Occupation & Liberation
of Hong Kong
"Black Christmas" - after 18 days of fierce fighting by British, Canadian, and Indian forces and supported by the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Forces, British colonial officials headed by the Governor of Hong Kong Mark Aitchison Young surrendered at the Japanese headquarters on 25 December 1941.
Original Negative
On 8 December 1941, Japanese bombers appeared over Hong Kong without warning. By war's end much of the city's infrastructure was destroyed, including the main machine shop of the Hong Kong Whampoa Dock Company. The dockyard also became a major target for US planes during the Second World War. The Americans disabled facilities that the occupying Japanese Forces might use to their advantage. During similar raids the Americans Air Force targeted the Taikoo Dockyards as well as Japanese oil storage depots in Lai Chi Kok.
Original Negative