Japanese War Memorial - Mt Cameron, Hong Kong
THE JAPANESE WAR MEMORIAL ON MOUNT CAMERON HONG KONG
The memorial was erected deliberately on Mount Cameron in order that it could dominate the four corners of the Colony. Set square on Mt. Cameron, this so-called tower of triumph was ordered to be raised by Lt. Gen. Isogai, then Japanese Governor General of Hong Kong. With much ceremony, the foundation stone was laid on December, 8, 1942, the first anniversary of Japan's attack on H.K. It was to be the biggest memorial of its kind in South China and was planned to tower 480 metres high. The memorial was to perpetuate the memory of Japanese war heroes and, in the words of Lt. Col. Nagao, ADC to Isogai, "to form an everlasting inspiration to residents of H.K. to strive for the successful consummation of the war."
On Dec. 25, 1942, Isogai asked the public to give donations for the building of the memorial and many thousands of yen were received from firms and schools.
The Japanese also planned to construct a graph there showing directions to Tokyo and other parts of the world. This plan was carried out to the extent that markings were made every 100 metres along the main roads of H.K. There was another plan announced by Nagao - that the Japanese had decided to erect a cenotaph near their shrine in honour of the enemy war dead.
The Sacred Sword: On the evening of Dec. 8, 1943, the second anniversary, high officials of the Governor's office attended the solemn ceremony of installing a sacred sword in the base of the memorial which was brought to H.K. by Kurihara, well-known sword expert. The ceremony was performed by Isogai, who headed a large assemblage including Suganami, Chief of Staff, and priests in white ceremonial robes bearing flaring torches.
Through forced labour and maltreatment, the Japanese started work on the memorial. Granite for facing the tower was quarried in the Happy Valley area, behind the cemetery. The granite was taken to the grounds of the Craigengower and Police Cricket Clubs for facing. When the labourers demanded rice instead of money as remuneration, there was not enough rice to pay them so the work gradually slowed down.
About this time, it was the custom for the Japanese to make pilgrimages to the shrine on Sundays. Each visitor carried a stone to the site to assist in the erection.
In July, 1945, orders were issued to cease work altogether leaving the 80 foot pylon of cement and brick-work topped with a makeshift roof.
(Extracted from S.C.M.P. Vol. 111 No. 56, Wednesday, 26th February, 1947.)
The original structure comprised 12 heavily reinforced legs, of which eight have now been removed, leaving two nearly in the middle and two at the rear or north side. The reinforcement of the rear legs amounting to 200 inch-rods will be capped by acetylene torches just prior to the razing, and the two legs on the north side, which carry most of the weight of the tower, will be blown up with explosive fired electrically by the PWD engineer in charge, Mr. H. W. Forsyth.
Felling constructors, the Wah Hing Construction Company.
Felling constructors, the Wah Hing Construction Company.
JAPANESE MEMORIAL SHATTERING DESTRUCTION
Mt. Cameron Tower Topples While Colony Looks On With Approval
Praise For A Job Well Done.
Mt. Cameron Tower Topples While Colony Looks On With Approval
Praise For A Job Well Done.
At 4.29 pm two workmen on the site shouted "All Clear" to the gong man on Magazine Gap Road. He pounded the gong for three minutes ••• minutes which seemed hours long while the nearby crowd of sightseers and photographers held their breaths in expectation.
Suddenly, there was a puff of heavy, white smoke, then a shattering explosion and the monument, with its legs taken from under it, fell on its side. The white smoke rose high, covering the mass of rubble, followed by dense black smoke. When the smoke cleared, the ruin of Japan's mute symbol of attempted domination was revealed to the cheering crowd.
Suddenly, there was a puff of heavy, white smoke, then a shattering explosion and the monument, with its legs taken from under it, fell on its side. The white smoke rose high, covering the mass of rubble, followed by dense black smoke. When the smoke cleared, the ruin of Japan's mute symbol of attempted domination was revealed to the cheering crowd.
Above: Images of the Japanese war memorial demolition. Courtesy Sir Denys Roberts
|
Above: Image of the Japanese war memorial demolition. Media extract.
|
Above: His Excellency the Governor (Sir Mark Young) and Lady Young, accompanied by Miss Young, Mr. Alastair Todd (Private Secretary), Lt. T. Parkinson (ADC) and Dr. Koentz, Special Medical Advisor from the Colonial Office who is at present a guest at Government House, watched the explosion from Barker Rd and then, below, 20 years later Chic at the same location.
Chic at the Japanese war memorial site.
|
Left and Above: Newspaper clipping detailing the demise of the Japanese war memorial.
|
