Special mention must be made of
Gander, a Newfoundland dog, a huge,
gentle, lovable animal, a favourite of all
the men. We had adopted Gander as a
mascot when we were stationed at
Gander. The story has oft been told.
Gander's bravery was duly recognized
with the awarding of the Dicken Medal
in the autumn of 2000 in Ottawa by Sir
Roland Guy of the People's Dispensary
for Sick Animals in England. A moving
ceremony took place at the residence
of the British High Command, Sir
Andrew Burns. As a footnote, Fred
Kelly, now gone, who had been in
charge of Gander in happier times,
received the medal on behalf of the
Royal Rifles of Canada and handed it
over to the Canadian Military Museum,
where it is now on display.
Gander, a Newfoundland dog, a huge,
gentle, lovable animal, a favourite of all
the men. We had adopted Gander as a
mascot when we were stationed at
Gander. The story has oft been told.
Gander's bravery was duly recognized
with the awarding of the Dicken Medal
in the autumn of 2000 in Ottawa by Sir
Roland Guy of the People's Dispensary
for Sick Animals in England. A moving
ceremony took place at the residence
of the British High Command, Sir
Andrew Burns. As a footnote, Fred
Kelly, now gone, who had been in
charge of Gander in happier times,
received the medal on behalf of the
Royal Rifles of Canada and handed it
over to the Canadian Military Museum,
where it is now on display.
Day Two of the Fighting on the Island
The next morning we left the shelters at Obelisk Hill and moved across Tye Tam
Reservoir to Mount Butler. Here I must digress and describe the system of water
collection in Hong Kong. The terrain of the Island, being so hilly, and so densely
populated, provides no possibility of obtaining water except for collecting what
falls as rain. To make the most advantage of the steep hills in every part of the
Island, deep concrete drains have been built around the hills. These drains, known
as catchments, are some four feet wide and about the same depth. They wind
around the hills and lead to the reservoirs where the water is collected and treated
before being fed into the water mains of the city. The reason for my digression will
soon become clear.
Reservoir to Mount Butler. Here I must digress and describe the system of water
collection in Hong Kong. The terrain of the Island, being so hilly, and so densely
populated, provides no possibility of obtaining water except for collecting what
falls as rain. To make the most advantage of the steep hills in every part of the
Island, deep concrete drains have been built around the hills. These drains, known
as catchments, are some four feet wide and about the same depth. They wind
around the hills and lead to the reservoirs where the water is collected and treated
before being fed into the water mains of the city. The reason for my digression will
soon become clear.
Here my thoughts are a bit hazy, but I recollect that I was with Colonel, then
Major Price, who was second in command of the Regiment, on a road near the
reservoir. We were under fire from the invading Japanese, and I thought my
chances , at that point, would be better on the far side of the road. I dashed
across followed by a spray of machine gun fire reminiscent of Rambo movies out
of Hollywood. Major Price yelled, "Get down you damned fool. That bullet had
your name on it." In my youthful bravado, and not realizing the danger I was in
said, this is no lie, although I am not proud of my response, "Yeah, but it didn't
have E/29986 on it." My service number. Now ... I think that was stupid.
Major Price, who was second in command of the Regiment, on a road near the
reservoir. We were under fire from the invading Japanese, and I thought my
chances , at that point, would be better on the far side of the road. I dashed
across followed by a spray of machine gun fire reminiscent of Rambo movies out
of Hollywood. Major Price yelled, "Get down you damned fool. That bullet had
your name on it." In my youthful bravado, and not realizing the danger I was in
said, this is no lie, although I am not proud of my response, "Yeah, but it didn't
have E/29986 on it." My service number. Now ... I think that was stupid.
Gander,then called "Pal",with some
of the kids of the family who had
him before we adopted him. Picture
was taken at Gander
Newfoundland.
of the kids of the family who had
him before we adopted him. Picture
was taken at Gander
Newfoundland.
Rescue From The Water Catchment
All water for human consumption in Hong Kong is collected from the rain in giant
concrete ditches called "water catchments", described above.
concrete ditches called "water catchments", described above.
During a heavy rain these ditches fill to
overflowing.
On December 20, we were ordered to
evacuate our pill boxes on Obelisk Hill
and move across Tai Tam to positions
on the other side of the reservoir. The
Japs had moved rapidly from their
landing at Lye Mun and had occupied a
superior position at Tai Tam Reservoir.
We were ordered to the top of the hill,
Mont Butler, overlooking the reservoir
from the north, and by walking up the
catchment soon reached our objective.
overflowing.
On December 20, we were ordered to
evacuate our pill boxes on Obelisk Hill
and move across Tai Tam to positions
on the other side of the reservoir. The
Japs had moved rapidly from their
landing at Lye Mun and had occupied a
superior position at Tai Tam Reservoir.
We were ordered to the top of the hill,
Mont Butler, overlooking the reservoir
from the north, and by walking up the
catchment soon reached our objective.
There were Japanese in plain view in the plain below us, with mules, field pieces,
and an armoured car moving across the bridge over the reservoir. We opened fire
as soon as we saw them and sent mules and men cart wheeling, and the armoured
car came to a halt half way across the reservoir.
and an armoured car moving across the bridge over the reservoir. We opened fire
as soon as we saw them and sent mules and men cart wheeling, and the armoured
car came to a halt half way across the reservoir.
The Japs had a six inch mortars, and they were deadly accurate. They had us in
view and launched mortar bombs at point blank range. Bullets whistled by my
head, clipping the grass beside me. It was Winston Churchill who said, "Nothing is
so exhilarating as to be shot at and missed." He was right.
view and launched mortar bombs at point blank range. Bullets whistled by my
head, clipping the grass beside me. It was Winston Churchill who said, "Nothing is
so exhilarating as to be shot at and missed." He was right.
The fire was so intense that we were ordered to withdraw, but not before we had
suffered some casualties with several of our company killed, and several others
wounded. Among them was Jim Durrah, our Company Quartermaster Storeman.
He received a bullet in the leg, just below the knee, which shattered the bone.
Here we were, a mile or so up the mountain. Night was approaching and it started
to rain heavily. We had no medical supplies except "first field dressings" that
everyone carried. Someone bound up Jim's leg and we carried him on a stretcher
made up of two rifles and a blanket that somehow had found it's way to the top of
the hill. The Japs now had the high ground and were sniping at us in the water
catchment. We had to keep our heads down below the edge of the ditch. We
were in trouble.
suffered some casualties with several of our company killed, and several others
wounded. Among them was Jim Durrah, our Company Quartermaster Storeman.
He received a bullet in the leg, just below the knee, which shattered the bone.
Here we were, a mile or so up the mountain. Night was approaching and it started
to rain heavily. We had no medical supplies except "first field dressings" that
everyone carried. Someone bound up Jim's leg and we carried him on a stretcher
made up of two rifles and a blanket that somehow had found it's way to the top of
the hill. The Japs now had the high ground and were sniping at us in the water
catchment. We had to keep our heads down below the edge of the ditch. We
were in trouble.
Photo Courtesy of Jeff Yam