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Garrison workshop to close after 50 years
Chinese civilian tradesmen with a total of 1,423 years employment with the 50 Hong Kong Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), will be the guests of honour at the closure ceremony to be held by the unit tomorrow (Friday) at Sek Kong, New Territories
In this, the 50th anniversary year of the Workshop, the tradesmen will attend the parade where Commander British Forces, Major General Bryan Dutton, will take the salute along with Army Director Equipment Support (1), Brigadier Stuart Middleton, who is visiting the Territory from his headquarters in Andover, Hampshire, United Kingdom.
Also on parade will be British, Chinese and Gurkha soldiers from the Workshop. Music will be provided by the visiting Band of the Corps of the Royal Engineers.
The 50 Hong Kong Workshop was formed in 1946 in Sham Shui Po and remained there until 1984 when it moved to its current location at Malaya Lines, Sek Kong.
At its full strength it employed 77 military and 161 civilian personnel whose jobs involved the manufacture, maintenance, recovery and repair of equipment within the Garrison.
Over the years the Workshop had maintained an excellent rapport with the local population and in 1974 the unit was awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace for its service to the local community.
The loyalty of the staff over the last 50 years is unquestioned and by August this year a total of 29 Chinese tradesmen had each served over 20 years in the Workshop. The longest serving employee, Mr Tong Yui. has worked there for 45
years.
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