Japanese Pillboxes at Shek Chung Au (石涌凹) | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Japanese Pillboxes at Shek Chung Au (石涌凹)

Japanese Pillboxes at Shek Chung Au (石涌凹)
Submitted by mad1941

Japanese Pillboxes at Shek Chung Au(石涌凹),

Sha Tau Kok沙頭角, North District, NT

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Gallery: 
Pillbox
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Comments

Submitted by Craig on Fri, 2014-01-03 13:11.

Thanks for putting up the photo.

I am not very familiar with that area. I have been to the ring of pillboxes around the summit of Luk Keng, but never to this area. Are there many in that vicinity or is it on it's own?

I would like to visit it and have a look for possible Japanese Tunnels around as well. The Japanese fortified the Starling Inlet with these concrete pillboxes, but nowhere else along the coastline, that I know of, so they must have viewed it as a possible Allied landing area (which we did). So I suspect that they would have also dug a lot of tunnels to give support.

If possible, could you post the GPS location of this pillbox and any other Japanese ones that you know of?

Thank you very much.

Submitted by tngan on Fri, 2014-01-03 15:55.

Hi Craig,

The Shek Chung Au Villege is very cloear to the Sha Tau Kok Police Station.  I have never been there but I guess the pillbox should be up the slope a bit.

Thanks & Best Regards,

T

Submitted by Craig on Fri, 2014-01-03 17:16.

Hi Tngan,

         I came across this youtube video which I think shows the same pillboxes:

From what I can make out, I think you start right at the Sha Tau Kok border and take the path at Sheung Tam Shui Hang Village which heads up to Robins Nest (Hung Fa Leng) and the pillboxes are near the start.

They look interesting, I'll have to take a trip out there.

It is within the Closed Area Boundry on the map, so do you know if there are any restictions? or is it fine to get public transport up and hike around that area? it is only a couple hundred metres from the border. 

Cheers

Submitted by tngan on Fri, 2014-01-03 17:31.

Hi Craig,

This bulletin from the Police had listed out some of the villages that we could visit without the need of CPAs.  Theis a map too.

Thanks & Best Regards,

T

Submitted by vhhhatc on Fri, 2014-01-03 18:18.

This PB is not alone there. It's a group of PB including CP, most firing hole towards the border. I was introduced to this area by the local writer Joe Yip and according to Joe the british also use the same area for the border security post war. I remember 4 to 5 firing positions, a commound post, inter-connecting trenches and water well nearby. The design is simular to those found in Luk Keng and it's more accessable... not covered up by undergrowth. According to local folks the british manintained the trench line for sniffing IIs. I don't recall any Japanese Tunnel though.. 

If you go google you could find more pics for this group of PBs

https://ssl.panoramio.com/photo/68026872