| Members Memories |
Wanchai - Hong Kong in 1961
written by David Commerford
 Being based in Sham Shui Po we were more used to the areas around Tsim Sha Shui Commonly referred to as ‘Timsy’, than the more well known Wanchai district of Victoria. The ‘Suzy Wong area always held a fascination for us, especially after the film came out, so a trip to the ‘Wanch’ was always something in the nature of an event for us.
We would usually meet up in the Black Cat bar by the Mong Kok ferry from where it was possible to watch the Macao ferries sail. Gradually we would drift from bar to bar until somewhere around eleven we would end up at the China Fleet Club, Those of us who made it that is.
It was quite normal to have to pick each others brains to try to piece together the latter parts of the previous evening, but one morning I found myself in an entirely different situation altogether. Hong Kong was full of out of bounds areas so naturally these were the places everyone made for if only to find out why, the added fun of outwitting the Military Police patrols added to the excitement and this it seems is what had happened and must have accounted for what happened next.
I awoke quite slowly, consciousness creeping back at a pace not to be hurried, the whole world shone with a curious blue light and try as I might the only part of my body that seemed to obey me was my eye lids. No matter how often I blinked the scene remained the same; I felt no sensation from the rest of my body and seemed to be floating. The I heard them: - Trumpets. They sounded far away but seemed to be getting closer, my first thought was that I was dead, for the few seconds this thought took to form I lay perfectly still. Suddenly realisation of what I had just thought hit me and my body leapt unbidden to its feet.
Somehow or other I had found my way to the rooftop which held the big Mercedes sign. At that time the big blue star was the biggest neon sign on the waterfront and this was the source of the all pervading blue light. The American ships were playing reveille in the harbour, unlike the Royal Navy’s pipes they used bugles and that was the music I’d heard. I must have been in the first stages of hyperthermia as I suddenly realised how cold I was and began to shiver uncontrollably.
Picking my way passed the Chinese families who actually lived in the stairways of these tall buildings I regained the street and returned to the Fleet Club for a wash and brush up still part convinced I’d died and come back again.
|
click here to email David Commerford about this Campaign/Arena
Members Memories List | Members Memories homepage
|
|
| Latest Military Discounts |
25% Off Breakdown Cover
There is nothing worse than breaking down. But if you do, the RAC have more than 1,500 patrols ready to rescue you, whether you are at the shops or on the motorway. They will always try to fix your vehicle at the roadside, but if they cant they will make getting it repaired as painless as possible.
Click Here For More >> |
|
