Anti-piracy commandos on Lamma Island
HF: IDJ has sent the following brief article and two images which he suggests may be of possible interest to Lamma Island residents only. However, our industrial history website includes information about individual ships, shipping lines and of course Hong Kong shipyards, and I think piracy in Hong Kong waters should also be included in maritime matters.
IDJ didn’t send the source or date of this article but please send it in to the site if you come across it. And if you have any idea where on Lamma these photos are, please let me know.
I have retyped the script which accompanied each image.
Thanks to SCT for proofreading the retyped version.
Commandos fill a new role in the Far East: Villagers helping a detachment of No.1 Commando to carry stores and equipment to their hill top billet on the island of Lamma, four miles from Hong Kong. The Commandos have been landed on Lamma in order to establish another port for anti-piracy patrol, to set up beacons for signalling, and to ensure fair distribution of rice supplied by the Hong Kong Government. They will also assist the R.A.F. medical officer, who is making a survey of the island. During the days of Japanese domination Lamma was garrisoned by two battalions of Japanese troops.
Making the position plain: Lieut. R.P. Wassell, of Aylesbury, talks with his Hong Kong police interpreter when giving instructions to one of the village elders during the occupation of the island of Lamma. The elder, surprisingly European in his dress, is told that rice supplies to the island must be fairly distributed.
Source: Unknown
This article was first posted on 15th April 2021.
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