Sham Shui Po Barracks
Encyclopedia
Sham Shui Po Barracks was a British Army
facility built in the 1920s in the Sham Shui Po
area of Kowloon
, Hong Kong
. The base was bounded by Fuk Wa Street
to the east by Yen Chow Street
and to the west by Tonkin Street
and Camp Street.
The buildings on one side were known as Hankow Barracks, and the other Nanking Barracks. There was a large parade ground. Smaller buildings were later added, and the large Jubilee Buildings were constructed as married quarters. During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army
used it as a POW camp for British
, Indian and Canadian soldiers. This was the main POW Camp in Hong Kong, operating from before the British surrendered the Colony, to the Japanese surrender. By the latter date, it was the only POW facility operating in Hong Kong, bar the hospital at the Central British School (now KGV). Many POWs died here, especially in the diphtheria epidemic of 1942, and all shipments of POWs to Japan left from Sham Shui Po's Bamboo Pier.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s the camp was used to house Vietnamese
refugees.
The camp was re-developed for housing in the early 1990s. None of the former military structures exists and only plaques commemorating the POW camp remain, together with maple trees commemorating the Canadians held here. These can be found at Sham Shui Po Park
, also part of the former base.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
facility built in the 1920s in the Sham Shui Po
Sham Shui Po
Sham Shui Po, or Shamshuipo, is an area of Sham Shui Po District, Hong Kong, situated in the northwestern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, north of Tai Kok Tsui, east of Cheung Sha Wan and south of Shek Kip Mei. Sham Shui Po is known for its street market for electronic devices.-History:Sham Shui Po...
area of Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The base was bounded by Fuk Wa Street
Fuk Wa Street
Fuk Wa Street is a street in Cheung Sha Wan and Sham Shui Po, New Kowloon, Hong Kong. Part of the street is a street market with numerous stalls selling varieties of goods like old books and clothes. Its section between Yen Chow Street and Kweilin Street where the famous Golden Computer Arcade is...
to the east by Yen Chow Street
Yen Chow Street
Yen Chow Street is a main street in Sham Shui Po of New Kowloon in Hong Kong. The street runs from hill side towards the shore. It spans from Castle Peak Road to Sham Mong Road. Its extension Yen Chow Street West spans further to the reclamation shore.-Name:The street was named after Yen Chow,...
and to the west by Tonkin Street
Tonkin Street
Tonkin Street is a street between Sham Shui Po and Cheung Sha Wan of New Kowloon in Hong Kong. It runs northeast to southwest and crossing many major roads in the Cheung Sha Wan...
and Camp Street.
The buildings on one side were known as Hankow Barracks, and the other Nanking Barracks. There was a large parade ground. Smaller buildings were later added, and the large Jubilee Buildings were constructed as married quarters. During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
used it as a POW camp for British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
, Indian and Canadian soldiers. This was the main POW Camp in Hong Kong, operating from before the British surrendered the Colony, to the Japanese surrender. By the latter date, it was the only POW facility operating in Hong Kong, bar the hospital at the Central British School (now KGV). Many POWs died here, especially in the diphtheria epidemic of 1942, and all shipments of POWs to Japan left from Sham Shui Po's Bamboo Pier.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s the camp was used to house Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
refugees.
The camp was re-developed for housing in the early 1990s. None of the former military structures exists and only plaques commemorating the POW camp remain, together with maple trees commemorating the Canadians held here. These can be found at Sham Shui Po Park
Sham Shui Po Park
Sham Shui Po Park is a park in Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is located at Lai Chi Kok Road, adjacent to Sham Shui Po Park Swimming Pool and Ka Ling School of the Precious Blood. It is accessible from Lai Chi Kok Road and Yee Kuk Street.-Memorial:The park is close to the former Sham Shui...
, also part of the former base.