night
before she sailed and had to be "persuaded" to re-board and make
the ill-fated journey. "C" Company of the Royal Rifles made the trip
aboard the Prince Robert under the command of Major W.A.
Bishop.
Rifleman Sydney Skelton was a short, slim 19 year-old man,
married for 10 months, with a baby on the way. He had
volunteered for service in Europe and had served a year in the army
when he found himself on the way to Asia with "D" Company of the
Royal Rifles of Canada. He remembered the first night aboard the
Awatea, "Things began to look pretty bad (the first night). Supper
time came and the lads waited hours for it and it turned out to be
tripe and onions." Even Brigadier W.J. Home commented about
things on board that night, "..things were in a hopeless muddle.", he
said.
Both ships sailed under sealed orders for security reasons. Their
final destination was unknown, even to the ship's captain. Some of
the men put two and two together and guessed that their destination
was somewhere tropical. They had been issued tropical uniforms,
were sailing from Vancouver...they were going someplace warm.
They did not know, or even guess, that it was to get deadly hot.
On November 16th., 1941 the Canadian
troops reached Hong Kong and paraded
smartly through the streets, were greeted
by Hong Kong Governor, Sir Mark
Young and the new GOC of British
forces in China, Major-General
Christopher M. Maltby. The Canadians
arrival brought the total number of
troops available to protect the colony to
14,000.
troops reached Hong Kong and paraded
smartly through the streets, were greeted
by Hong Kong Governor, Sir Mark
Young and the new GOC of British
forces in China, Major-General
Christopher M. Maltby. The Canadians
arrival brought the total number of
troops available to protect the colony to
14,000.
On the November 16th,, 1941, the men of the Royal Rifles of
Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers had no idea they were
shortly to endure the most incredible hardships and dangers of their
lives. They were about to write a chapter in Canadian Military
history that gives truth to the motto of the Royal Rifles, "Volens et
Valens", "Able and Willing".
The British Crown Colony of Hong Kong and The New Territories
consisted of 1060 square kilometers of rugged terrain. The Island
of Hong Kong was jagged. The hills were steep, with deep
canyons, narrow ravines and miles of concrete water catchments
which crisscrossed the island.
Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers had no idea they were
shortly to endure the most incredible hardships and dangers of their
lives. They were about to write a chapter in Canadian Military
history that gives truth to the motto of the Royal Rifles, "Volens et
Valens", "Able and Willing".
The British Crown Colony of Hong Kong and The New Territories
consisted of 1060 square kilometers of rugged terrain. The Island
of Hong Kong was jagged. The hills were steep, with deep
canyons, narrow ravines and miles of concrete water catchments
which crisscrossed the island.
The Defending Forces
Before the Canadians' arrival, the area the British had 12,000
troops to defend the entire area and they were truly a mixed
assortment. There were at least 16 units from every branch of the
military. Of those about 10,000 were professional soldiers. The rest
were recently activated militia units such as the Royal Rifles, The
Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defense
Force. The famous 2nd Battalion of the Royal Scots, Britain's
Senior Regiment of the Line, and the highly regarded 5/7 Punjabis
and the 2/14 Rajputs, had a long and proud history of service, but
even they had lost top officers and NCO's who had been sent back
to England as instructors. They, along with the 1st. Battalion of the
Middlesex (Machine Gun) Regiment, they were meant to be the
backbone of the defense.
The Royal Navy was represented by the destroyer Thracian,
several gunboats, a flotilla of motor torpedo boats, and two
minesweepers. These vessels were all that was left in Hong Kong
of the mighty China Squadron. The Royal Air Force contingent had
at its disposal three ancient Wildebeest torpedo bombers, and two
Walrus amphibians with which to defend the entire airspace. The
aircraft were flown by 7 officers and serviced by 108 airmen.
Keeping the planes in the air was difficult as the nearest RAF base
was 2200 kilometers away in Malaya, a long way to go for spare
parts.
The Hong Kong Volunteer Defense Force under the command of
Colonel Henry Rose were, according to some, "an old boys club,
better suited to playing bridge or cricket than to fighting a war".
They were, for the most part, machine gun companies, anti-aircraft,
and coastal defense artillery batteries. They aged from 19 to 60
years When the time came for these "bridge and cricket players" to
show their stuff their courage and determination was remarkable.
The defenders were, according to Carl Vincent in his book, No
Reason Why, " .... hardly a combination likely to make an efficient
fighting force".
Before the Canadians' arrival, the area the British had 12,000
troops to defend the entire area and they were truly a mixed
assortment. There were at least 16 units from every branch of the
military. Of those about 10,000 were professional soldiers. The rest
were recently activated militia units such as the Royal Rifles, The
Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defense
Force. The famous 2nd Battalion of the Royal Scots, Britain's
Senior Regiment of the Line, and the highly regarded 5/7 Punjabis
and the 2/14 Rajputs, had a long and proud history of service, but
even they had lost top officers and NCO's who had been sent back
to England as instructors. They, along with the 1st. Battalion of the
Middlesex (Machine Gun) Regiment, they were meant to be the
backbone of the defense.
The Royal Navy was represented by the destroyer Thracian,
several gunboats, a flotilla of motor torpedo boats, and two
minesweepers. These vessels were all that was left in Hong Kong
of the mighty China Squadron. The Royal Air Force contingent had
at its disposal three ancient Wildebeest torpedo bombers, and two
Walrus amphibians with which to defend the entire airspace. The
aircraft were flown by 7 officers and serviced by 108 airmen.
Keeping the planes in the air was difficult as the nearest RAF base
was 2200 kilometers away in Malaya, a long way to go for spare
parts.
The Hong Kong Volunteer Defense Force under the command of
Colonel Henry Rose were, according to some, "an old boys club,
better suited to playing bridge or cricket than to fighting a war".
They were, for the most part, machine gun companies, anti-aircraft,
and coastal defense artillery batteries. They aged from 19 to 60
years When the time came for these "bridge and cricket players" to
show their stuff their courage and determination was remarkable.
The defenders were, according to Carl Vincent in his book, No
Reason Why, " .... hardly a combination likely to make an efficient
fighting force".
