December 9, 2013
Ottawa – The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affairs, recognized the 72nd anniversary of the Battle of Hong Kong.
"We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to those soldiers who, against terrible odds, fought valiantly to defend the shared principles of our nation," said Minister Fantino. "On behalf of our Government, it is my humble privilege to honour the extraordinary sacrifices that were faced by Canadian Veterans as a result of this battle, and to pay our deepest respects to the fallen brave."
In December of 1941, 1,975 Canadians were among the Allied soldiers in Hong Kong who battled for some 18 grueling days, vastly outnumbered by invading forces. Approximately 290 Canadians were killed during the battle, and almost 500 more were wounded, before the defenders were forced to surrender. Survivors experienced brutal conditions in captivity for the next three and a half years, with more than 260 Canadians losing their lives as prisoners of war.
In 2011, the Japanese government issued a formal apology to Canadian Veterans of the Battle of Hong Kong for the mistreatment of Canadian prisoners during the war. This special apology was made to a delegation of Canadian Hong Kong Veterans visiting Japan.
For more information on Canada's efforts in Hong Kong during the Second World War, visit veterans.gc.ca.
2013 is the Year of the Korean War Veteran—Canada proudly remembers the heroes of the Korean War and their brave fight to defend the Republic of Korea and uphold freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
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