Hong Kong Resistance, 1942–1945

Abstract

This chapter details the role played by the Hong Kong servicemen in the war against Japan after the fall of Hong Kong. It provides a brief discussion of the activities of the British Army Aid Group (BAAG), an underground resistance organisation that operated in Hong Kong and South China throughout the Pacific War. The BAAG helped communicate with the British Commonwealth prisoners of war in Hong Kong, and its intelligence allowed the Allied air forces in China to conduct a sustained air campaign against the Japanese in the area. The Hong Kong servicemen were of vital importance in the success of the BAAG, as they had the knowledge of the ground, the language, and the people in South China. The ex-servicemen were also essential in the running and administration of the organisation, as they were familiar with the British military organisational culture and were bilingual.