World War Two – Kai Tak airport, BAAG maps, sketches and plans
HF: I have updated the images shown so that, hopefully, details can be seen more clearly. Click on the link for the improved version, the miniature below gives a very rough idea of what you will see,
Elizabeth Ride has sent a number of plans, maps and sketches compiled by agents of the British Army Aid Group. These all show Kai Tak airport during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in WW2.
I am not capable of adding to her contribution but hope that this information will be of considerable assistance to those with an interest in Hong Kong during WW2, BAAG operations or the development of Kai Tak airport.
Elizabeth says that the first plan shown of the Japanese extension to Kai Tak was a copy of a blueprint of the scheme stolen by BAAG agents and smuggled out to Waichow – it was on her father’s desk before the Japanese had started work on the project!
Further information:
- For general information about the Elizabeth Ride collection, her father Sir Lindsay Ride, and the British Army Aid group during WW2 a very useful introduction is through http://gwulo.com/node/13968
- The BAAG papers are kept at the Hong Kong Heritage Project
- https://www.hongkongheritage.org/Pages/FindingAids/LibraryCollection/Elizabeth_M_Ride_Collection.aspx
This article was first posted on 7th June 2014.
The Index contains many articles using BAAG reports from WW2. And about industry in HK during that time.