Contemplate this: A place where echoes of British colonial rule meet the present day. This is Gun Club Hill in Hong Kong. Today we explore its military past and present.
Gun Club Hill Barracks is more than just a location. It is a symbol of Hong Kong’s layered history. The British military began using this area shortly after 1860. This followed their acquisition of Kowloon.
Picture this: The Second Opium War has just ended. The British needed to house soldiers on the Kowloon Peninsula. The 1863 Treaty of Tientsin ceded this area. The British sought sites for garrisons and military defenses. King’s Park became the chosen location.
The area was once dotted with gardens and streams. Paddy fields were common. It was a popular place to hunt birds. Military encampments were set up. Firing ranges appeared for training. Sinologist R.G. Horsnell suggests this is how Gun Club Hill got its name.
Originally, Gun Club Hill Barracks encompassed a much larger area. It spanned around 10 hectares. This included areas now known as Kowloon Park and King’s Park. Horse trails connected these encampments to civilian areas via Chatham Road. Over time, the area was reduced to the smaller portion we know today. It sits between Jordan and Austin Roads.
During the early years tents and matsheds provided accommodations. Troops rotated in from Murray and Victoria Barracks. Soldiers practiced shooting with rifles and larger weapons. The first garrison stationed here was the “Gun Lascars”. They were Muslim artillery gunners from India.
In 1903-04, the first permanent buildings appeared. These were initially intended for infantry. However, the Asiatic Artillery soon occupied them. This unit consisted of Sikh and Punjabi Mussulman Companies called Gun Lascars. By 1905, four companies of soldiers were billeted in new barrack blocks. These flanked the parade ground.
The construction was of brick and granite. It also featured Manilla Hardwood. Outlet walls were made of Amoy Brick. Inner walls used Canton Brick. By 1909, the barracks included an Infants School and a Followers Hut. A Sikh/Muslim Cook-house and NCOs Quarters were also present. The layout included a Guard House and Sergeants Mess. There was also an Officers Mess and a small Medical Centre.
In 1910, Gun Club Barracks organized its first battalion. It comprised about 446 soldiers. This included staff sergeants and mounted troops. Artillery and engineer companies were part of the formation. So were band members.
The Officers’ Mess received a facelift. An annex was added facing Chatham Road. A new remodelled entrance wing appeared by 1930. This still stands today.
After the Japanese occupation, various regiments were stationed here. These included British infantry battalions. Other organizations shared the compound. The United Services Recreation Club was one. The Intelligence and Security Company was another. They occupied the old Colony Club building.
In 1977, changes occurred. Parts of the Alanbrooke Block and Infants’ School were demolished. This made way for new Gurkha MQs. A temple, clinic, and school were constructed that same year. The Intelligence and Security Company moved from Argyle Street Camp. They moved to Colony Block.
Excavations in 1986 unearthed a skeleton. It was believed to date from the Japanese occupation. In the 1990s, a new military hospital was built. It faced Jordan Road. The Colony Club and St. Eligius’ Church were demolished to make way for it.
1995 marked a significant event. The British regiment, the Gurkhas, vacated the barracks. It was handed over to the Hong Kong Government. In 1997, Hong Kong’s sovereignty transferred to China. The People’s Liberation Army became the new occupants.
Today, the People’s Liberation Army uses Gun Club Hill Barracks. It includes a hospital and housing blocks. There is also a primary school. Grocery stores and other amenities are on site.
Gun Club Hill stands as a silent witness to Hong Kong’s evolving story. From British colonial outpost to PLA base it remains a key site. It is a site that reflects the complex history of this dynamic city.