Life for Service Personnel in Cold War Hong Kong, 1946–1997

Abstract

This chapter discusses the life of soldiering in Cold War Hong Kong, discussing issues such as the source of recruitment, training, and terms of service. In particular, the issue of loyalty among the Hong Kong servicemen and the ways employed by the British to maintain it are discussed in detail. It points out that while the Hong Kong servicemen gradually achieved equality with their British colleagues, the British had always been careful in preventing the ranks of the Hong Kong servicemen from the infiltration of the Chinese Communists, Nationalists, and the triads (Chinese organised criminal gangs). The chapter then describes the experiences of the Hong Kong servicemen from the Korean War to the peacekeeping mission to Cyprus in 1993.