Lt Blackwood, MC

Thomas Alexander BLACKWOOD, Lieutenant

Lieutenant Blackwood was attached to "D" Company Headquarters the Winnipeg Grenadiers at Hong Kong, December 1941.

On the night of 18/19 December this headquarters was located at Wong Nei Chong where a Japanese landing in force brought it under immediate attack. As this post controlled the main road across the Island orders were received to hold on at any cost. Early in the action the company commander was killed, and the Second-in-Command, Captain Robert W. Philip, was severely wounded. Lieutenant Blackwood displayed great courage and marked skill in carrying out the orders given him by Captain Philip.

The fact that this small body of forty men held out for three days, although short of ammunition, food and water, and caused very heavy enemy casualties, is in no small way attributable to Lieutenant Blackwood. The fact that the Japanese were denied the use of the main road across the Island undoubtedly assisted and prolonged the defence of Hong Kong materially.

During this time a report was received that an officer who was obviously wounded was lying about sixty yards in advance of the foremost position and was unable to get to shelter due to his wounds and intense enemy small arms fire. Lieutenant Blackwood and H.6 132 Private William Morris volunteered to bring the officer in. After considerable difficulty they brought back safely to shelter Lieutenant-Colonel R.D. Walker, OBE, MC, of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. Lieutenant-Colonel Walker was found to be suffering from gun shot wounds in both legs. This difficult and dangerous task took place when the Japanese were in complete possession of the area surrounding the post, and located so close to it they could at times crawl within grenade throwing distance. Lieutenant Blackwood's courage and devotion to duty throughout this arduous period were a source of inspiration to all those around him.

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