Ma Tau Chung

Sung Wong Toi on Sacred Hill before the Japanese Occupation.

Ma Tau Chung (Chinese: 馬頭涌) is an area in Hong Kong north of Ma Tau Kok and east of Ma Tau Wai in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was a stream (hence 涌 Chung in the name) emptying into Kowloon Bay and the mouth of the stream stood the Sacred Hill. The stream was with a village on its side.

History

During the Second World War Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, most of the Indian POWs captured in Hong Kong were interned at a POW Camp here. The Japanese 'encouraged' these men to join the Indian National Liberation Army, but met with little success. While hundreds of these POWs were not considered a threat by the Japanese, and were used as 'guards' at Gun Club Hill Barracks and other areas, 500-600 Indian soldiers considered anti-Japanese were held at Ma Tau Chung in very unpleasant circumstances. There were many deaths, and the men were buried just outside the camp near the vegetable gardens of the Argyle Street Camp immediately on the other side of Argyle Street.