Part of the British garrison of Hong Kong in 1941 was 'C' Force, a brigade of Canadian troops. Consisting of 1st Battalion, The Royal Rifles of Canada and 1st Battalion, The Winnipeg Grenadiers, as well as a brigade headquarters, it was dispatched to Hong Kong on the 27th September 1941. Hong Kong had been a major base for the Royal Navy until the 1930s, when the encroaching Japanese involvement in China began to threaten the sea routes to it. As a result, the British drew down the garrison of the port. However, rising tensions in 1941 meant that the garrison had to be strengthened. As no British troops could be spared, reinforcements were requested from the Canadian government.

The brigade, with its 96 officers and 1,877 soldiers, arrived on the 16th November. Unfortunately, its vehicles, which had departed later, would be delayed by diversions to avoid areas of tension, and did not reach Hong Kong before it fell. The two battalions of the brigade were poorly trained and inexperienced. On the 8th December, Hong Kong was attacked by an overwhelming force from the Japanese Army. The garrison held out as well as they could, but the eventual outcome was in no doubt, and the colony fell on the 25th December. Most of the Canadian casualties fell during the fighting, but others were killed after surrendering, or at a number of massacres at military hospitals. Still more died in captivity thanks to Japanese neglect, abuse, and overwork. Two hundred and ninety Canadians died defending Hong Kong; another 267 died in captivity.