What is it?
This is a newly opened heritage trail that cuts through the centre of Hong Kong Island. The idea behind the new trail is to show what went on in Hong Kong on December 19, 1941, during the heaviest day of fighting during the second world war.
So, what can I see?
The trail is split into 10 stations, places where you can stop and read about the battle that took place on that particular day. But this trail doesn't just have plaques with information, it also has what's left of the gun emplacements and pillboxes, where the soldiers fought with machine guns against the Japanese, who entered the New Territories from the mainland on December 8, 1941. They arrived on Hong Kong Island on December 18 and Hong Kong surrendered on December 25.
How long will it take?
The walk is straightforward and depending on how long you want to read the plaques and take a look at the gun emplacements, it should take you about two hours. The aim of the trail is not to glorify war but to show who took part in the doomed defence of Hong Kong. The battle of Hong Kong was over in just 17 days. Among those defending the city were a whole variety of nationalities including Chinese, Canadians, Eurasians, Indians, British and Portuguese. Then just a few weeks before the war came to Hong Kong, hundreds of young Canadians were shipped in from the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Canadian Rifles. Many of these men were teenagers - 16 to 18 years old who had never been in a battle before. In fact, some of them were trained on the ship as they came over from Canada. And many died in Hong Kong.
Isn't it all a bit depressing?