Approximately 100 previously unseen aerial photographs from the wartime period in Hong Kong, now on display for the first time, offer significant insights into the air attacks during World War II in Kowloon, comparable to those linked with a particular bomb.recently unearthedIn Quarry Bay, a historian has stated.
Professor Kwong Chi-man, head of the history department at Baptist University, mentioned that the collection of aerial photographs of the Kowloon Peninsula, captured between 1941 and 1945, was obtained from the United States National Archives and Records Administration.
Curated by the department's Hong Kong Spatial History Project, the current display features a unique photograph depicting the time when Whampoa Dock in Hung Hom was targeted on April 5, 1945.
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"A recent action report clearly depicted the bombing at that time and the damage caused by an earlier attack," Kwong said, referring to the biggest air raid in Hong Kong on October 16, 1944, which resulted in the death of approximately 900 civilians.
During the Japanese occupation, Japan considered Hong Kong as a shipping and transportation hub. Starting from October 1942, Allied forces carried out attacks on shipyards to diminish their capabilities.
There is a possibility that we could discover explosives in the waters near Hung Hom, as well as in regions such as Tai Koo, Admiralty, and Wan Chai, which experienced intense bombardment.
A 1,000-pound (454kg) bomb from the war discovered in Quarry Bay last month is thought to have been dropped by US forces during an attack on Taikoo Dockyard on April 2, 1945.
The display also includes other bombing incidents on the Kowloon Peninsula, such as those in Sham Shui Po and Yau Tsim Mong, a region that consists of Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Mong Kok.
Captured by the Allied forces, the photographs were used as part of their surveillance of the region prior to air strikes on Japanese military installations, and to verify if targets had been successfully struck.
Kwong mentioned that the aerial photographs not only depicted the bombing and the war's effect on the cityscape, but also provided materials for future research into wartime history, remnants of conflict, regional growth, and historical structures in Hong Kong.
He pointed out that the photo collection filled the void in the city's spatial historical records, as the government had only captured aerial footage in 1924, 1934, and 1945, following the end of the war.
In addition to associated events and an interactive map, the exhibition is a component of a HK$1.9 million (US$244,200) initiative supported by the Built Heritage Conservation Fund, a governmental program aimed at promoting community engagement and awareness.
The complimentary display is open from September 25 until December 10 at the Jao Tsung-I Academy in Sham Shui Po, CLP Pulse in Kowloon City, and the ground level of Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei. Each location features aerial images of the respective area.
Kwong mentioned that his team had also gathered historical aerial photographs of Hong Kong Island and expressed hope for future chances to present them to the public.
One photograph depicts a large opening at King George V Memorial Park, supporting the accounts of a mass burial site in the region, as noted by Kwong.
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This piece was first published in the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a top news outlet covering China and Asia.
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