Forces With History #225--The Royal Rifles of Canada
Battle of Hong Kong Part 3
The Royal Rifles of Canada was one of two Canadian battalions in Force C, which was sent to bolster the Hong Kong defences in October 1941. A bilingual unit, about half the Rifles originated in Quebec, with the balance made up of Maritimers.
The Royal Rifles had what was for Canada an ancient lineage dating from 1862 when they saw active service during the Fenian Raids. Individual soldiers of the regiment served in South Africa, and the regiment saw action in World War I.
In 1939 and the outbreak of World War II the unit was again called upon, this time for local protection duties. It was posted to Newfoundland, where the members guarded the Gander airport and Botwood Harbour. (Gander was the launching point for overseas Lend Lease bombers and other aircraft, and Botwood shipped crucial mineral resources overseas.) In the summer of 1941 the Rifles were transferred to New Brunswick, where they guarded the province's shores against possible enemy incursion.
Moved again to Valcartier Quebec, they had two weeks embarkation leave, then boarded a train for—they thought—the east coast and the war in Europe. To their surprise the train headed west to Vancouver, where they boarded the Awatea, a former New Zealand liner now a Royal Navy troopship on August 27th. Awatea sailed much further west, escorted by HMCS PRINCE ROBERT, herself a former Canadian liner.
The first stop was Pearl Harbour, where the troops watched some Hula dancers from the guardrail, and saw the might of the USN Battleship Row at peaceful anchor. After another brief stop in Manilla, the convoy carried on to the British Colony of Hong Kong, and the troops marched ashore to the skirl of pipes.
The British in Hong Kong were relaxed and enjoying cricket, football, and horse racing. The Canadians might have been concerned when they learned the third ship that had been sent to follow them with C Force’s mechanized vehicles instead berthed in Manilla and unloaded there.
The Rifles, along with the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the rest of C Force, were ashore and afoot in a strange land.
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Meantime, back here in 2025, I’m happy to say THE FORGOTTEN: A NOVEL OF THE KOREAN WAR carries on with sales. Next up: after a fun event in December, a return visit to Indigo Langley on February 9th from 1 to 3 pm. It would be great to see you there!
