1900-1950
Chatham Road, Austin Road, Jordan Road, Jordan Path, Gascoigne Road were surrounding the grand of Kowloon Cricket Club, and Gascoigne Road was named by Maj. Gen. Sir W.J. Gascoigne KCMG, Maj. Gen---who was the Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong and China from 1898 -1903.
During 1903-04, the first permanent buildings were built for infantry, but very soon occupied by the Asiatic Artillery which made up Sikh and Punjabi Mussulman Companies called Gun Lascars. A new completed barrack blocks flanking the parade ground were housed in 1905 for four companies. According to PRO records construction was “brick and granite and best Manilla Hardwood; outlet walls of Amoy Brick and inner walls of Canton Brick" (Harfield, 1990, p. 357). In 1909, some other buildings were constructed and the barracks’ layout were shown as Infants’ School, Followers’ Hut, Sikh/Muslim Cook-house, NCOs’ Quarter, Guard House, Sergeants’ Mess, Officers’ Mess, and small Medical Centre. Following in 1910, the first battalion was organized at Gun Club; the battalion was about 446 soldiers including 8 Staffs, 43 Mounted Troops, 312 were the Artillery companies, 60 Engineer Company and 23 were in the Band. An external facelift might have undergone by The Officers’ Mess with an annex added to the south elevation facing the entrance of Chatham Road. A new remodelled entrance wing was added by 1930, and the building is still there in these days.
The following are the history notes (p. 277) :
1904 Barracks Blocks, Officers' Mess, Guard House, Soldiers'Canteen etc. in existence
1905 Col. Lewis, RE (Rt.) visited Gun Club which housed the Asiatic Artillery; King's Park described as "very rough" presumably still being used for army training. Rosary Church built same year in Chatham Road (then named De Voeux Road).
1909 Muslim/Sikh Cook-house and Followers' Hut in existence.
1910 1st Battalion. The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at gun Club
1914 Hong Kong – Singapore Battalion. RGA at Gun Club with D & E Coys quartered at Whitefield Barracks Four 10 pdr BL Mountain guns at Gun Club.
1914-18 First World War. Armed Forces in Hong Kong mobilized.
1920s Hong Kong - Singapore Artillery still at Gun Club where these Indian troops trained their mule handlers. Gun Club still unfenced at this time.
c. 1925 St. Mary's Can Ossian College built in Austin Road opposite Gun Club
1935 Officers' Mess addition built
1942-45 Japanese Occupation. Equipment abandoned on withdrawal to Hong Kong island. Japanese artillery silenced by British guns on the island.
1947 25 Field Regt. RA at Gun Club.
1949 58 Medium Regt. RA at Gun Club.
Read more about this topic: Gun Club Hill Barracks