20091201/香港的加拿大阵亡将士墓碑

在香港保卫战中阵亡的加拿大将士大部分葬于港岛的西湾国殇纪念坟场(Sai Wan War Cemetery)和赤柱军人坟场(Stanley Military Cemetery)。

hk_saiwanwarcemetery.jpg
(香港西湾国殇纪念坟场)

hk_saiwan_canadian.jpg
(西湾国殇纪念坟场加拿大军人墓穴)

西湾国殇纪念坟场(Sai Wan War Cemetery)是香港一座坟场,位于香港岛东区柴湾(又称西湾)以南的黑角头一带,安葬著香港保卫战时在香港阵亡的盟军士兵,坟场内亦葬有本地抗战军人及平民。西湾国殇纪念坟场在1953年按拨地契约批予“英联邦国殇纪念坟场管理委员会”,是该委员会建造及管理的两个坟场之一,另一个为赤柱国殇纪念坟场。2005年加拿大总理马丁访问香港亦前往西湾国殇纪念坟场出席为保卫香港而捐躯人士的纪念活动。

西湾国殇纪念坟场由奥基斯(C. St. Clair Oakes)设计,入口面向歌连臣角道一方有坟场名字、一把剑、“1939”及“1945”字样,面向墓园一方列出在同时期殉难而不知葬身处共2,071名军人的名字,其中1,319人来自英国军队、228人来自加拿大军队、287人来自印度军队及237人来自香港本地的军队。另镶有两块特别的碑石,其一载有144名被火化的印度教及钖克教军人的名字;另一块则载有72名于两次大战在中国捐躯的英联邦军人的名字,其坟墓现已不存。坟场入口建有“西湾纪念碑”(Sai Wan Memorial),刻有“THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”。

西湾国殇纪念坟场墓园共有1,578穴坟墓,葬有59名海军、1,406名陆军、67名空军、18名商船队队员、20名香港本地抗战军人及8名平民,国籍包括1,013名英国人、283名加拿大人、104名印度人、33名澳大利亚人、1名新西兰、1名缅甸人、53名香港人、72名荷兰人及18名其他国籍人士。

stanley_military_cemetery.jpg
(赤柱軍人墳場紀念碑)

赤柱军人坟场(Stanley Military Cemetery),是香港开埠最初期1840年代的坟场之一,主要安葬英国驻港英军及其家属。坟场曾关闭,在1942年重开,安葬当时在香港逝世的战争死难者,战俘、平民、香港义勇军及英军服务团成员。该团为义勇军及原本驻港英籍及印籍军人组成,当中包括大批文职人员,曾经在中国沦陷区工作,协助敌方战俘营内的战俘出逃,军事情报收集等。

这坟场葬下691名战争死难者。身分:37名 海军,467名 陆军 ,3名 空军,23名 商船队队员,98名 被扣留的平民,2名 其他平民,39名 英军服务团团员,22名 身分不明的死难者。国籍:488名 英国人,20名 加拿大人,5名 印度人,157名 香港人,11名 盟军人员,10名 国籍不明。

Canadian War Graves in Hong Kong

Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery

The Sai Wan Bay Memorial was erected at the Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery on the island of Hong Kong to honour those who died in its defence. On this Memorial are inscribed the names of over 2,000 people, 228 of them Canadian, who died with no known grave. Below the memorial, the Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery slopes towards the sea, with a panoramic view of the coastline and distant hills. Here are buried 283 soldiers of the Canadian Army, including 107 who were unidentified. These are among the 1,975 Canadians who sailed from Vancouver in October 1941, to commit to battle during the Second World War in the defence of Hong Kong. The small brigade group consisting of the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada found itself in action against the Japanese. In total, more than 550 Canadians died in the campaign or in captivity.

Stanley Military Cemetery

Situated just beyond Stanley Village in the southern part of Hong Kong island, the Stanley Military Cemetery was originally the military cemetery in which were buried members of the Hong Kong garrison and their families. During the Japanese occupation, the Stanley jail and village were used as a prisoner-of-war camp and civilian internment camp, and the cemetery, which had not been used for more than 70 years, was re-opened for the burial of those who were executed by the Japanese or who died while prisoners of war. Some of the graves in the older part are still marked by the original headstones erected by the prisoners of war, who collected the granite from the 100 years old fortifications and carved the inscriptions themselves. The total number of burials in the cemetery is 663, with 20 Canadians buried here, including one unknown grave. Most of the Canadians buried here died during the last days of the Battle of Hong Kong.

Leave a Comment