Media

HKU Faculty of Architecture to release research findings on WWII Defense Structures in Hong Kong

06 Dec 2011

The Faculty of Architecture of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) will hold a press conference on the 70^th anniversary of the Battle of Hong Kong on December 8 (Thursday) to release findings of a comprehensive survey on the British and Japanese World War II military installations in Hong Kong.

The press conference is also held with a view to arousing the public and the government's awareness and interest in properly utilizing historical heritage and to discuss the need of a proper conservation policy for the territory's military heritage.

An inter-disciplinary research team of the Faculty, in collaboration with experts and enthusiasts in the community, has taken years to conduct land surveys on key military structures including gun batteries, pillboxes, firing trenches and tunnels along the defense lines at war and at major battlefields. The military installations to be particularly presented are the battlefields of Shing Mun Redoubt along the "Gin Drinker's Line" and Wong Nai Chung Gap.

A total of 77 pillboxes have been identified along the Gin Drinker's Line, which was called "The Maginot of the East" and a major line of defense constructed in New Territories south to fence against the Japanese invasions into the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong. After the war, contradictory accounts have been presented on the quick defeat of the British army at the important battle of Shing Mun Redoubt, which led directly to the premature fall of the Kowloon Peninsula. Surveying of Redoubt there has provided insights on the flow of the battle and shed light on what actually happened in history. Moreover, at the critical battle on Hong Kong Island at Wong Nai Chung Gap, the invaders suffered high casualties due to two pillboxes held by the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. GIS analysis there has provided further evidence on the historicity of the bravery of the defenders and effectiveness of the pillboxes in the battle.

The research team has also surveyed other gun batteries and redoubts over the territory and identified batteries which are little noticed in the past. More details will be released at the press conference scheduled as follows:

Date: 8 December 2011 (Thursday)
Time: 11am
Venue: Room 531, Knowles Building, HKU
Chairman: Professor David Lung, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture
Project manager: Professor Anita Liu
Presenters: Dr. Daniel Ho, Dr. Ho Yin Lee, and Professor Lawrence Lai

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk or Ms Melanie Wan (Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk