The HKVCA has provided the following links to further understanding about the experiences Canadian soldiers had in service to their country. The HKVCA is not responsible for content, and does not review these sites for accuracy or currency
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Government Sites
Government of Canada Collection Search. Dozens of links to documents, recordings, etc. relating to members of 'C' Force.
Government of Canada Hong Kong site - use the search service and search for "battle of hong kong" to find information on activities related to the Battle of Hong Kong.
"Duff Report" - 1942 - Government of Canada Report on the Canadian Expeditionary Force to the Crown colony of Hong Kong / by Sir Lyman P. Duff, commissioner
Related Sites
- Royal Hong Kong Regiment Volunteers Association (Ontario) (on Facebook)- members of the RHKR fought alongside our veterans in Hong Kong and maintain an active presence in Canada.
- ALPHA (Association for Learning and Preserving the History of WWII in Asia)- Interview with HK Veteran Gerry Gerrard and HKVCA member, Murray Doull
Military Sites
- Sai Wan Bay War Memorial "This Memorial honours those men of the land forces of the British Commonwealth and Empire who died in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War. Of the 2,071 names, 228 are Canadian..."
- Canadian Virtual War Memorial | Mémorial Virtuel de Guerre du Canada - "This site contains a registry of information about the graves and memorials of more than 116,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders who served valiantly and gave their lives for their country...."
- Canadian Military Medals & Decorations - Veterans Affairs Canada. List of Canadian Military Medals and Decorations. Includes a picture and text for each.
Video Channels
- Our HKVCA You Tube channel -Virtual event videos and much more.
- Senator Jane MacAdam, paying tribute to 'C' Force soldiers who fought in the Battle of Hong Kong on December 7, 2023. Senator MacAdam is the granddaughter of George Palmer, RRC.
- Bury's Military History Conference - Speaker:Mr. Colin Standish "The Battle of Hong Kong" (grandson of Colin Alden Standish, CQMS RRC). Recorded in October 2023.
- Pacific War Movies: Tony Banham - wide-ranging analysis of the Far East before and during World War II.
Museums
- Canadian War Museum: WarMuseum.ca - Information on Hong Kong along with related newspaper articles. (You'll have to perform a search when you get to the site).
- Military Museum Bay of Chaleur - (excerpt from the home page-The Gaspe has a rich military tradition. Gaspesian communities have always responded to the country's call in an outstanding way. The Bay Chaleur Military Museum is determined to honour this tradition by preserving local military history and sharing it with all our visitors.)
- Okanagan Military Museum - has the tunic of Sgt Tom Marsh on display.
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights - (includes an article titled "A Cauldron of Hell: The Story of Canada's Hong Kong Veterans")
Research Sites
The Battle of Hong Kong 1941: a Spatial History Project: an interactive map that narrates the battle and showcases the related military structures and data. For more info on this impressive project, check out our Virtual Events page (January 2023).
Center for Research - Allied POWs under the Japanese (Roger Mansell,
now deceased)
"Site for the detailed study of Guam and ALL Allied POWS used as
SLAVES by the Japanese in World War II." If you
are a military historian, you must visit this site.
Hong Kong War Diary - Author Tony Banham's web site and blog. Updated monthly.
The
Memory Project - Digital Archive, featuring interviews with Hong
Kong Veterans. (Once you've arrived on the home page, search for "hong
kong".) Quote from the web site: "This
nationwide bilingual project will create a record of Canada’s
participation in the Second World War as seen through the eyes of
thousands of veterans."
Canadian Military History (Journal) - Search for "Hong Kong". You'll come across more than a few articles, many unrelated, but there are gems in there. For instance: J. K. Lawson Brigadier J. K. Lawson’s Diary: October to December 1941 by Tyler Wentzell
Project '44 - this Canadian site contains a section about the Battle of Hong Kong and the POWs.
COFEPOW Research Database - COFEPOW has developed Research Corner, which is designed to assist in finding information easily and quickly from the contents of the website. Also now available, thousands of Liberation questionnaire images.
Captive Memories - a Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) site dealing with FEPOW research, oral histories and the introduction of FEPOW history into secondary schools.
Researching FEPOW History - Established in 2005 with the aim of organising biennial conferences to aid those who are researching the experiences of ex-Far Eastern prisoners of war or civilian internees.
Philip Cracknell's Blog "Battle for Hong Kong" - updated monthly.
Miscellaneous
POW Artwork of Des Bettany - Born in England, Des was taken prisoner during the Malaysian campaign and created sketches and cartoons. Link provided by his son, Keith, who commented: "He always told me he had to paint to keep sane and upon his death we found over 300 paintings he did during those dark days. Many of them are cartoons and show the opposite of what he was living in."
Crown Wine Cellars - how an ammunition bunker at "Little Hong Kong" became a wine cellar (multiple pages).
Last Post Fund - The Last Post Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that no veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial due to insufficient funds.
The Descendants Group an Auxiliary of the American Defenders of Bataan & Corregidor - "Our mission is to preserve and perpetuate the story of the men and women who defended the Philippines and other Allied outposts against overwhelming odds during the first months of World War II in the Pacific and later became prisoners-of-war."
"Forties" WWII POWS by the Japanese - an American emphasis, but worth a visit.
Canada's History - (Once you've arrived on the home page, search for "hong kong".) "History is happening right now at Canada's History, where our mission is to make the discovery of our nation's past relevant, engaging, empowering and accessible to all Canadians."
"Lasting Legacy" - Gander Schools account of Sgt Gander