CO129-590-25 Accounts of events leading up to surrender and subsequent treatment of prisoners- etc 23-4-1942 - 28-9-1943 — Page 162

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From: Commanding Officer H. M. MTB. 09.

Date.

Subject

14th January 1942.

To

Attack on Japanese landing craft in Kowloon Bay on Friday, 19th December, 1941.

Commanding Officer, 2nd MTB Flotilla.

On Friday, 19 th December, 1941, I slipped from H.M.S. ROBIN as ordered with your instructions from XDO "to proceed to Kowloon Bay west about and fire at everything in sight". I therefore proceeded in company M.TB. 07 through Aberdeen Channel and up east Lamma Channel towards Green Island. On entering the harbour through Sulphur Channel speed was increased from 27 knots to 31 knots. I followed MTB 07 at about 2 cables distance keeping close to the boat boom on

the north side.

Several aircraft were in evidence over the harbour and when approximately north of the Hongkong Dock Yard one enemy

plane came down to about 750 ft. attacking with machine guns and possibly with cannon judging from the burst from the water around. Speed was increased to full throttle. Lewis gun fire prevented the plane from coming lower but my attention was diverted from it when en aged by fire from the shore, and it seemed that the plane then broke off.

&

This shore fire chiefly machine gun at first opened from the Hongkong side when North Point was nearly abeam to stárboard. This was somewhat surprising as no definite intelligence had been previously received that the Japanese were established on the Island.

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At this stage several small Japanese landing craft were sighted proceeding from Kowloon Bay in the North Point direction; the general Japanese policy apparently being to group their craft in threes one fitted with a motor towing the other two. MTB 07 made "act independently" by hand signal and altered course to port. After shooting up a group of three landing craft two of this group had capsizia, but the motor craft was still under way proceeding back towarus the shelter of the many Junks and boats which had been collected in Kowloon Bay. Speed was reduced to deal with the craft and it was put out of action by fire from the Lewis guns, and from a Bren Light Automatic operated by the 1st Lieutenant from the conning-tower with much effect.

I carried on further up the Bay to within about 2 cables off the Junks moored t ere, firing at a single landing craft and a sampan making back for shelter.. Course was then altered to starboard towards Channel Locks and fire opened from close range on two small boats aground on the rocks behind which a few apanese took cover.

เ

It was difficult to estimate the number carried by each landing craft as all the occupants but one were lying flat on the floor boards, but twelve appeared to be about the capacity While engaging landing craft enemy fire from the shore was naturally restricted for fear of hitting their own men, but it seemed that spasmodic fire was coming from some of the ships not completely sunk in the North Point - Channel ocks - Hung Hom Bay area.

I....