Lo Wu Border Crossing
Lo Wu on the Shum Chun River was the crossing point from China by land. Controlled on our side by the Hong Kong Police, it was the entry point for many refugees from the mainland. To here the trains ran from inland China. Entry for those allowed into Hong Kong was over a bridge where once admitted refugees continued by train or walked with their bags and baggage along the tracks. This was a constant sight. Not all refugees arrived by land, many attempted to gain entry by sea. It was a chronic problem.
Lo Wu Camp – Setting In
Located in an isolated position on open ground that had been terraced paddy fields, the camp was set below a range of hills. Previous units stationed in the New Territories had cut their regimental badges into these hills. On the other side of the broad valley some good distance away was another range of higher hills. Through this intensely cultivated valley full of paddy fields ran the Shum Chun River that eventually discharged to the west into Deep Bay and then the sea.
Here we were to spend nearly 3 months. Our first tasks were to settle in, and get the unit and our camp into a soldierly state, and as I recall I think we were the first unit to occupy it. First, we fetched and unpacking each and every item we were likely to require and stored it in either more tents or the two or three storage huts. Second, we dug monsoon trenches around all the tents and various holes for the ablutions and latrines. It was hard work in very humid conditions in concrete like soil. After our first introduction to digging holes in the Colony, we became expert with pick and spade. We once again carried out customary fatigues and guard duty. The guards were however different in that we were issued with and carried a clip of live ammunition. This long, hard and arduous labor after the “soft” voyage began to toughen us up, and acclimatize us to the conditions.
Lo Wu Camp – Officers and NCOs
At this stage we became aware of our Troop Officers and NCOs. The Troop was commanded by a Captain Tilburn, a pleasant and decent enough fellow, with a Lieutenant Laird. We did not see much of the CO, Major Dacre who was I think already serving in Hong Kong when we arrived. He did not live in camp and share its delights with us for he had a house inland somewhere with his wife and several horses. He seemed, however, reasonable enough notwithstanding having come from, I think, the Indian Army, not bothering us unduly with a strict regimental attitude. Here we had the benefit of being an Independent Battery and having no regimental hierarchy to satisfy.
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.