The Lasting Honour: The Fall of Hong Kong, 1941

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香港淪陷記 一九四一年 '... Every day that you are able to maintain your resistance you and your men can win the lasting honour which we are sure will be your due.' - Winston S. Churchill. 21 Decemeber, 1941 On Christmas Day, 1941, the six British Empire and Commonwealth Battalions defending Hong Kong surrendered to the Japanses. In all, the fighting lasted just eighteen days. The events leading up to and including the attack on this Crown Colony were reviewed, in the light of penetrating new information, by Lt. Col. Lindsay. From Spring 1941 onwards, the risk of threat loomed large over Hong Kong. On one hand the colony refused to face the realities of war, on the other, it desperately needed military reinforcements to face the inevitable attack. By the time raw Canadian troops arrived at the garrison it was days away from an aerial attack which marked the beginning the end. The story of the courage and bravery of those who defended Hong Kong, and the aftermath that followed, is a moving tribute to our men in the Far East in their most heroic hour. 'Lindsay does full justice to those who fought to the end to stave off inevitable defeat.' - Daily Telegraph 'Masterly' - Financial Times "Well-researched, readable and compassionate" - New Statesman Front Cover Oliver Lindsay Full Title Page Copyright To Clare Contents List of Illustrations List of Maps (drawn by Denys Baker) Acknowledgements Prologue HONG KONG AND THE FAR EAST (MAP) 1 The Strategic Liability 2 'The Canadians are Coming' HONG KONG AND THE NEW TERRITORIES 8-12 DECEMBER 1941 (MAP) 3 Hong Kong 4 The Enemy at the Gates 5 'Just the Usual Crisis' 6 Withdrawal to the Gin Drinkers Line 8.00 am 8 December 一 9.00 pm 9 December 7 The Battle for the Mainland 9.00 pm 9 December - Midday 11 December 8 Nothing but Darkness Ahead Midday 11 December — 9.30 am 13 December 9 'Clay Pigeons in a Shooting Range' 9.30 am 13 December —7.00 pm 18 December HONG KONG ISLAND (MAP) 10 The Japanese Landings 7.00 pm 18 December 一 7.00 pm 19 December 11 Numb Despair 19 一 20 December 12 'Tell my Wife I Love Her' 一 the Battle for Repulse Bay 6.00 am 20 December 一 6.00 am 23 December REPULSE BAY AND STANLEY PENINSULA (MAP) 13 The Japanese Advance West Dawn 20 December 一 Christmas Eve 14 The Odds and Sods Z Company 1 Middlesex 20 — 24 December 15 Christmas Day 1941 16 Surrender 17 Imprisonment 18 They Escaped 19 Occupation and Liberation CAUSES OF THE DEFEAT AFTERMATH THE LASTING HONOUR Sources References Bibliography Selected Articles Despatches Diaries (Excluding those still in private possession.) Glossary Index Back Cover