Branch Annual Christmas Dinner 11th December 2020 at the United Services Recreation Club - details to follow but please mark your diaries. The Committee regrets this event has been postponed due to recent COVID restrictions - more later.
Along the Southern Boundary by Les Bird date/venue tbc early 2021- Former Marine Police commander Les Bird’s photographic account of the tens of thousands of Vietnamese who arrived by boat at Hong Kong’s southern sea boundary between 1979 and 1989 and how the Marine Police were tasked with bringing them in safely. This included providing emergency help for cholera cases, assessing often dehydrated children and processing everyone who came into the city.
For the purposes of this talk, Les will focus on two specific years: (a) 1979, when more than 68,700 people arrived at Hong Kong’s sea border, and (b)1989, a time when all 13 Vietnamese boat people camps in Hong Kong were declared full and Les and his colleagues were directed to put all new arrivals on the remote island of Tai Ah Chau which, at the outset, was devoid of facilities. Within a week they had more than 3000 in their care.
The Speaker
Born in Staffordshire in the English Midlands, Les Bird joined the Hong Kong Marine Police in 1976. For more than 10 years he patrolled the waters to the south of Hong Kong, intercepting vessels which had crossed the South China Sea and the Vietnamese boat people on board – all of whom were hoping to start a new life. Throughout his maritime career Les carried a camera and, when circumstances permitted, he photographed the vessels and the people caught up in this exodus in the aftermath of the Vietnam war. Les served with the Marine Police until 1997.
In addition to his work involving the influx of Vietnamese, he also headed the Marine Police’s fast pursuit unit, intercepting smugglers in speedboats who, in the early 1990’s, attempted to take stolen cars and electronic goods, (inter alia), to the mainland.
His recently published memoir covers the lead-up to the Handover. “A Small Band Of Men, An Englishman’s Adventures in Hong Kong’s Marine Police,” will be available for sale at the talk.
For the purposes of this talk, Les will focus on two specific years: (a) 1979, when more than 68,700 people arrived at Hong Kong’s sea border, and (b)1989, a time when all 13 Vietnamese boat people camps in Hong Kong were declared full and Les and his colleagues were directed to put all new arrivals on the remote island of Tai Ah Chau which, at the outset, was devoid of facilities. Within a week they had more than 3000 in their care.
The Speaker
Born in Staffordshire in the English Midlands, Les Bird joined the Hong Kong Marine Police in 1976. For more than 10 years he patrolled the waters to the south of Hong Kong, intercepting vessels which had crossed the South China Sea and the Vietnamese boat people on board – all of whom were hoping to start a new life. Throughout his maritime career Les carried a camera and, when circumstances permitted, he photographed the vessels and the people caught up in this exodus in the aftermath of the Vietnam war. Les served with the Marine Police until 1997.
In addition to his work involving the influx of Vietnamese, he also headed the Marine Police’s fast pursuit unit, intercepting smugglers in speedboats who, in the early 1990’s, attempted to take stolen cars and electronic goods, (inter alia), to the mainland.
His recently published memoir covers the lead-up to the Handover. “A Small Band Of Men, An Englishman’s Adventures in Hong Kong’s Marine Police,” will be available for sale at the talk.
The Defences of Macau date/venue tbc - Author Richard Garrett will talk on the Macau forts built from the early seventeenth century onwards, the ships that defended Macau’s waters, the weapons that armed the facilities and the soldiers and sailors who manned them. These forts, cannon and small arms were a familiar part of society for hundreds of years, and a significant part of Macau’s heritage. Macau is fortunate in having so many artefacts remaining and as such a follow up visit to Macau following Richard’s talk is planned. (see below).
Richard Garrett was educated at Dulwich College and Trinity College, Cambridge University and has lived in Hong Kong for over 40 years.
For much of the time he has lived in Hong Kong he has collected and studied antique pistols. His keen interest in this field has extended to the study of military architecture, ordnance and military history generally. With its long history of nearly five hundred years Macau, not unnaturally has proved a fruitful location for these studies.
Richard retired in 2003 and has had published numerous articles in journals in the UK, USA, Hong Kong and Macau. He has also written three books, the titles of which are, ‘The Irish Gunmakers’, ‘The Defences of Macau’ and the most recent work ‘The Peak’. It is the second book on Macau’s defences which will form the basis of his talk. Programme details will be circulated nearer the date.
Richard Garrett was educated at Dulwich College and Trinity College, Cambridge University and has lived in Hong Kong for over 40 years.
For much of the time he has lived in Hong Kong he has collected and studied antique pistols. His keen interest in this field has extended to the study of military architecture, ordnance and military history generally. With its long history of nearly five hundred years Macau, not unnaturally has proved a fruitful location for these studies.
Richard retired in 2003 and has had published numerous articles in journals in the UK, USA, Hong Kong and Macau. He has also written three books, the titles of which are, ‘The Irish Gunmakers’, ‘The Defences of Macau’ and the most recent work ‘The Peak’. It is the second book on Macau’s defences which will form the basis of his talk. Programme details will be circulated nearer the date.
