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Territory during this attack. One of these planes flew over Lo Wu military camp and attacked the 09.41 a.m. train near No. 47 railway bridge with bombs and machine gun fire; two bombs were dropped on the railway embankment, damaging two carriages; only one Chinese male was injured.
60. The three planes then followed the course of the Canton Road from Lo Wu to Man Kam To, firing on refugees who had crossed over into British territory, and finally flew back across the frontier to Shum Chun where they rejoined their formation and disappeared from view. The Japanese authorities subsequently paid compensation for the damage and casualties caused by the bombing.
61. In addition to the casualties inflicted in British territory, forty-four persons were admitted to Kowloon hospitals with injuries received in Chinese territory and a further five died of wounds.
JAPANESE OCCUPATION OF THE FRONTIER IN AUGUST.
62. On August 16th, at 8.30 a.m., a large column of Japanese infantry, cavalry and light artillery, preceded by aerial reconnaissance, were observed from Lok Ma Chau police station, moving towards Shum Chun; they reached the railway line and advanced slowly down it, occupying Shum Chun at 11.50 a.m. Later in the day, the Hong Kong military authorities took over control of the frontier from police; the latter carried on their normal frontier duties in reserve.
63. On August 17th, at 4 p.m., Japanese troops occupied Yim Tin, and at 9.55 p.m., they arrived at Sha Tau Kok in Chinese territory, where they were conducted round the frontier boundaries by the Assistant Superintendent of Police, New Territories; they finally occupied Sha Tau Kok, Chinese section, at 11.45 p.m. Large numbers of refugees crossed over into British territory and were accommodated at San Uk Ling and Cha Hang refugee camps.
64. On August 20th, between 3,000 and 4,000 Japanese troops were landed at Nam Tau and large reinforcements were sent to Shum Chun. By August 21st, there was an estimated total of 20,000 Japanese troops in the Nam Tau area, including 1,000 cavalry and a large number of mechanized units.
65. On August 22nd, the British military authorities dismantled all frontier bridges leading into British territory and on August 26th, the Lo Wu railway bridge was rendered impassable. On August 27th, Japanese troop movements towards Nam Tau were observed; information was received that garrisons at the frontier and Deep Bay villages had been reduced to a minimum and that large numbers of Japanese soldiers had embarked on transports at Nam Tau.
66. On August 30th, at 10.45 p.m., heavy firing broke out from the direction of Shum Chun, as the result of a raid by Chinese troops, and continued for several hours; this was followed two days later by a small scale raid by Chinese regular troops on Sha Tau Kok, during which five Japanese soldiers were killed and a number injured. On October 2nd, five Japanese aeroplanes bombed Po Kat and Shum Chun, presumably in retaliation for the Chinese attack. No further fighting took place near the frontier during the year. Frequent Japanese patrols, carried out between Nam Tau, Shum Chun and Sha Tau Kok, Chinese territory, were the only signs of activity.
67. On December 30th, the Japanese evacuated Sha Tau Kok; during the following night they evacuated all troops and supplies from Shum Chun and other garrisoned villages to Nam Tau, where they were embarked on transports, leaving the whole frontier area in the hands of the Chinese authorities, who rapidly took over control.