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In November General Li Fuk-Lam, who incidentally was himself an ex-bandit, was entrusted with the task of piracy suppression throughout the whole province of Kwantung, and every effort was made by the British Navy to support him, by supply of stores, transport of troops, and armed assistance whenever possible.
On 21st November a joint operation on a considerable scale was organised against a large body of pirates holding position at a junction of three creeks, two of which led into the Kerr Channel and one into the Sailam Channel. The pirate gang, which num- bered about 300 men, possessed armed launches, four small field guns and about 30 Thompson machine guns. The creeks leading to the pirate position could only be navigated by Robin, but as all water exits were closed during the night of the 23rd November by Tarantula, Moorhen and three armed launches, it appeared that by landing the 2,000 troops available in the Kerr and Sailam Channels next morning an encircling movement would be possible, the Robin being in position to support the actual attack by fire from her 6 pdr. and machine guns. But when a general advance was made at 9.30 a.m. next day it was found that the pirates had departed. Unfortunately a subordinate officer, whether through incompetence or treachery is not known, had landed a company of soldiers from the Sailam Channel on the previous evening, but had refrained from attack, or close contact with the pirates, because he considered they were too dangerous! Yet the expedi- tion was not quite fruitless. Another small band of pirates happened to be in the area, and finding escape cut off, they surren- dered after slight resistance, 40 prisoners being taken and some captives being set free. A sweep of the surrounding waters by the British gunboats also brought a modified success, for in the heat of the pursuit the pirates abandoned one of their launches and sank two others. They then escaped to the East River delta, an area in which, owing to lack of water and narrow creeks, the gunboats were comparatively immobile. During the next week four armed launches, which had been in the hands of these pirates or were known to have been concerned in their activities, were captured by British gunboats. All launches met with were stopped, and in default of a satisfactory explanation of their movements, were detained for examination by General Li Fuk-Lam.
Anti-pirate measures were continued by this General and his assistants up to the middle of June 1925, when the firing on the Shameen and the subsequent anti-British movement in South China prevented any further co-operation with the Chinese authorities. The last cases of successful joint action were on 9th and 11th June when attacks were delivered against pirate strongholds near Sailam and Wantung.
Plans for a joint operation had been made some time before, and during the first week of June spies were sent out in the guise of tinkers to locate the pirates. By this means it was ascertained that a body of nearly four hundred men was occupying an island area formed by creeks in the neighbourhood of Sailam. Plans
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were accordingly made for a joint operation on the 9th June, and Cicala, Robin and the armed launches Hing Wah and Kwong Lee were ordered to co-operate with the Chinese troops. The arrange- ments were kept as quiet as possible, but the suspicions of the pirates were aroused. Owing to this and bad synchronisation of movement on the part of the Chinese, the planned encirclement of the main body was a failure, and nearly the whole band escaped. The casualties were few and prisoners numbered less than 40.
The threatening situation at Canton then compelled the recall of Cicala, Robin being left alone to assist in a further operation planned against a pirate stronghold at Wantung near the Tamchau channel.
The pirate gang, numbering several hundred men, had been in occupation of Wantung for over three years, and in course of time had materially added to the natural strength of the position. The village itself lay between three peaks of a rocky hill which rose some 250 ft. direct from the surrounding paddy fields, and fortifi- cations which had been constructed on the eastern and western of these peaks made the place impregnable to Chinese troops with no suitable artillery. Surrounding creeks also made the concentra- tion of troops more difficult.
The attack was launched on 11th June. The Chinese force of 400 to 500 men was landed in two positions with orders to make simultaneous attacks on the eastern and western fortified peaks as soon as Robin had completed her bombardment.
Robin opened fire at dawn from a creek to the south, firing at the two forts in succession, but devoting special attention to the eastern hill which was believed to be the key to the position. The Chinese troops, who had been supplied with special flags for the purpose of recognition, then made their advance.
During the bombardment the pirates had abandoned their fortified positions, but as soon as firing ceased they returned and directed an effective fire with grape shot against the advancing troops, who quickly got out of range to await the effect of a further bombardment by Robin. This was the order of events until about 9.0 a.m., when the Chinese General intimated that his troops would do no more unless more powerful artillery was brought to bear on the pirate position. To meet this request and also to take the opportunity of impressing on the Chinese mind the effect of 6 in. gunfire, the S.N.O., West River, decided to send Cicala to the scene of action despite the difficult political situa- tion then existing at Canton.
Meanwhile, Robin shifted billet up stream to a position south- west of the Western Hill, and it was then possible to see what had been hidden before, a formidable wall of rock about 12 ft. high commanding the only possible approach from the west. It was decided to concentrate fire on this western area, which could be better seen from the new position taken up by Robin, and by continuous machine gun fire to prevent the defenders returning to their fortified positions after the bombardment. The plan soon
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