Chapter 7
15 Independent Observation Battery Royal Artillery, Lo Wu, New Territories
February 28 through May 23 1950
15 Independent Observation Battery RA is Formed
Returning to my story, on the Devonshire we heard the unit was to be stationed in the New Territories under canvas but little else. After our run ashore and one more night on ship we disembarked to begin our service in Hong Kong.
While my memory of arriving at Hong Kong was clear, I originally had no recollection of exactly how we moved from the dock to our new home at Lo Wu. In describing our trip I relied on others’ memories for my description of first mustering at nearby Whitfield Barracks and the formation of 15th Independent Observation Battery RA 1 However, a member of 173 Locating Battery who found this memoir, arrived on the Devonshire with me, and served with us at Lo Wu informs that we went directly to Lo Wu via rail then trucks. The formation of the Battery must then have been aboard the Devonshire, and it served one more night as our home.
Our battery was made up of the following troops: A, Observation, into which I went, along with the majority of 98 squad, C, Sound Ranging and X, Survey. Each troop was made up of about 40 personnel, surveyors, signalers and drivers. There was also an HQ troop. With officers and NCOs we probably numbered about 180. We were commanded by a Major JS Dacre.
Lo Wu Camp By Rail and Truck
Next day we marched the short distance from the Devonshire to the railway station in Kowloon, near the great Peninsula Hotel and waterfront. I enjoyed the railway station due to my life long love of all things railway. Many aspects of the station looked familiar as it should because the British had built and run it, as they had most others in China. The Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR) on which we were to travel originally ran to Canton, but the communists severed the line at the border, Lo Wu, our last stop.
Receiving the correction described above about how we got to Lo Wu, prompted a review of my records of that time. Finding a picture of members of 98 Squad at Fanling railway station was a pleasant surprise. Rather than insert it here, I created a blog entry about as this seems a good way to illustrate the interactive nature of these web based memoirs, and focus on an item of interest me, the railway station.
Our train was special, made up of American style carriages and pulled by a steam engine of a type familiar to me that was built in Britain. Heading north it took us under Lion Rock in a tunnel past the mountain Tai Mo Shan (3,144 ft) and through the countryside providing our first sights of paddy fields with Chinese peasants working in them. The trip continued alongside water in various bays and the expanse of Tolo harbor, past the small town of Tai Po and in the distance the mountains of mainland China and then to Fanling. A very neat little station in what appeared a well ordered community.
Here with our kit bags and gear we mustered and got onto lorries or trucks that left the made roads and took us along rough tracks further north and toward the frontier. At the end of one track were several corrugated iron Nissen huts and a series of tents arranged among terraced paddy fields, Lo Wu Camp. About a mile away was the border with China.
- We were later to find this Battery had a long history with its forerunner founded in 1757 as Smiths Company, initially serving in Newfoundland. ↩
Pretty accurate description, the plane you mention was a ‘Mustang’, after the radio station in Shum Chun.
Thank you John for those remarks and your interest in my story. It’s even more interesting that after sixty five years the event is remembered. It did too at the time make an impression. It all happened so suddenly and was over so quickly. Not something that usually occurred at morning parade.
It appears you have some knowledge of the incident, can you add anything more about it?
Hi John.
I have followed you account with much interest.
You have the facts.
Perhaps you remember the typhoon that followed almost directly after we erected the tents, and demolished the lot. Incidentaly, i remember that after the rain, while a mob of naked soldiers were trying to get some order, a concert party called ‘The Four Aces. appeared and were quickly ushered the Officers Mess to avoid embarrassment ( not ours, I think).
Hey ho.
John.
John, it is apparent from your remarks you and I served time together at Lo Wu, will you say in what capacity?
I can’t say I can recall you directly but in some manner your name seems familiar. I look forward to learning a little more about you.
I think the plane incident and the typhoon were two particularly memorable events at Lo Wu, though it’s probably also true to say the whole experience of Lo Wu is unforgettable.
And I’ve certainly forgotten about that concert party but I can’t forget the hilarity that ensued in course of the torrential rains and its consequences. Something along the lines of a schoolboy lark.
One other matter I have since learned about was the strenuous effort involved in manpacking all the gear up to the OP was subsequently avoided because mules were later employed on the duty instead of of us squaddies. Some had it cushy!
So glad you got in touch, and If you have anything more to add please feel free to do so. How long ago it all was.
My regards,
John.
Hi,John.
As far as I was involved in the in the “man packing’ exercise, the practice of using mules never happened, as it was thought that the animal could carry little more than a soldier and was not as docile.
John, It was after our time. It seems remarkable that mules were employed at all. Why use a mule when you have a squaddy?
Character forming yes, and it did us no harm. It makes me smile when I hear complaints from teen agers about some aspects of their lot today. As was said “…they need to get their service in..”
Please keep up your remarks and tell us something of your NS experience. You clearly retain memories of it.
Regards,
John.
Hi,John ,
I was a regular, a fourth generation ‘gunner’,Your observations as a National Service man are very interesting.I was sorry to hear of Tim Tate-Smith, I bumped into him in Moulton(?) in ’71,while I working on the Shale belt.Bill Hale.Captain Ret.and Major Tilburn Ret,have now gone, but I was lucky enough to serve with them later and they both supported me at my wedding.I left the Army as a W.O. Surveyor 1, A.R.I. working overseas most of the time, including seven years with the S.O.A.
My infrequent visits to the U.K. persuaded me that I would not live there, We now live happily in a small town in France, where I am accepted as a welcome foreigner, not the case in the United States of Britain. So now you have it,Take care,
John.
Very interesting John, sad about Tim TS-we were good friends and he was best man at my wedding-and delighted in Sergeant Hale making Captain well deserved and at which I am not surprised and Capt Tilburn, as was, getting his majority. He was a gentleman and respected us. I thought highly of him. As I did also of Surveyor Sergeants and Warrant Officer’s, accomplished Surveyors RA and good soldiers who set a good example to us squaddies.
Can you say a little more about your service and the gentlemen in question?
I’m not surprised at your living outside of the UK, the USofA has been good to our sons and to us and we could not visualize living elsewhere. I’m glad you are happy with your new life. As we are here. There’s something to be said for starting one in later years. What is amusing about ours is that one day we were residents of staid Tunbridge Wells and immediately on my retirement, of Montana. Different in so many ways!
You did inquire about Brian’s story. I’m sorry there I can’t provide the translations you sought but I can say its purpose is a placeholder for subsequent contributions. The most likely first one is of a Surveyor RA with 15 Locating Battery as it became, and his experiences in Korea.
I now realize you don’t have the same tale as mine, but we do have shared expereinces and if you would care to let us know about them there will be any number of interested readers. And, of whom I should be one. If so please let me know and I can arrange it.
It was so very kind of you to get in touch and I do so appreciate it.
And you too, take care.
John.