Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Bunkers (Forward Dressing Station) [c.1939- ]
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Walking down the main road that goes around Pok Fu Lam reservoir, I stumbled accross these structures. There is a large group of them, 4-6, right on roadside. They are all sealed up, but in relatively good condition.
All of them have similar designs, a door and a large loophole-ish window. They all appear as bunkers, with a lip at the rooftop and all slightly dug into the mountainside. Some have stones on the surface for similar camoflage like other pillboxes we have seen around Hong Kong. As I remember, they all had ventilation structures on the top as well.
They seem like storage, but appear to double up as possible defensive positions because of the loophole-ish windows and camolage. If anyone has any info on these , please put them in the comments section or something.
Regards
Comments
Photos
I did not link the photos into the description directly, they are in the photos section of this place.
Bunkers
I walked past them this morning - there are five of these small buildings in a row, on the left hand side as you walk downhill.
I've moved the marker to a bit further up the hill to their location. (http://www1.map.gov.hk is a good tool for checking the location of these old buildings. If you zoom in and choose the "Detailed Map" option, a lot of the old bunkers are shown.)
I think of a loophole as a small opening for firing through, like we see at the pillboxes. These shelters have large window openings.
As Thomas mentioned, Solomon Bard mentions spending time near Pokfulam reservoir at the start of the fighting:
[...] At Headquarters, there was a good deal of commotion while various volunteer units were dispatched to their positions. I was issued with a 38 mm revolver — a standard officer issue — and 12 rounds of ammunition, and sent with several other Field Ambulance men to our allocated positions, mine being an Advanced Dressing Station in a concrete shelter at Pokfulam Reservoir, where I arranged duties and issued necessary precautionary instructions. Although the front was far away, it was important to be alert and ready, as fifth columnists were reported to be active in many parts of the territory. The first two days were uneventful. On the 10th, the Mount Davis Battery, not far from my own position, was heavily bombed by Japanese planes, and I was ordered to proceed there for attachment as Battery medical officer. [...]
https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=wpob5oHe7kIC&pg=PA200&dq=solomon+ba...
I'm not sure if he was at one of these bunkers, or the set over nearer to Pokfulam Road: http://gwulo.com/node/4337
Forward Dressing position
Very likely to be the said position, either this one of the ones below. Dont know what would be the difference
Regards