APPENDIX V.
REPORT DESTRUCTION OF FIXED DEFENCE STATION
AT TAITAM, HONG KONG, ON 19th DECEMBER
1941.
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The Fixed Defences at Hong Kong consisted of inter alia eight Indicator Loops; Nos. 1 to 8; No.1 being in the Nine Pin area and the others stretching consecutively round the East and South of the Island. The Fixed Defence Station was situated at Taitam at the foot of the Reservoir Dam..
2.
Order for the destruction of the Fixed Defence Station were promulgated in "S.X.one" and two Mark VII Depth Charges were placed one in the Instrument Room and the other in the Generator Room; the D/C's were wired for firing electrically and a length of cable was prepared in readiness. The Officers and Ratings were then exercised in the procedure to be carried out in an emergency.
3.
At 0400 on the 19th of December, 1941, a message was received from the Extended Defence Officer at Battle Headquarters of the Japanese landings at Taikoo and Lyemun and the Depth Charges were wired up, primers and detonators inserted and the cable run out in readiness for firing. At 0800 a further message was received from the Extended Defence Officer instructing the station personnel to destroy all Confidential Books and Papers. The question of the Destruction of the F.D.S. the Extended Defence Officer left to the discretion of the Commanding Ufficer of the Station.
The Confidential Books and all papers were then immediately destroyed by fire. After a short conference with his senior watchkeeping officer and Engineer Officer, the Commanding Officer decided to destroy the station forthwith as it was realised that since the Japanese had landed the station ceased to serve any useful purpose.
(This was a fortunate decision as shortly after the
demolition a shell landed on the breakwater near the foot of the Taitam Reservoir Dam).
Acid was poured over the Thread Recorders and the Amplifier Valves and photo-electric cells were broken, Integrators were dashed on to the floor, and the R/T set Shashed with rifle butts.
4.
At 0900 approximately all personnel were ordered off the Station with the exception of the watchkeeping officers. The generators were then raced after removal of oil from the crank cases with the intention that they should seize up. Petrol was poured over the wooden buildings of the station and ignited. Finally at 0940 the two depth charges were fired separately by an eight volt accumulator and two separate detonations were heard.
5.
The personnel could not get close to the remains as the petrol fire was raging so fiercely but destruction appeared to be complete as the buildings and surrounding steel fences were razed to the ground. The state of the tide made it impossible to cut the tails.
The station personnel then reported for duty at Aberdeen Base ( Industrial School ).
6.
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