Samah Bay Zero
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Samah Bay Zero
I am presently at Samah Bay , now called Sanya , Hainan Island , China. Just down the road is an active Navy Airfield that was the home (1939-1945) to the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force along with many types including the Zero. My curiosity is peaked each day by the highly visible bunker system that was built to protect this airfield from a typical sea borne invasion. It never happened. Just outside of Sanya , really part of the town now , is Yulin which again is a current Navy Base but was one of the main mustering points for the invasion fleet that landed on the Malay Peninsular and disgorged the forces which eventually took Singapore.
Now apart from the bunkers , there is very little evidence of the Japanese occupation. It was a very cruel period with an Aussie/Dutch POW camp north west of here and one snippet indicating that over a third of the local male population being wiped out bythe occupying forces.
It is very difficult to find any written history on this period and place. Of course if there are any local records , which I doubt , then they will be in Chinese. I have picked up bits and pieces off the internet.
If anyone out there can recommend any other sources of information , I would really appreciate. I am sure there is a fascinating history here and I live in hope of one day spotting an old Zero lying in the bush as I fly over.
Now apart from the bunkers , there is very little evidence of the Japanese occupation. It was a very cruel period with an Aussie/Dutch POW camp north west of here and one snippet indicating that over a third of the local male population being wiped out bythe occupying forces.
It is very difficult to find any written history on this period and place. Of course if there are any local records , which I doubt , then they will be in Chinese. I have picked up bits and pieces off the internet.
If anyone out there can recommend any other sources of information , I would really appreciate. I am sure there is a fascinating history here and I live in hope of one day spotting an old Zero lying in the bush as I fly over.
