Fan Garden [????- ]

TonyB:

Recently I came across names of [a camp] near Fanling, "Fan Garden", mentioned in this post:

http://www.modoracle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14054

I would like to visit the sites for these old camps and see what is left of them but I've not been able to find the precise locations for these camps.

David:

"Fan Gardens Camp" phrase turns up a bunch of relevant pages in Google Search. They look more relevant, though I'm not sure how accurate they are.

Phil:

From what I understand Fan Garden was an old military camp that was eventually turned into the fledgling Police Cadet School. But this was closed in 1990 (and moved to Wong Chuk Hang?).

Looking at the map where the Police Driving school is (on Jockey Club Road) there is an area just north of there called "Fan Garden". It looks to still be part of the school and I wonder if this is what became of the camp?

I've created this place so you know where I am talking about.

TonyB:

Thank you Phil.

I have further found out that there is a "Fan Gardens" bus stop very near to the area you marked.

I also found reference to Fan Garden Govt Police Married Quarters; no doubt related to the police barracks that were there before which BTW also inlcuded the canine unit for some time.

http://wikimapia.org/15364298/Fan-Garden-Government-Police-Married-Quart...

http://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/909/eng/n15.htm

RHKP Cadet School Fanling on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZNNQPc73RQ

I will definitely head up there in the coming months and explore around a bit.

sf:

Here's 1 more video. At 0:16, it clearly shows the name Fan Garden Camp in Chinese.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3aJLN4-44Y

I was stationed at both of these camps between 1961-1964. The camps were then both used by 4th regiment Royal Artillery.  HQ and 29 battery at Fan Gardens and 88 and 97 btys at Dodwells ridge.  Looking at your markers for both camps on the maps, are in the right positions.  There was a pub right outside Fanling station, called 'The better ole' run by a man who I think was in ww1.  The name originates from that war.  I have walked many times from there late at night, slightly innbriated back to Dodwells ridge camp.  We walked along the railway line from the station to where the road crossed the road to the camp, then beared left, and kept on that road till you reached the crossroads.  The camp was then on your left.  walk 5o yards from the crossroads and main camp gate entrance was on your left.

I wondered if this might interst you.

Thanks   Regards

Graham

Thanks Graham, good to have the locations confirmed by someone who was there!

We've got a few memories of the Better Ole as well: http://gwulo.com/node/11611

Regards, David

PS If you have any photos of your time in Hong Kong, we'd love to see them. Here's how to upload a photo: http://gwulo.com/node/2076

Thank you David. I will have to look out my old photos and see what I can find.

regards

Graham

Hi Graham

My dad Geoff Craven was based here at the same time as you. He was in the 4th regiment. ;-)