EPSON083.JPG | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

EPSON083.JPG

EPSON083.JPG
Submitted by 2ik7ns-AW_

These are two photographs of artillery. Is this in HK. The first shows what I think is a gun being fired as there appears to be some smoke. This may be a "bad" photograph as I am not expert. Again I think this might be 1932 - 1936 but have put a 1934 midpoint date. Anyone any thoughts.

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Monday, January 1, 1934
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Comments

Submitted by David on Wed, 2021-10-13 15:55.

I don't know the location, but the scenery looks like it could be somewhere in Hong Kong - at least it isn't definitely not Hong Kong.

Here's a photo that was taken in Hong Kong around the same time, and the guns have some similarities. The comments to that photo have some more information about the scene:

Anti-aircraft guns at Cape D'Aguilar
Anti-aircraft guns at Cape D'Aguilar, by Admin

Submitted by PhongHighlight on Sun, 2021-10-17 14:06.

It's pretty clear that these guns are QF 3-inch 20 cwt and there's at least 3 of them. So a common enough armarment of the period, left over from WWI. Once source said that before the gin drinker's line they'd only be protecting HK Island, but were moved outwards towards the start of the war [Japan Triumphant: The Far East Campaign 1941-1942].

The shadows do indicate tropical lattitudes, and the winter uniform picture shows longer shaddows.

if the picture is Hong Kong that'd probably mean the camera is facing south or south east. If that's the case, then the guns would logically be facing to the west, placing the site on the coast in the west of the city.

But, what that hill looks like is Che Pau Teng, seen from the Stanley side, approximately where the Tang Shiu Kin sports field is.

I'm semi-convinced from street-view, looking at the hill profile it's the right place - it's coastal, slightly elevated, and the road cutting on the hill seems like a match. Given the cutting looks new, it seems about the right period too.

 

Submitted by David on Sun, 2021-10-17 12:43.

Good job identifying the location! The streetview from near the sports ground certainly looks to match:

Submitted by moddsey on Sun, 2021-10-17 14:28.

The older photos also show the road cutting works for Wong Ma Kok Road that commenced during this period. 

Submitted by eurasian_david on Sun, 2021-10-17 14:31.

The photos may date to November to Decmber 1936 in which the Royal Air Force and Royal Artillery particpated in military exercises in Stanley in which six anti-aircraft guns were used to "defend" the land position.

Source: Hong Kong Telegraph, page 1, 18th February 1937

Submitted by moddsey on Sun, 2021-10-17 15:56.

Given David's mention of the sports ground, I think the area shown is the St. Stephen's College Recreation Ground. Mention is made here in the Hong Kong Sunday Herald dated 26 November 1933 of gun practice from Stanley Peninsula Fort and St. Stephen's College Recreation Ground on 18-21 December. 

The area affected will be the Stanley Peninsula, the valley of Wong Ma Kok and the water area enclosed by lines drawn from Stanley Peninsula to Sung Kong (Island) and Stanley Peninsula to the southeast coastline of Lama (sic) Island up to a distance of 5 1/2 miles.