Hong Kong - 1945-97
The proclamation of the Communist Chinese Peoples Republic (CCP) in 1949 led to a flood of refugees into the British colony of Hong Kong and the likelihood of a CCP Red Army invasion. Reinforcements (40 Infantry Division) were deployed to Hong Kong to assist to secure the border between China and the colony.
The engineer units deployed were:
* 1 Independent Field Squadron RE (transferred from Malaya)
* 50 Field Squadron RE (deployed from the UK)
* 24 Field Regiment (25, 37, 39 Field Squadron RE and 46 Field Park Squadron RE - later renumbered 54, 56, 11 and 15 respectively)
* 41 CRE Works
* 410 Plant Troop RE
* 40 Infantry Division Postal Unit RE
* Transportation Supervisory Unit
On their arrival in the engineers were tasked with strengthening the borders between China and Hong Kong. To do this they repaired mine fields, thickened the wire, and constructed gun emplacements, observation (OP) and command posts (CP) along the northern border of the New Territories. They also laid a 12 mile water pipeline, built camps and constructed a 24-foot class 70 all-weather road to link the villages of Tsun Wan and Sek Kong (known as Twisk or TWSK). The road was completed in May 1953.
In early 1950 67 and 68 Field Squadron (Gurkha) RE arrived in Hong Kong from Malaya. At the same time the other engineer units operated as Infantry, tasked with protecting the north eastern borders of the New Territories.
The Hong Kong Squadron RE was formed in July 1952, from locally recruited Hong Kong Chinese. The redesigned 82 Independent (Hong Kong) Squadron RE in 1982.