CO129-589-6 Air raid precautions- Report on ARP wardens in action 7-2-1942 - 25-3-1942 — Page 13

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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be called in to carry out some really large-scale demolitions to prevent the fires spreading. But note that there was very little incendiarism and the fire services were not seriously tested by

(say) London standards. What they had to do, however, they did

and they stuck it.

.

2.

What was the average size of the H.E. bombs used ?

A.

Average size was 250 lbs. bombs.

Q.

Were any delay action bombs used. What was the average period

of delay ?

:

A. I think not. A few delayed action bombs were reported in the

early stages: they were later discovered to be duds.

.. What were the number of casualties, (a) killed and (b) wounded for every ton of bombs. (If this is not possible perhaps you could give me an instance of an individual bomb falling in a congested

onea.)

A. Don't know. But a 250 lbs. bomb fell on the Central Market when it was crowded with resultant casualties (fatal) of less than

25. A bomb of the same calibre fell on Volunteer Headquarters near 0.9.0. (a semi-permanent building), demolished the structure and

In one raid killed more than 40 Indian troops sheltering inside. on Aberdeen 500 lbs. bombs were used and there was a noticeably disproportionate increase in the resulting damage to buildings (1.e. it was more than twice that caused by 250 lbs. bombs) but I do not

know the casualty figures.

How many houses were destroyed or made un-inhabitable by any

individual bomb

(a)

(b)

exploding in a built up thoroughfare;

exploding on a building.

No exact information. A bomb exploded in Queens Road outside

St. Francis Hotel and no houses were made uninhabitable

A.

only

On the other hand Dr.

broken glass and some masonry brought down. Hacket's house at Stanley Prison was completely wrecked by one 50 lb. bomb. Good modern buildings like the Gloucester and the H.K. Bank stood up well: the H.K. Bank actually bumped off shells with I superficial damage only, unless they happened to hit a window.

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