c.1961 Cine-film of Hong Kong | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

c.1961 Cine-film of Hong Kong

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Submitted by David on Mon, 2013-05-27 21:49

Many thanks to Tania Scott for sharing her family's cine films. 

They were taken by her father, David Scott, between 1960 - 1962. He was in Hong Kong with the RAF on a two year posting.

My favourites are the shots of boats where he's so low you think he must be whizzing along in a speed-boat, but then... well, see if you get the same surprise I did!

(Subscribers, you'll need to click here to visit the web version of this page to see the links to the videos.)

Regards, David

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Comments

Submitted by Donald W. Ady on Thu, 2013-05-30 15:26.

It is quite amazing for an old timer to see the old time scenes!  Boat people sampans.  Even rickshaws, for heaven's sake!  Thank heavens no one has to do that pulling labor today!

I note that the mopnoplane shown at the end flew a bit faster than the pre-WWII "Vampire" biplanes.  I recall on Lantao in summer 1941 one of those biplanes flying over the mess shack to deliver an "airmail".  Pilot in leathers with goggles sitting in the forward of tandem seats, and a very long white scarf on his neck stringing in the breeze far behind him. Very dashing.  The "airmail" was a note tied to a scarf anchored to a small rock - dropped downhill a short distance to avoid the gawkers. A plane was a truly rare sight in those days.  The note was to an officer in camp who was ordered to a defense staff meeting in Kowloon.

Don Ady

Submitted by David on Thu, 2013-05-30 15:28.

Hi Don,

Glad you enjoyed the film.

Thanks for the "airmail" story too - a bit more exciting than a call to his mobile phone!

Regards, David

Submitted by HO Lim-peng on Fri, 2013-06-07 06:14.

The aircraft involved seems to be a British Army plane, namely an Auster air observation post. I wonder if it was actually flying from Shatin, rather than Sek Kong. 

Submitted by moddsey on Fri, 2013-06-07 08:24.

The Auster is seen in clip #7. I would tend to agree that the aircraft involved is an Auster. I recall the Austers at Sha Tin were destroyed during Typhoon Wanda in 1962.