The Museum Of Coastal Defence Showcasing The Last Line Of British Colonial Naval Defence

Hong Kong is an island that has humble roots as a fishing village with scarce resources

, which eventually developed into being a part of one of the world's trading powerhouses. The road to this economic prosperity has been rough - the island's strategic value in the South China Sea and the natural port also made it vulnerable to attack and invasion. The island was ceded to British Forces under the Treaty of Nanking in 1841 and remained one of its most valuable territories for the next 156 years. Today, few relics of its military past remain in the bustling commercial hub, one of which is the Museum of Coastal Defence.

This museum was originally known as the Lei Yue Mun Fort, after the sea channel it overlooks, which was built by the British in 1887 in order to defend Victoria Harbour. Though the fort dates from the time of the Opium Wars, the fort saw scant action until the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong during the Second World War when it was eventually overwhelmed.

The museum comprises of the Reception area, the Redoubt and the Historical Trail. The Redoubt was the former core of the fort and its casemates are used to showcase "600 Years of Coastal Defence"; a fascinating 11-gallery permanent exhibition, which traces the defensive strategies of Hong Kong's coastline from the Ming Dynasty to the Opium Wars and the Battle of Hong Kong. The upper area of the Redoubt houses exhibitions of formidable coastal defence weapons such as the Central, Western and Lei Yue Mun Pass Batteries. Also of interest is the sea-level Brennan Torpedo Station; even if a ship could get past the numerous canons of the forts, the "tin fish" fired from this station would blast invading ships apart. The Historical Trail is built around restored military relics of the outdoor fort; highlights include a British Comet tank, an impressive breech-loading gun and an armored personnel carrier among the array of model war junks and memorabilia.

It is best to arrange accommodation in a hotel in Hong Kong Island that offers the best access point from which to travel to and fro from the fort and the island's other attractions. Hotel Jen is a well-recommended independent Hong Kong China hotel which is situated in the Western district overlooking the Victoria Harbor over which the fort stands a protective vigil.

by: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

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