After the Second World War and the end of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the British military reestablished a presence. As a result of the Chinese Civil War, the British Army raised the 40th Infantry Division and dispatched it to garrison Hong Kong. It later left for combat in the Korean War, and the defense of the territory was taken up by additional British forces who were rotated from Europe. The garrison was further supplemented by LEPs,[2] and Gurkhas. The latter came from Nepal, but formed part of the British Army. The size of the garrison during the Cold War fluctuated and ended up being based around one brigade.
The Royal Hong Kong Regiment, a military unit which was part of the Hong Kong Government, was trained and organised along the lines of a British Territorial Army unit. As such, it was supported by British Army regular personnel holding key positions. These British Army personnel, for their duration of service to the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, were seconded to the Hong Kong Government. In the post-WWII era, the majority of the regiment's members were local citizens of Chinese descent.
Before 1 July 1997, the British government had the political commitment to safeguard the territory against external and internal threats. Commonwealth forces were also deployed to station in the territory shortly before the Second World War. The greatest test was in 1941, when Japanese forces invaded Hong Kong, leading to the 44-month-long Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.
Internal Security was the responsibility of the Hong Kong Government, in particular the Royal Hong Kong Police. It was supported by British Forces in Hong Kong should it be called upon to do so. During the Hong Kong 1967 riots, in which 51 people were killed, the British garrison supported the Royal Hong Kong Police in quelling the disturbance. Until 1995, the safety of much of the Sino-Hong Kong border was the responsibility of the British forces and as such contributed greatly to the interdiction of illegal immigrants (II). As the preparation of the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, that responsibility was passed on to the Hong Kong Police.
The Royal Navy played a significant role in the support of the Royal Hong Kong Police in anti smuggling operation in Hong Kong waters, especially in the heyday of seaborne smuggling during the mid-1980s to mid-1990s.
Search and Rescue (SAR) was provided by all branches of the British Forces in Hong Kong may be called upon for aid to civil defence as well as search and rescue operations in times of emergency.
Prior to 1990–1991, British Forces (British Army) was responsible for patrolling and enforcing border control between Hong Kong and China. This role was passed on the Hong Kong Police Force years before the handover in 1997. Some HK nationals who served in the British military were deployed overseas, including Operation Granby.[3]
The territory has nevertheless maintained a Government Flying Service, formerly the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, that is responsible for search and rescue operations, air ambulance services, and other air services for the Hong Kong Government. The GFS also took over some responsibilities from the Royal Air Force and the Army Air Corps.[4] The Hong Kong Police Force also has a highly trained and equipped counter terrorism unit, the Special Duties Unit, trained by United Kingdom's SAS and SBS, and a Marine Police force. These forces have been heavily armed since before the handover in 1997, and are within the portfolio of the Secretary for Security (which, before 1973, was named Secretary for Defence).
The Governor of Hong Kong, being a representative of the British sovereign, was the Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in the colony. The Governor was advised by the Commander British Forces in Hong Kong (CBF) on all military actions. During the 1980s and 1990s, the CBF was normally a career Major General or Lieutenant General from the British Army. Until 1966, the CBF was an ex-officio member of the Legislative Council.[6]
Throughout the years of British rule in Hong Kong, a variety of British Army units spent various periods of time in the colony as resident units. In latter stages of the post-war period, British army units were sent to Hong Kong on a rotational basis for a period of three years. The following list contains resident units only and those which stayed in Hong Kong for short durations for re-supply or acclimatisation during the Korean War, Opium War, Boxer Rebellion and the Malayan Emergency are not included in the list. The majority of infantry battalions were Ghurkas who were permanently based in Hong Kong after Indian partition.
British Army formations
Major formations of the British Army in Hong Kong included:
Second World War
Headquarters, China Command (1939) - covered British military interests in: Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tientsin.
Hong Kong Infantry Brigade (This was the primary British garrison in Hong Kong prior to and during the Second World War)
Kowloon Infantry Brigade (This brigade was formed in 1941 after the garrison was reinforced)
C Force - Canadian Army's reinforcement under British Command during the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941.
Cold War
40th Division (reformed in 1949, dispatched to Korea in 1950)
1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment (1957-1958, amalgamated with The South Lancashire Regiment in HK to form The Lancashire Regiment.)
1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment (1958, amalgamated with The East Lancashire Regiment in HK to form The Lancashire Regiment.)
1st Battalion, Lancashire Regiment (1958-1961, formed in HK in 1958 with the amalgamation of The South Lancashire Regiment and The East Lancashire Regiment.)
4th Field Regiment, RA (1961-1964; HQ & 29 Bty at Fan Ling Camp, 88 Bty & 97 Bty at Dodwells Ridge Camp)
8th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery, Kowloon (1939 until captured by the Japanese in 1941)
5th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, RAF Kai Tak (circa 1939)
5th Field Regiment, RA (1958–1961; at Fanling Camp & Dodwells Ridge Camp)
14th Field Regiment, RA (1949–1951 at Gun Club Hill Barracks & Sek Kong; 1953–1955 at Quarry Bay Camp; 1960–1962 at Sek Kong)
15th Observation Battery and 173rd Locating Battery 1950 at Lo Wu Camp
15th Medium Regiment, RA (1955–1957; 7 and 38 Med Btys at Gun Club Hill Barracks)
18th Medium Regiment, RA (1966-1969; 40 and 52 Lt Btys at Borneo Lines, Sek Kong. RHQ disbanded in Hong Kong and Regiment placed into Suspended Animation.)
19th Field Regiment, RA (1956–1958; 25, 28 and 67 Fd Btys at Quarry Bay Camp and Sek Kong Camps)
20th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA (1952; 1953–1955, with 12, 45 and 107 Fd Btys at Sek Kong Camp, 1975–1976; disbanded in HK in 1976)
23rd Field Regiment, RA (1949–1952; 49, 50 and 69 Fld Btys at Quarry Bay Camp)
25th Field Regiment, RA (1947–1955; 35, 54 and 93 Fld Btys at Gun Hill Club Barracks; 1969–1971 at Borneo Lines, Sek Kong)
27th Heavy Regiment, RA (1949-1957; Redesignated 27th HAA Regt RA in 1950; 119 Bty to 34th LAA Regt RA in 1952; at Clear Water Bay and Stonecutters Island.)
32nd Medium Regiment, RA (1952-1954,74 and 98 Med Btys at Gun Club Hill Barracks; 1959–1961, 46, 50 and 74 Med Btys at Whitfield Barracks & Gun Club Hill Barracks)
34th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (1949-1952; 1961–1963, 11 and 58 LAA Btys at Gun Club Hill Barracks)
42nd Field Regiment, RA (1955–1956, with 68, 87 and 179 Fld Btys at Sek Kong Camp)
45th Field Regiment, RA (1951–1953 with 70, 116 and 176 Fld Btys; 1959–1961)
47th Coast Regiment, RA (1971-1973 with 3, 4 Lt and 31 Med Btys at Borneo Lines, Sek Kong)
49th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA (1957-1961, with 55, 127 and 143 Fld Btys at Borneo Lines, Sek Kong; 1964–1966, with 143 Bty at Dodwells Ridge Camp)
58th Medium Regiment, RA (1949–1951; with 118 and 175 Med Btys at Gun Club Hill Barracks)
72nd Light Anti-Air Regiment, RA (1952–1955, with 31, 206 and 216 LAA Btys at Gun Club Hill Barracks)
74th Light Anti-Air Regiment, RA (1955–1958, with 158 and 161 LAA Btys at Whitfield Camp)
Hong Kong Information Team - an internal-security, anti-smuggling and anti-illegal immigration intelligence unit under the Hong Kong Military Service Corps with Locally Enlisted Personnel (LEPS) of Chinese descent drawn from a number of British Army units.
Detachment, 71 Movement Control Squadron, RCT (circa 1965)
31 Regiment, RCT (1968 until disbandment in 1976)
29 Squadron, RCT (1965 until disbandment in 1993; Reduced to 414 Pack Transport Troop in 1968, reformed as a GT Sqn from the old island detachment of 56 Squadron the same year.)
414 Pack Transport Troop, 29 Squadron, RCT (1968-1976; Lo Wu Camp)
56 Squadron, RCT (disbanded in 1976, personnel absorbed by 29 Sqn RCT)
415 Maritime Troop (est. 1970s, came under command Gurkha Transport Regiment in 1976)
28 Squadron, Gurkha Transport Regiment (from 28 Company (MT) (Gurkha) RASC; 1965–1993)
31 Squadron, Gurkha Transport Regiment (relocated from Singapore to Hong Kong in 1971, disbanded in 1993))
Flagstaff House 1978 – former British Forces HQ and known as Headquarters House 1846–1932 and built for Major General George Charles D'Aguilar; now known as Museum of Teaware.
Gallipoli Lines – Sha Tau Kok Road in Fanling, formerly San Wai Camp; San Wai/Tai Ling Range.
The Former Explosives Magazine complex, which is now part of the Asia Society Hong Kong Center.
Cassels Block - Originally named Block C, the former barracks for married British officers. The building is now the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre. Likely named after Sir Robert Cassels, British Indian Army officer and Viceroy of India.
Rawlinson House - the former residence of the Deputy Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong. Now a marriage registry. Two Warrant Officers' Married Quarters were integrated with it into a single building in the 1960s.
Wavell House - former quarters for married British officers, converted in 1991 into the aviary support centre (Education Centre).
Montgomery Block - currently home to Mother's Choice Limited.
Roberts Block - now the Jockey Club New Life Hostel of the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association.
Alexander Block - Demolished.
Birdwood Block - married officers' quarters, Demolished.
Colvin Block - used by the Women's Royal Army Corps, now the site of the British Council and British Consulate-General complex.
Freyberg Block - was HQ Intelligence Services. Demolished.
Gort Block - living quarters. Demolished.
Hamilton Block - returned to the Hong Kong Government in 1967. Demolished.
Kitchener Block - accommodation for school teachers. Demolished.
Queen's Line - now Ching Yi To Barracks of the People's Liberation Army.
North Barracks 1840s–1887 – to the RN 1887–1959 and Hong Kong Government 1959–
The Royal Navy and Royal Marines was stationed in Hong Kong right from the beginning of the establishment of Hong Kong as a British Colony. For the most part, the Royal Naval base was located in Hong Kong Island at HMS Tamar. The Prince of Wales Building was added later in the 1970s. Before the handover, the naval base was moved to Stonecutters Island next to the Government docks.
RN and RFA ships visited or posted to Hong Kong prior to the Second World War:
Base of RAF in Kai Tak (1945)A Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air ForceAerospatiale Dauphin helicopter leaving its hangar during a Search and Rescue exercise in 1982.The survivors of a simulated aircraft crash are hoisted aboard a Royal Air Force Westland Wessex HC Mk 2 helicopter from No. 28 (AC) Squadron in 1983.
The Royal Air Force was the smallest contingent of the British Forces and was stationed in both Kai Tak Airport as well as the airfield in the New Territories known as Sek Kong.
No. 28 (AC) Squadron[8] and the larger Royal Air Force infrastructure located to RAF Sek Kong in the late 1970s leaving Royal Air Force logistics elements to maintain operations at Kai Tak, e.g. RAF movers and suppliers remained to maintain the logistical link between RAF Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. The squadron flew up to 8 Westland Wessex HC Mk 2 helicopters from RAF Sek Kong. Tasks included support of the civil power, support of the British Forces and search and rescue.
About 20 years later, RAF personnel returned from Sek Kong to Kai Tak, mounting operations from that airport in the months prior to the 1997 handover.
In addition, the Hong Kong Government also maintained an "airforce". This airforce as per the land unit of RHKR (V), was an arm of the Hong Kong Government, supported by RAF personnel seconded to serve in the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force.
No. 117 Signals Unit (Tai Mo Shan), w.e.f. January 1959 when it was relocated from Mount Davis (West end of Hong Kong Island)
ASF (Catering Squadron)
GEF (Ground Radio)
Medical Supply Squadron
No. 444 Signals Unit (Stanley Fort), 1971 to 1977
Sources indicate that 444 Signals Unit (SU) formed officially within No. 90 (Signals) Group RAF, Strike Command with effect from 16 August 1971, and was established as a lodger unit at Stanley Fort, Hong Kong. The primary role of 444 SU was to act as a ground station for the Skynet satellite communications system, responsibility for operating the Skynet system having been vested in the RAF in the late 1960s, under the Rationalisation of Inter Services Telecommunications (RISTACOM) agreement. It would appear that the equipment operated by 444 SU had been located previously at RAF Bahrain (HMS Jufair).
On 1 May 1972, No. 90 (Signals) Group was transferred from RAF Strike Command to RAF Maintenance Command and as a consequence 444 SU became a Maintenance Command unit on this date. On 31 August 1973, both 90 (Signals) Group and Maintenance Command were disbanded, to be replaced on the following day by the new RAF Support Command. All of the units and locations previously controlled by the disbanded formations were transferred to Support Command with effect from 1 September 1973 and 444 SU therefore became a Support Command unit. This was to prove short-lived, however, for on 1 November 1973, 444 SU and the unit responsible for maintaining the Skynet ground station at RAF Gan – 6 SU – were both transferred to the command of the Air Officer Commanding in Chief Near East Air Force (NEAF). At this time 444 SU and 6 SU formed part of the Defence Communications Network (DCN) and the DCN elements of both units came under the functional control of the Controller DCN, Ministry of Defence.
On 1 August 1975, administrative and engineering responsibility for all of the units of RAF Hong Kong, including 444 SU, were transferred from NEAF to RAF Strike Command – functional control of these units being retained by the Vice Chief of the Air Staff via Commander RAF Hong Kong. Subsequently, with the disbandment of HQ NEAF on 31 March 1976, control of RAF Hong Kong and its component units were transferred in total to Strike Command. On 28 March 1976, RAF Gan closed and 6 SU disbanded formally on the same date, the latter's satellite communications equipment being transferred to 444 SU.
444SU was hosted at Stanley Fort by the British Army.
Sources indicate that 444 SU disbanded on the 31 December 1977.
Royal Hong Kong Regimental Headquarters near Happy Valley – demolished 1995
China Fleet Club
Hong Kong became an important port of call for many naval ships passing through the Far East. Besides Lan Kwai Fong, Royal Navy sailors had their own entertainment facility called the "China Fleet Club".[10]
A timeline of the China Fleet Club:
1900–1903 local Hong Kong businessman and Royal Navy's China Fleet to raise funds for a Royal Naval Canteen at Naval Docks, Hong Kong
1929 old canteen building demolished and replaced with new building
1929–1934 Temporary CFC at Gloucester Road
1933 cornerstone laid by Admiral Sir Howard Kelly, G.B.E., K.C.B., C.M.G., M.V.O., then Commander-in-Chief, China Station;[11] new seven-storey China Fleet Club building called "The Old Blue"
1941–1945 CFC serves as Japanese Naval HQ in Hong Kong during the Second World War
1945 CFC re-occupied by RN
1952 Coronation Annex added
1982, 16 July The Final Demolition Party held in Club before move to Sun Hung Kai
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British Hong Kong
Monarch
