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Written by: Wang Jieen
2021-03-07 00:00
Last update date: 2021-03-07 00:00
On the hilltop of Lukeng, there are piles of machine gun castles hidden among the cluttered weeds, connected by trenches.
After ten years of research, a research team found that the gun fort group was well-structured. It is believed that this place is the best military site left by the Japanese in Hong Kong.
Professor Li Weicong of the Department of Real Estate and Construction at the University of Hong Kong estimates that the current site is more likely to be built by the Japanese army for the anti-Japanese guerrillas.
Wu Junjie, chairman of the Hong Kong Anti-Japanese War History Research Association, said that even though the Japanese army in Hong Kong was short of resources at the time, in order to suppress the resistance of the people, he still invested in the construction of machine gun castles and observatories, "reflecting that the actions of Hong Kong people against Japan at that time have already done a great deal to the Japanese army. Threat.” He believes that the base reflects the history of the national salvation and anti-Japanese armed forces fighting the enemy and is worthy of being listed as a statutory monument.
The group found 14 gun forts on the head of Lujing Mountain. It is believed that the largest gun fort (pictured) belonged to the headquarters at the time.
(Photo by Li Zetong)
The largest gun fort belongs to the headquarters
The Lukeck Machine Gun Fort and the observatory were abandoned in the chaos, but as early as 2009, it was listed as a second-class historical building by the Ancient Consultative Conference.
The Ancient Advisory Council described it at the time that the site was composed of multiple machine gun forts, observation platforms and trenches, and a total of 12 structures were rated.
After ten years, the Hong Kong University team searched and found that there were 14 gun forts on the hill, 7 of which were larger in size, and there were trenches nearby to connect the gun forts with a depth of 3 to 4 feet.
Li Weicong estimated that the largest gun fort belonged to the headquarters at that time.
Wu Junjie, chairman of the Hong Kong Anti-Japanese War History Research Association, also inferred that the gun fort can accommodate about 10 soldiers and can also be looked at from above.
▼The current situation of the Luk Keng Machine Gun Fort
There is also a small well near the gun fort. The team believes it may be a toilet at that time, but it still needs to be verified.
(Photo by Li Zetong)
Suspected of leaving the Japanese toilet
Among the 14 gun forts, there are also 7 smaller "satellite gun forts" that can only accommodate one person.
The team estimates that these "satellite gun fortresses" can cover the "dead corners" of the big gun fort.
There is also a small well near the gun fort.
Li Weicong pointed out that the well was two meters deep. Because it was too deep and too thin, it was different from ordinary wells. Therefore, it was inferred that it might be a toilet or used by the Japanese troops stationed there.
In addition to the larger gun fort, the team also found that there are 7 smaller "satellite gun forts" on the top of the hill, which can only accommodate one person, making it difficult to get in and out.
(Photo by Li Zetong)
It is believed that residents who resist local anti-Japanese forces may be forced to participate in the construction
Li Weicong pointed out that in the past it was thought that the Japanese army built these bunkers for anti-Allied landings.
However, they now have new views.
He explained that some books mentioned that on March 3, 1943, members of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Detachment of the East River Column of the Anti-Japanese Guerrilla had fought fiercely with the Japanese in Nanyong Village in Lukeng, so he believed that the Japanese military began to build Lukeng's defense. Facilities to prevent guerrillas from infiltrating or harassing the area around Sha Tau Kok.
Wu Junjie also added that Nanyong and Wujiaoteng were the location of the guerrilla brigade headquarters, and the window of the above-mentioned largest gun fort was facing Nanyong.
He also estimated that these gun fortresses may actually not be able to play a role. As the guerrillas and the Japanese army fought fiercely here, there were heavy casualties. Therefore, after the gun fort was built, the brigade has moved positions. Therefore, in the existing historical data of the Dongjiang column, There is no mention of these fortifications.
Li Weicong also quoted the historian Gao Tianqiang's review of the work, referring to the villagers in the Lujing area recalling that they were forced to help the Japanese army build gun fort groups and observation stations during the Japanese occupation.
In other words, the original inhabitants may have participated in the construction of these military facilities.
The vent of the gun fort is suspected to have visitors standing on it, and some structure has fallen down, revealing steel bars.
(Photo by Li Zetong)
Some structures have collapsed to promote restoration and conservation
Over time, weeds grew on the top of the hill, and hill fires also occurred.
Li said that although soil erosion may occur at the scene, it can be quickly remedied, but if you ignore it, the situation may get worse.
As for the vent of the gun fort, it is suspected that some tourists have stood on it, and some of the structure has fallen down.
The team hopes that the government will pay serious attention to and restore the ruins, and can set up small museums, or build suspension bridge passages and trails for visitors to appreciate.
Although the Lukeck Machine Gun Fort and Observatory have been graded, Lai pointed out that Hong Kong’s historical building grading system does not involve conservation, leading to the destruction of most wartime relics. He admitted that Hong Kong’s military relics "have a lot of potential and have not yet been developed." He also pointed out that the war-time relics of Huang Chuyang in Sai Kung were originally larger, but they have long been demolished and are difficult to repair.
Lai Weicong, a professor in the Department of Real Estate and Construction at the University of Hong Kong, said that it took them ten years to complete the research, which identified the location of the facilities and studied the architectural features.
(Photo by Li Zetong)
Worthy of being a declared monument
Wu Junjie believes that considering the historical value of the relics, the current site is worthy of becoming a statutory monument, and it needs to be protected and used properly, otherwise it will be abandoned.
When asked whether the Ancient Advisory Council underestimated the historical value of the site, Li Weicong pointed out that he was considerate of the Ancient Advisory Council’s decision. To deal with different historical buildings.
Cheng Zhaotang, an alumnus of the Department of Real Estate and Construction of the University of Hong Kong, said that in the past ten years of research, they had to go up the mountain many times to survey and refer to different materials, so it took a long time.
He said frankly: "We are all ages, but we hope that the true history of Hong Kong will be better than the next generation."
In response to the enquiry, the Antiquities Office pointed out that the location of the machine gun fort and the observatory was within the scope of a country park, and the management and maintenance of the machine gun was the responsibility of the relevant department.
The Antiquities Office is very willing to provide technical advice to the management department from the perspective of cultural heritage conservation on the maintenance of the project, the establishment of explanatory signs, and the addition of walking trails.
The Antiquities Office also stated that under the current rating system, if there is new information that is indeed related to the value of the historical building or structure that has been rated, the Antiquity Council will review the value of the cultural relic of the relevant project and the current rating according to the evaluation criteria and urgent needs.
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