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As expected for what was here, there in excellent view of the Lyemun Channel with Devil's Peak and the short distance between the mainland and the Hong Kong Island clear to see.

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This long flight of stairs leads to the South Caponier. A caponier allows weapon fire from a point that can cover the ditch in front of a wall wall to deter any attempt to storm the wall and keep the ditch clear of a besieger.

Inside and outside view of the caponier. Inside there is a manikin posing as if shooting through the slot.

The ditch around Lyemun Redoubt was cut into the rock of the headland. Excavated mud and stones were used to build ramparts to enclose the redoubt. The ramparts were then revetted with cement and bricks. The side near the redoubt was known as the 'scarp', and the opposite side was known as the 'counterscarp'.

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When the gun fires, the recoil drives the gun down and saafely out of sight, back into the loading position. Genius!

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Much of the information in the museum is factual but now, like many museums in Hong Kong since the Hong Kong protests in 2019 and 2020, and like all museums in China, there is a narrative that some would call lies, or lies by omission. It's a fascinating experience to see state structures dedicated to trying to make people think in a certain way. Altered school books, the revision of history, the omission of truth, suppression of a free press, it all leads to a chipping away of independent thought and the production of mindless drones ready to do the bidding of the state. Question everything you read. This very simplistic causal explanation for the destruction of the Summer Palace completely ignores the torture and murder committed by the Chinese side on a diplomatic delegation sent to discuss peace terms.

The living quarters were heavily bombed on the afternoon of 14th December by the Japanese from Devil's Peak. More than 80 rounds of 150mm armour piercing high explosives were fired, nine of which were direct hits. It was later confirmed that the Japanese confused the living quarters for the Redoubt Battery.

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West Battery at 24 meters above sea level is much lower down from the redoubt as the guns at the upper level couldn't depress far enough to hit targets at close range.

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This picture was taken in 2012. All that's changed is that the vegetation has got a bit thicker and that weeds are growing between the masonry.

The view from the West Battery covers the narrow stretch across the channel. Devils Peak which can be seen across the channel is an excellent vantage point for any invader overlooking Hong Kong Island and directing artillery fire. It's questionable, perhaps with hindsight, why this area was evacuated so quickly and not kept for as long as possible. The men were needed to defend the Island but defending the Island would have been helped by denying this area to the Japanese. Not just because of the excellent views that gives over the Island, but also because as we now know, this area was a staging point for the invasion.

The QF gun is smaller but more suitable for fast moving targets.

West Caponier is positioned fire down this slope. The firing holes can be seen in the walls of the structure. The signs of shelling from the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in 1941 can be seen on the walls.

The Proof Yard is where explosives were inspected. It was erected between 1940 and 1941 along with nearby warehouses for ammunition storage. The Proof Yard had thick walls and an open top to direct an explosion upward in case of an accidental detonation. After WW2, there was a huge job of clearing ammunition scattered around Hong Kong from during the war. On 21st March 1946 an accident occurred resulting in the death of a soldier and many casualties and much destruction in the surrounding area.

Separate memorials; one dedicated to Sergeant James O'Mahoney (Aug 1890, age 37), Bombardiers Samuel Jones (15 July 1888, age 25), James Thomas Jones (2 June 1889, age 22), Gunner Thomas Wells (20 July 1888, age 22), and the other erected by the officers, NCOs, and men of 14 Battery, Southern Division, RA for the men who died at Hong Kong between January 1886 and February 1890. Interestingly the Southern Division, Royal Artillery was only active between April 1882 and December 1901 and was an administrative grouping of garrisons. 14 Battery became 8 Battery in this period but this memorial must have been erected after 1890 and I assume was dedicated by the men who would have formed 14 Battery and 8 Battery. Oddly though, the memorial is for the men who died up to 1890, so wouldn't these have been 8 Battery?