Hello, and thank you for listening to The History of World War II Podcast, Episode 262,

once more, unto the gap.

Last time, General Sakai had started his attack on Hong Kong Island, having forced General

Maltese forces from the new territories.

Moreover, the Eastern Brigade, under General Wallace, had been mauled as the Japanese

focused their attack on the northeast corner of the island.

That, combined with the limited success of the Hong Kong Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve,

which tried to stop the faring over of additional Japanese troops, meant that the defense of the

island was now up to the Western Brigade, under the command of Brigadier John Lawson.

But he would face the same problems as Wallace, two few troops in the face of overwhelming

odds.

The headquarters for the West Brigade was in the valley of Wang Ni Chong, or Yellow Muddy

Creek in the center of the island, and as strategic locations go, it was a good one, as the

valley linked the northern half of the island, with the southern half.

However, as it was surmounted by heights, Jardines looked out to the east, Mount Butler

even further east, and Mount Parker further east, Mount Nicholson to the West, and others.

It was virtually exposed to artillery fire from every direction.

Hence the headquarters would have to be moved.

This became doubly so after the Japanese landed to the headquarters north-east on December

18th.

A major linden, the Brigade's major, was put in charge of moving the headquarters to

a position just south of Mount Nicholson, due south of where it was now, and that would

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