Question: What echoes linger within the walls of Kowloon East Barracks? Originally named Osborn Barracks, this site has a rich history. It stands in Kowloon City District. Kowloon East Barracks sits on Waterloo Road and Junction Road. Look across the street. You will see Hong Kong Baptist University.
Kowloon East Barracks has transformed over the years. It started as a British Army facility. Today, the People’s Liberation Army uses it. The story of Kowloon East Barracks begins with a Canadian hero.
Let me tell you about Company Sergeant Major John Robert Osborn. He was a British-born Canadian. Osborn served in the Winnipeg Grenadiers. He bravely defended Hong Kong in 1941. Osborn’s courage earned him the Victoria Cross. This is the highest award for gallantry. In 1945, after the liberation, Hong Kong honored Osborn. They named this barracks after him.
Osborn is remembered in other ways too. Visit Sai Wan War Cemetery to see his memorial. A statue stands in Hong Kong Park. It represents an anonymous World War I soldier. Interestingly, this statue has a past. It was once part of the Eu Tong Sen statuary collection. This collection was at Eucliff villa. When they demolished Eucliff villa, the Eu family donated the statue to Osborn Barracks. That was in the 1980s. The statue stayed here for 20 years. Then, they moved it to Hong Kong Park.
In the early 1990s, Kowloon East Barracks gave some land to Hong Kong Baptist University. This land was east of Renfrew Road. The university used it for campus development. The Hong Kong Logistic Support Regiment RLC was the last British Army regiment here. After the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army took over Osborn Barracks.
If you look along Renfrew Road, you will spot a helipad. In 2015, Albert Chan Wai-yip made a suggestion. He proposed decommissioning the barracks. His reason was to create more residential space.
Today, Kowloon East Barracks continues to serve. It stands as a silent witness to Hong Kong’s past. It also reflects the evolving landscape. From a tribute to a war hero to its current role, the barracks embodies history. It connects different eras of Hong Kong.