Defeat in Hong Kong was first major loss for Canada during WWII
A look back at 1942 and the Canadian war effort
Jan 11, 2021 11:00 AM By: Jason G. Antonio
It was an unhappy new year for hundreds of Canadian troops in January 1942, after they became prisoners of war following a month-long battle against the Imperial Japanese Army in Hong Kong.
A contingent of 1,975 Canadian soldiers had been sent to the British colony in November 1941 to join 14,000 other British and Indian troops expecting guard duty. However, that “guard duty” was shattered when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on Dec. 7 and kicked off the Second World War in the Pacific.