Beneath our feet lies a story etched in brick and stone. Welcome to Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village. This place was once Lyemun Barracks. It housed British soldiers stationed in Hong Kong.
The year was 1889. The land was transferred to the War Department. Construction began. The location was strategic. It overlooked the eastern approach to Victoria Harbour. Lei Yue Mun became a key defense point.
Fast forward to World War II. December 19, 1941, was a dark day. Japanese soldiers breached the Sai Wan Antiaircraft Battery. British sentries fell. Soldiers were trapped. A brutal bayonetting followed. Only two survived by hiding among the dead. Counterattacks failed. The Japanese held the high ground.
After the war, the Barracks served a new purpose. From 1948 to 1986, it housed the Hong Kong Military Service Corps. In 1987, the government took over. Lyemun Barracks transformed. It became Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village.
But the story doesn’t end there. In 2003, SARS struck Hong Kong. Amoy Gardens was the epicenter. Residents of Block E needed isolation. Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village became a quarantine site. Again in 2020, history repeated itself. COVID-19 emerged. Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village became a quarantine location once more.
Today, Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village offers a different experience. The holiday village now has family hostels and group hostels. Up to 282 people can stay here. Rope courses and tennis courts replaced military drills. Horse-riding provides fun. Barracks became living quarters. Each block serves a new purpose. Block 10 is the Recreational Center. Block 7 is the Coffee Corner.
Look around you. Notice the architecture. European styles mark these buildings. White and light blue are the dominant colors. Passageways connect buildings across the hillsides. Some buildings bear the mark of history. Blocks 2, 3, 10, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 display their year of completion.
Take a closer look at Block 7 the Coffee Corner. It underwent renovation in 2018. Polished wood and marble coatings replaced older materials. Drawings now adorn the walls. They depict the Royal Artillery Barracks. These drawings show the original layout. Soldiers’ Barracks and Officers’ Barracks are visible. Outhouses and Married Quarters appear too.
Not all of the former barracks are in use. Pak Sha Wan Battery stands isolated. Buildings along the road show neglect. Block 1, the former Changing Room, is in poor condition. Block 44, the Sniper Room, shows its age.
Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village holds Grade I historic structure status. Blocks 7, 10, and 25 earned monument status in 2016. These buildings are protected.
As you wander, remember the layers of history beneath your feet. Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village has transformed. From military stronghold to holiday retreat. It stands as a testament to Hong Kong’s resilience.