Hong Kong fell to Japanese forces on Christmas Day 1941 following a brief but intense period of fighting. Most of those buried or commemorated on the island were killed at this time or died later as internees or prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation. The SAI WAN MEMORIAL forms the entrance to Sai Wan War Cemetery and bears the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Battle of Hong Kong, or subsequently in captivity, who have no known grave. Additional panels to the memorial form the SAI WAN CREMATION MEMORIAL, listing the names of 144 Second World War casualties whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith, and the SAI WAN (CHINA) MEMORIAL, commemorating 72 casualties of both wars whose graves in mainland China could not be maintained. SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY contains the graves of more than 1,500 Commonwealth servicemen who died during the Second World War, more than 400 of them unidentified. A small number of First World War casualties are also commemorated in the cemetery. Both the cemetery and memorial were designed by Colin St Clair Oakes. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Alexander Grantham, the Governor of Hong Kong, on the 20th February 1955.
(Source: cwgc.org)
During the visit, our expert guide and RASHK member Martin Heyes will explain to the participants the history of some of the more notable WW2 burials in the cemetery.
The Speaker
Martin Heyes was brought up near Liverpool in the United Kingdom. Upon completion of secondary education he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from where he was commissioned in the British Army, serving primarily in the U.K. and Germany.
He joined the Royal Hong Kong Police in late 1975 with whom he served until retirement, following which he worked in the private security sector in Hong Kong.
Martin has always maintained a keen interest in the 1941 battle for Hong Kong and subsequent Japanese Occupation. He is a member of the UK’s International Guild of Battlefield Guides.
Martin originally worked for the Hong Kong Tourism Board conducting walks of the (then) newly-opened Wong Nai Chong Trail, and in more recent years has worked for local tour company Walk Hong Kong for whom he currently conducts tours of a number of Hong Kong’s WW2 wartime sites.
Martin is married and lives in a New Territories village near Kam Tin.
Meeting Point and Time: Sai Wan Memorial and War Cemetery, meeting at the main entrance at 10:00 am.
Admission: $100 for members, $150 for guests/non-members. Capacity is limited according to the most current Government regulations.
Booking: Please email membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk in advance to register your attendance