The Siege of Hong Kong
Alfred J. Elsliger, RRC Japanese POW Jacquet River, New Brunswick
Twas at Valcartier, Quebec, one cold October day
That we received our orders to pack up and start away.
We marched down to the station in a cold and Drizzling rain,
Then bade good-bye to friends nearby and stepped on board the train
That Journey to the west coast was rather boresome trip.
We arrived in Vancouver, then got on board a ship
We were going to see new country, everyone seemed gay.
There we joined the Grenadiers and started on our way.
They just came from Jamaica, we from Newfoundland,
We all told different stories, we were a jolly band.
Our destination was obscure, but little did we care,
As our ship, an Old Newzealander, was taken us somewhere
We knew not where we were going
What’s more we did not care,
Where we went or what we did
As long as we got there.
We stopped in Honolulu, but didn't stay there long
Our officers then told us we were going to Hong Kong
We landed in Manila next, another large seaport
Some thought the journey ended, but our sojourn
There was short.
Next landing was at Port Kawloon across from old Hong Kong.
The streets were lined from end to end with
Cheering waving throng.
We marched to Nanking barracks next about a mile away
And there received the welcome of the proverbial “flowers of May”
The place was like a festival with sport and food galore
At night the grounds were lighted from the lights along the shore.
What pleasant hours the boys spend there
In canteen drinking beer
Both noon and night, day in, day out
We’d find Tom Thompson here.
The Barbers shaved us as we slept
And gave us haircuts too,
As Coolies kept the camp in shape
We had no work to do.
But happiest hours must have an end
Two weeks - it wasn't long
When we broke camp and crossed the straits
To fight on old Hong Kong.
Just two short weeks of gaiety
For all of us and – well
Twas just a touch of Paradise
Before we entered hell
We fought a noble battle
But at such terrific cost
That even though the fight was brief,
A lot of lives were lost.
We next moved to Stony Hill
And stayed there overnight
From there we went to Repulse Bay
To join another fight.
With Royal Rifles, Middlesex and Hong Kong Volunteers
The Royal Scots, East Indian and Winnipeg Grenadiers.
We fought together valiantly, that time at Repulse Bay
But the Japs out numbered us and we were forced to move away.
We fought till we were famished with the hope that ground we’d keep
For hours on end the battle raged, we fought on in our sleep.
We fought while death in its worst form
Struck men who would not yield
But when Jap re-enforcements came
We had to leave the field.
Then finally the finish came
That fateful Christmas Night
The stars, as over Bethlehem
Were shinning clear and bright.
“Peace on Earth” cannot prevail
While bombs and shells abound,
And hundreds of our comrades brave
Lie dead upon the ground.
We knew we were out numbered
By a thousand men to one
We felt our case was hopeless
Ere that fight had scarce began.
So we handed in our rifles
And our ammunition too,
Buried our dead, then went to bed
(T'was all that we could do)
And now ‘ere in a prison camp
And live on rice and rats,
It might be worse, if Japs were Chinks
We’d have to live on cats.
But I’m fairly optimistic
And some day hope to be
Back in the land of Freedom
At home as I used to be.
There’ll be Merrier Christmas greetings
Then we utter this Yuletide last
We’ll have happier Christmas meetings
When the evils of war are past.
We’ll sing a merrier Christmas anthem
And Cheerier New Year's song
When we think of that Christmas battle
On the Island of Hong Kong.