Hong Kong Memorial
- Country China, (including Hong Kong)
- Total identified casualties 2451 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from First & Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 22.21298, Longitude: 114.21656
Historical Note
The original Hong Kong Memorial was constructed as a general memorial to the missing following the First World War. It did not include names on the structure, although 945 names were included in a memorial register. Following the Second World War, a second general inscription was added to commemorate those who died in that conflict, with their names again added to a register. In 2006 a new memorial was constructed and the names in these registers were inscribed upon it.
You can find more information about historical inequalities in commemoration in our Special Committee’s report.
Read the Non-Commemoration report
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Location information
The new Hong Kong Memorial is located within Stanley Military Cemetery. The cemetery is just beyond the town of Stanley in the southern part of Hong Kong island on the Tai Tam Peninsula. From Stanley take the Wong Ma Kok Road. The cemetery is adjacent St Stephen's College and is close to St Stephen's beach. It is reached from Victoria by car along a winding, hilly road which at first overlooks the harbour and mainland. After climbing to the pass called Wong Nei Cheng Gap the road descends to the sea at Repulse Bay and then continues along the rocky hillside to Stanley. The cemetery is located Wong Ma Kok Road, Stanley, Hong Kong Island. Take bus routes Nos. 6, 6X or 260 to Stanley prison from Exchange Square bus terminus, adjacent to Exit B1 of mass transit railway Hong Kong station and alight at Stanley village (Stanley market) bus stop on Stanley Village Road. Follow the direction signs and walk towards south along Wong Ma Kok Road for approximately 800 metres. To travel to Stanley Military Cemetery from Sai Wan Cemetery walk upwards along Cape Collinson Road for approximately 600 metres to Shek O Road then turn right onto Tai Tam Road. Take bus route No. 14 to Stanley Fort and alight at St Stephens’s College Preparatory School bus stop on Wong Ma Kok Road then walk back in the opposite direction for approximately 100 metres.
Visiting information
ARRIVAL
The cemetery is triangular in shape and built on a steep and exposed slope. There are many stone steps and concrete pathways leading into and around various levels in the cemetery. Visitors should check the weather forecast before visiting as the steps may be slippery when wet.
PARKING
The only parking available is directly in front of the main entrance to the cemetery, a layby is offset from the main road. There are bollards and chain railings indicating the parking area.
MAIN ENTRANCE, ACCESS & LAYOUT
From the car park area, two-metre-wide low metal gates open onto four steep flights of stone steps.
The steps have handrails and lead up to the Cross of Sacrifice which is visible from the main road and parking area.
A Register Box is behind the Cross of Sacrifice, facing into the cemetery.
There are some seating areas (stone benches) scattered around the cemetery and can be found on the upper level of the site.
There are concrete pathways and leading to the Hong Kong Memorial (eastern end of main math) and stairs (approximately 40 steps) leading down to the lower part of the cemetery. Another memorial sits at the western end of the main path that is surrounded by uneven cobbles. There are drainage channels throughout the cemetery, with those adjacent to pathways covered with concrete gratings.
ALTERNATIVE ACCESS
There are no alternative entrances or access point into the cemetery.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The cemetery is open 0800 hrs – 1700 hrs
Please note at there may be snakes present in the cemetery.
History information
The original Hong Kong Memorial was a granite "pailau", or arch, erected at the main entrance to the Botanical Gardens on the East side of Victoria. It was designed after the First World War as a general memorial to all Chinese who served and died with the Commonwealth forces. More than half served with the Chinese Labour Corps, which served in France and Belgium and are buried or commemorated there. Others, who served with the Commonwealth navies, merchant services and various military works units (in particular the Royal Engineers, Inland Water Transport) often had no known grave because they died at sea or on the waterways of Iraq.
During the Second World War, Chinese living in Hong Kong and Singapore served with local auxiliary formations of fighting forces, such as the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. Many of the dead have known graves, but as local records were lost or destroyed during the Japanese occupation, there are many more whose names and graves are not known. After the war, the Chinese community in Hong Kong suggested that the existing memorial be given a new inscription commemorating in general terms all Chinese dead of both wars. This suggestion was adopted and the following inscription in English and Chinese was added:-
IN MEMORY OF THE CHINESE WHO DIED LOYAL TO THE ALLIED CAUSE IN THE WARS OF 1914-18 AND 1939-45.
This inscription has been incorporated into the new memorial, erected in 2006. Unlike the original memorial, this new memorial is inscribed with the names of the 941 casualties of the First World War and 1,493 from the Second World War, whose graves are not known.