Argyle Street Camp
Encyclopedia
Argyle Street Camp was a Japanese World War II
Prisoner-of-war camp
in Kowloon
, Hong Kong
which primarily held officer prisoners. Built by the Hong Kong government as a refugee camp before the war (as was North Point POW Camp), it began life as a POW camp soon after Kowloon and the New Territories were abandoned to the Japanese. In January 1942 it was emptied, with the POWs moving to Shamshuipo, North Point, and Ma Tau Chung Camps. However, after a number of escapes by POW officers and Other Ranks from Shamshuipo, Argyle Street was re-opened in mid 1942 as an officers' camp. In 1944 the officers were moved instead to Camp 'N' at Shamshuipo, and the Indian POWs from Ma Tau Chung
Camp took up residence. After the Japanese surrender, Argyle Street Camp became a centre for displaced people returning to Hong Kong. Later still, it was a camp for refugees reaching Hong Kong from other parts of South East Asia.
Today there are no memorials of any kind on the site of the camp, which is just to the south of St Theresa's hospital.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
which primarily held officer prisoners. Built by the Hong Kong government as a refugee camp before the war (as was North Point POW Camp), it began life as a POW camp soon after Kowloon and the New Territories were abandoned to the Japanese. In January 1942 it was emptied, with the POWs moving to Shamshuipo, North Point, and Ma Tau Chung Camps. However, after a number of escapes by POW officers and Other Ranks from Shamshuipo, Argyle Street was re-opened in mid 1942 as an officers' camp. In 1944 the officers were moved instead to Camp 'N' at Shamshuipo, and the Indian POWs from Ma Tau Chung
Ma Tau Chung
Ma Tau Chung is an area in Hong Kong north of Ma Tau Kok and east of Ma Tau Wai in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was a stream emptying into Kowloon Bay and the mouth of the stream stood the Sacred Hill. The stream was with a village on its side.During the Second World War, most of the Indian POWs...
Camp took up residence. After the Japanese surrender, Argyle Street Camp became a centre for displaced people returning to Hong Kong. Later still, it was a camp for refugees reaching Hong Kong from other parts of South East Asia.
Today there are no memorials of any kind on the site of the camp, which is just to the south of St Theresa's hospital.
See also
- Japanese occupation of Hong KongJapanese occupation of Hong KongThe Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces. The occupation lasted...
- List of Japanese-run internment camps during World War II
- Second Sino-Japanese WarSecond Sino-Japanese WarThe Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
- Stanley Internment CampStanley Internment CampStanley Internment Camp was a civilian internment camp in Hong Kong during World War II. Located in Stanley, on the southern end of Hong Kong Island, it was used by the Japanese imperial forces to hold non-Chinese enemy nationals after their victory in the Battle of Hong Kong, a battle in the...