1941-08-02 — Page 5

Second Section

Hongkong Telegraph.

Magazine Features

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, ' 1941.

JUBILEE OF THE CHINESE SAPPERS

FIFTY years ago the first

Chinese Sapper was at-

tested in the Corps of Royal Engineers. It was a step that had taken five years of discus- sion and difficulties to reach, but that it was a wise step no one can have any reason to doubt.

Like many other good institutions, the origin of the Chinese Section of the Royal Engineers lies in the sub- marine mining duties of the Corps. In 1878 a submarine mining detach- ment was sent to Hongkong, a detach- ment so small that it was capable of little except the care of its stores; and, to make it an active unit, it was reinforced by the engagement of Chi- nese civilians, mostly boatmen.

→

On August 1, 1891, No. 1. Cheong 'Sow was attested Sapper and was at once promoted Havil dar Major. This "re- cruit's dream" of promo- tion was not so strange as may seem at first sight, as Cheung Sow, together with 49 other Sappers who were attested shortly. after him, had been em- ployed by the Hongkong Company for some years as civilians, and were all trained submarine miners, and although they changed their status they did not change their em- ployment. Cheung Sow served for five years and died about seven years. ago.

Until 1905 the Hong- kong Company, about 100 strong, half British and half Chinese, was employ- ed in submarine mining duties with detachments for Defence Electric Lights and Brennan's

UB

UE

R&

ET

CLORIA

Torpedo, the Chinese mostly doing duty as boatmen, though some had the trade of Telegraphist. It was an efficient Company and left a record, established in 1904, which was undefeated by any other Company when the Corps handed over its submarine mining duties in 1905. After two hours of preparation, one hundred and ten mines were laid in six hours and only two mines re- quired attention before a perfect test was reached.

In 1905 the Corps handed over its submarine mining duties to the Royal Navy. The Submarine Mining Battalion was disbanded, and in all ports except Hong- kong, the locally enlisted troops were paid off. The Hongkong Company was reformed as the 40th (For- tress) Company, and retained its Chinese, personnel; thus although they were not the earliest locally enlisted in the Corps, they are the only portion who have re- tained their unbroken service to the present day.

The period from 1905-1914 was uneventful in Hongkong: the Company duties were on Engineer Services and the main- tenance of Defence Electric Lights which had been installed about 1896 (the date of the Hornsby Ackroyd Engine, the last of which was still in existence in 1940). Among the Chinese the trade of boatman disappeared and that of clectrician and engine driver, predominated.

During the war of 1914-1918, the Chinese Sappers remained In Hongkong and were employed largely on the maintenance of the Defence Electric Light equipment which was manned at night by the Hongkong Volunteer Defence Corps, and although they were styled as part of the Eastern Expeditionary Force, they did not receive any war medals as it was ruled that they had not left their home station.

The period after the war was one of retrenchment and the cutting down of Coast Defence Establishments, but in spite of this the Chinese Section increased its numbers and rose from a total strength of about 60 to over 70. The reason for this was twofold: first, there was a tendency to replace British Sappers with Chinese wherever possible; and secondly, a large number of duties in the Engineer Services, which had previously been performed by civilians, were taken on by the Chinese Sappera; for instance, a Chinese Supper rán a fan repair shop for the Engineer Services, and various small water pumps in barrack arena wero also under their 'caro, About 1985, this practice was stopped, and the Sappers were withdrawn to more active defence duties which were by now on the upgrade again:

DIC

În 1936 the modernisation of Hongkong's. defences was well under way and additional men were required. Const Defence duties. had increaseiland another Fortress Cont- pany had been formed for anti-aircraft searchlight dutles in 1934. Euch year saw an increase in the number of Chinese Sap- pers, and since 1937, when the 22nd (For- tress) Company received its first draft of Chinese, more Chinese have been enlisted than in the previous 45 years.

Recruiting has never been difficult. An announcement in the local press is sufficient to cause a major traffic problem in the road outside barracks and at least ten candidates for every vacancy. Moreover, there are continuous applications to be placed on the waiting list. Recruiting arrangements were originally all Regimental, but recently a Command Bourd has been formed to recruit for both the Corps and the Royal Artillery,

which has now followed the lead in enlisting Chinese,

Originally the terms of service were: initial enlistment for one year, and re-engagement for five year periods up to 21 years, and a year at a time thereafter. This has now been altered, the initial one year enlistment being removed. A large propor- tion have served 21 years and the longest service recorded is 25 years.

The language difficulty is not great as most of the men have a knowledge of English (a permanent civilian instructor is employed) and the N.C.O.s are in many cases good interpreters, The bulk of the Chinese Sapper's training has always been directed to fitting him for his Fortress duties, but in latter years a good deal of it has been directed to field works for which he has a marked aptitude. A background of thousands of years of duced a courage and resource with "stick and string" which agricultural engineering with a minimum of equipment has pro-

would be the envy of many field companies and would cause heart failure to any factory inspector:

In the days of submarine mining when the trade of boat- man was all-important, the bulk of the intake was from the country folk (Hakka) in the neighbourhood of Hongkong, who for generations have lived by farming and fishing; but with the change to more advanced engineering the more highly educated Chinese town dweller now forms-the bulk of the Section, and his qualities of slighter physique and quicker brain are more suited' to Fortress duties than was the more solid farmer.

Originally the ranks. of N.C.Os were manied after the in- dian style-invildar Major being the top rating. Tradition has it that this is a relic of the Indian instructors who were originally employed to teach the civilian "submarine miners their military duties, but it would seem more probable that at a time- when the influence of India on the Army was very high, it would be natural for the authorities to bestow their ranks on all non- Europeans. The Chinese are known by them no longer, but. are Corporals and Sergeants.

The technical standard obtained from the Chinese is high and his infinite capacity for taking pains produces a craftsman of high order, though his methods may be unorthodox to British minds. Although always armed, it is only recently that the training has included:s full course of musketry, and many of them have proved very adequate shots,

After 50 years the Chinese Sappers have built up a tradition" of which they and all who serve with them are justly proud, and they have shown their, worth in the many emergencies which confront Sappers from time to time as well as in the un sung_routine of the Fortress.

This official photograph shows Chinese Sappers setting up a searchlight in connection with anti-aircraft duties. This work has increased since the now dofonco programme was initiated.

- At right, Chinese Sappors engaged in constructing a bridge for heavy vehicu- lar traffic. On the left is a picture taken during the inspection by the Far Eastern Commandor-in-Chief, Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, during his visit to Hongkong carly this year.

component

Further picture of Chinesa, Sappors building another type of bridge. The Chinese Section of the Royal Enginoors is an Important and vital

of Hongkong's defence forces."-

Page 5Page 6