Woven cloth formation sign with hessian backing, 52 mm diameter. Slight graze at the top and a tiny tear in the cloth. Issued to Canadian troops in 1945.
There is quite a story behind this patch, which was effectively issued to those who survived being taken Prisoner of War by the Japanese. Canadian soldiers who served in Hong Kong wore no special formation patch, but when the survivors were released from captivity, they were given the special HK badge on sale here to wear on their homecoming uniforms.
The Battle of Hong Kong (8–25 December 1941), also known as the Defence of Hong Kong and the Fall of Hong Kong, was one of the first battles of the Pacific War in World War II. On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, forces of the Empire of Japan attacked the British Crown colony of Hong Kong. The attack was in violation of international law as Japan had not declared war against the British Empire. The Japanese attack was met with stiff resistance from the Hong Kong garrison, composed of local troops as well as British, Canadian and Indian units.
"C" Force was the Canadian military contingent involved in the Battle of Hong Kong, in December 1941. Members of the force were the first Canadian soldiers to see action in World War II.
In Autumn 1941, the British government accepted the Canadian Government's offer to send two infantry battalions (1,975 personnel) to reinforce the Hong Kong garrison. The force departed North America on 27 October and arrived 16 November. They did not have their full equipment: a ship carrying all their vehicles was diverted to Manila when war began. The soldiers were still undergoing training and acclimatisation. The major Canadian units involved in the defence of Hong Kong were the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada.
The Canadians were initially positioned on the south side of the Island to counter any amphibious landing. Ironically this would mean that when the Japanese invaded the island they were the units called upon to counterattack. In the subsequent fight for Hong Kong island, the Canadians lost 290 personnel of which 130 were from the Grenadiers. The remaining Canadian soldiers surrendered to the Japanese on Christmas Day. After the surrender, 267 more perished during long years of harsh captivity.
