Elizabeth Ride: KWIZ [Kweilin Weekly Intelligence Summary] has the following reports of the building of wooden boats, and I wonder if some of these could refer to the suicide boats mentioned in the article linked below: KWIZ #66, 15.9.44 : Aberdeen Dock coolies “are being used to fell trees on the Peak for converting into charcoal, as well as for shipbuilding” […]
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HF: The China Daily, HK Edition, of 3rd November 2015 contained the sixth of a planned series of articles about what is seen as an “explosion of interest of material related to the city’s industrial past”. The article by Chitralekha Basu includes…There was a time when end-of-life ships from the world over would wash up on the shores of Hong Kong. […]
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Stephen Davies: The history of the lighter Tin Ming is interesting. From what I can work out she may have been either the ex-Argus or ex-Vigilante, one of two French gunboats built by Thorneycroft in London to a British (Woodcock) design in 1900, shipped out to HK where they were assembled and then operated on the West River until taken out […]
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This article is an attempt to bring together what we know about Japanese suicide boats based on Lamma Island at the end of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. There is also mention of such vessels appearing in other locations. The subject may appear to be drifting somewhat from HK’s industrial history. However, as the BAAG Report KWIZ #79/1 indicates […]
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Stephen Davies has sent a newspaper report from August 1922 featuring a launch and lighter of the Kung Lee (Kwong-li) Steamship Company (公利輪船有限公司). Stephen adds, The company was very short-lived. It was founded on 23 February 1922 and was dissolved four and a half years later on 22 October 1926. Kung Lee were operating in the relatively slow river freight business with small steam […]
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Kwong Chi Man has kindly translated the Japanese names of the piers shown in columns at the bottom of this map of Hong Kong harbour which was drawn during the occupation, WW2. Elizabeth Ride has kindly transcribed the faint handwritten English ‘translation’ alongside the Japanese. Many thanks to both contributors. KCM: This map of the Japanese Harbour Authority (under the […]
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HF: I learnt about this company through the personal effects of Harry Kin Hong Long who briefly worked for Kung Lee from March to July 1923. Harry worked on two ships, the Kwong Mo and the Tin Ming as can be seen in his appointment letter below. Julia Bradshaw has kindly given permission to quote from her book, Golden Prospects…which finds […]
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ER has sent this BAAG report. It is the only information we have about this smaller shipyard. Any further information would be very useful. The report mentions “other yards and engineering works who receive orders from To Nam Shipyard include, Far East Motors, Luk Ho Kan, Ngai Sang, Tai Hing, Cho Wing.” KWIZ #74, 10.11.44. Further information: For general information about […]
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IDJ: During 1948 and 1949 there was immense turmoil in China as the Nationalist and Communist factions battled for control of the country. Events were moving towards a climax. As a result, the Chinese airlines CNAC (China National Aviation Corporation), CAT (Civil Air Transport) both with Sino-American interests and flight crews, and Central Air Transport (nationalist government owned) all based […]
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ER has sent this BAAG report. It is the only information we have about this smaller shipyard. Any further information would be very useful. KWIZ #74, 10.11.44. 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 […]
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