Military Building on Mt Cameron Rd. | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Military Building on Mt Cameron Rd.

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Military Building on Mt Cameron Rd.
Submitted by Craig
Tags: 
military building
Aberdeen Reservoir

Last week I went for a walk along Black’s Link and down to Aberdeen. I came across this old military structure along Mt Cameron Rd. It’s in pretty good shape and is being used for storage by the cleaners

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Connections: 
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Submitted by David on Fri, 2009-10-30 12:48.

That's an interesting one. I haven't seen it before - any chance you can add a place to show where it is?

It's got that same wavy outline across the roof we've seen before, but otherwise looks a different shape of building. And whoever gave it the pebble finish really went to town on this one! I wonder if this was the officer-grade of finish, or maybe it was the last one they built and they had a lot of stones to use up!?

Submitted by David on Tue, 2009-11-03 18:17.

I asked Rob if he recognised this. He replied:

If it is the building I think (on the corner of Mt Cameron Rd and one leading to some flats) then it was probably the HQ for Field Artillery Island West (Ref. WO106/2379) It gives a map reference for the HQ which puts it approximately at that point.

Submitted by tngan on Tue, 2009-11-03 18:39.

Hi there,

One of the road side bunkers in Aberdeen Reservoir had had the same outside appearance as well.

Best Regards,

T

Submitted by David on Wed, 2009-11-04 10:05.

That's interesting - I thought the Mount Cameron building was a one-off.

I guess there will be some connection between them - even if it's just as simple as the same team of workers built them.

Regards, David

Submitted by Craig on Wed, 2009-11-04 12:42.

I have added a place mark for where I remember to building to be.

It's exactly where Rob describes it, so it sounds likely that it is the Field Artillery Island West HQ.

You can see where they have retro-fitted the main doors on either side of the building so that they don't open onto the main road.  

I'm reading through "Not in the Slightest" again to gather clues as to where to where to look for relics with the Metal Detector. There is mention of "Forward Dressing Stations" that helped patch up the wounded. These stations might be some of the military buildings we see around the reservoirs and hidden near Stanley Gap Rd up the hillside, but know little about? It may also explain the building I mistakenly thought was PB45 along Mt Parker Rd. 

Submitted by tngan on Wed, 2009-11-04 16:46.

Hi there,

The location is very close to the Aberdeen Reservoirs. The bunker I mentioned earlier is actually just down the slope on the western side of the valley, just a little bit higher than the main damn of the upper reservoir.

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Dear Craig,

If you add the tag 'Aberdeen Reservoir' and then view all bearing the tag, you should be able to see.

Best Regards,

T

Submitted by Craig on Wed, 2009-11-04 18:05.

Hi T,  I know which one you are talking about. There is a small picnic area there and a couple of other bunkers hidden around the back, and there are also a couple on the other side of the path further down. I think there are at least 6 in that general area. I haven't found any literature about these structures but they could be the "Forward Dressing Stations". Very similar to the other buildings near the entrance of Pok Fu Lam reservoir. 

I am pretty sure that the water tower is related to the bunkers. It is identical to the one found just behind the old Anti-Aircraft guns position near Parkview if you follow the water catchment, towards JLO1.... I think it is off the top of my head.

 

Submitted by David on Sun, 2009-11-08 21:20.

Solomon Bard writes about his experiences as a medic in these, though he calls them 'Advanced Dressing Stations':

I was issued with a 38mm revolver - a standard officer's issue - and twelve rounds of ammunition, and accompanied by six field ambulance men and equipment, proceeded to our assigned post - a concrete bunker by the Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, on the narrow road leading from Pok Fu Lam Road to Victoria Gap on the Peak.

I'm not sure if that was one of the bunkers near to the public toilets down by the reservoir, or the bunkers you see in the hillside as you climb the hill to the Peak. He also mentions one at Aberdeen:

We could hear sounds of distant gunfire, but the front was far away and our location was quiet except for a nearly tragic event on the very first day, when a medic from the neighbouring ADS, at Aberdeen, turned up asking for bandages which, in an oversight, were not issued to his unit.

Quotes from Light and Shade: Sketches from an Uncommon Life, by Solomon Bard.