British Army Aid Group Drawings

10.9.2010 – 16.3.2011

Presented by the Leisure & Cultural Services Department

Organized by the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence

Upper Gallery

After the fall of Hong Kong into Japanese hands in 1941, Colonel (later Sir) Lindsay Ride was briefly detained at Sham Shui Po Prisoner-of-war Camp, but later escaped. He walked past Shatin and reached Sai Kung. With the help of the Chinese guerrillas, he took a sampan and left Hong Kong waters to Shayuchung, the north coast of Mirs Bay. Then, Colonel Ride further made his way through Waichow (Huizhou) and arrived at Kukong (Qujiang; today's Shaoguan), the wartime capital of Guangdong Province, where he founded the British Army Aid Group (BAAG). The organisation offered assistance to the prisoners-of-war in Hong Kong in escaping from Japanese captivity, and successfully organised a network of agents for collecting military intelligence which contributed much to the final victory of the Allied Powers.

These drawings collected by Colonel Ride were later donated to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra after the War. For ease of carrying, the size of most drawings is very small, but all were drawn in details. This exhibition features part of this drawing collection, which was instrumental to the victory of the Allies in World War II.

Acknowledgement
Ms Elizabeth Ride
Australian War Memorial
Lands Department