1898年英國與滿清簽下《展拓香港界址專條》，7月1日起租借九龍界限街以北，深圳河以南土地99年。原居民對由英國人統治非常擔心，部份準備好作武力反抗。港府在1899年4月準備在大埔升旗，但工人卻遭大埔村民恐嚇。4月15日，梅含理帶同警察及約100名英軍，由沙田到大埔，但遭鄉勇炮擊，直至驅逐艦「名譽號」駛入大埔海炮擊炮臺，才扭轉形勢。4月16日大埔運頭角山的升旗禮順利舉行，該山亦被命名為旗桿山。戰火後來蔓延到元朗，但英軍很快就取勝結束戰爭。港府懷疑戰爭由新安縣官員在背後促成，因而趕走九龍寨城的清朝官員，該處變成無政府狀態，日後成為名聞世界的九龍城寨。戰後港督卜力不允許懲罰叛亂者，認爲要寬大處理此事，雙方快速和解及保持低調，以至大眾遺忘這場「新界六日戰爭」。

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In 1898 "The Convention between Great Britain and China Respecting an Extension of Hong Kong Territory" was signed, granting a 99-year lease the area north of Boundary Street in Kowloon and south of Shenzhen River, known as the “New Territories'', to the British. The indigenous inhabitants were very concerned about British rule. Some even prepared to resist by force. In April 1899, the HK government planned to raise the flag in Tai Po, but the local villagers threatened the preparation workers. On April 15, Captain Superintendent Henry May led troops and police to Tai Po, but they were met with gunfire from the local militia. The situation was only reversed after the warship HMS Fame sailed into Tolo Harbour and bombarded the fortress. On April 16, the flag-raising ceremony was held smoothly on a hill in Tai Po, and the hill was later named Flagstaff Hill. The war then spread to Yuen Long, but the British swiftly won.

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The HK government suspected that the war was instigated by officials in Sun On District, so they drove out the Qing officials in Kowloon Walled City, turning it into a lawless place, and it later became infamous worldwide. After the war, Governor Henry Blake refused to punish the locals, believing they should be dealt with leniently. Both sides quickly reconciled, kept a low profile, and the "New Territories Six-day War" faded from people’s memory.

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1909 香港全圖  Map of Hong Kong

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1899 1899-5-27 英國報章 《The Graphic》：

我們在遠東的新斬獲：旗杆山眺望吐露港 

港內有英國皇家海軍亨伯號和孔雀號，還有用於測量的汽艇和舢板，右邊的帳篷是海軍之帳篷。左邊是香港軍團的營地。

1899-5-27 《The Graphic》：

OUR LATEST ACQUISITION IN THE FAR EAST:TOLO HARBOUR FROM FLAG STAFF HILL

In the harbour are HMS Humber and Peacock, with launches and junks used for surveying purposes. The tents on the right are those of the Naval Brigade. On the left is the camp of the Hong Kong Regiment.

 

1899 《倫敦新聞畫報》：

我們在遠東的新斬獲：在大埔升起了英國旗

升旗儀式原定於4月17日星期一，在九龍的腹地大埔舉行，但因為上星期六針對伯傑上尉及香港軍團的襲擊而延遲。儀式最後於16日星期日由駱克在加士居少將、包准將和其他軍官的見證下舉行。插圖展示了駱克正宣讀女皇會同樞密院令。

The Illustrated London News：

OUR LATEST ACQUISITION IN THE FAR EAST: HOISTING THE BRITISH FLAG AT TAI PO 

The ceremony of hoisting the British flag at Tai Po, in the Kaulung (Kowloon) hinterland, was to have taken place on Monday, April 17, but owing to the attack on Captain Byes and a company of the Hong Kong Regiment on the previous Saturday, the flag was hoisted on Sunday, the 16th, by Mr. Lockhart, in the presence of Major-General Gascoigne, Commodore Powell and other officials. Our illustration shows Mr. Lockhart reading the Queen's order in Council.

 

1910 1910年代維港明信片2019年復刻版 Victoria Harbour postcard in the 1910s . Reproduction in 2019

在一次大戰期間，香港並未受攻擊，不過依然促成香港防衛軍團成立。香港華人中有535人因戰事死亡，逾七成是派往中東戰場美索不達米亞戰役的中國勞工旅的一員。戰爭期間香港反而繁榮，華人趁機打入銀行業和航運業等由歐裔主導的行業。戰後香港大肆慶祝，但是香港正經歷嚴重通脹，慶祝後的一星期就爆發搶米風潮。

During World War I, HK was not attacked, but it still led to the establishment of the Hong Kong Defence Corps. Among the HK Chinese, 535 people died as a result of the war, with over 70% being members of the Chinese Labour Corps sent to the Mesopotamian campaign in the Middle East. Meanwhile, HK prospered. The Chinese took the opportunity to enter industries dominated by the Europeans, such as banking and shipping. After the war, HK celebrated widely, but the city had been experiencing severe inflation, and a rice riot broke out a week after.

 

1941 1941-12-26日本讀賣新聞頭版複本  Reprint of the Yomiuri Shimbun News Frontpage on 26-12-1941

香港保衞戰爆發於1941年12月8日清晨，亦即日軍偷襲珍珠港約6小時後。日軍在12月18日晚上登陸香港島，與香港守軍（駐港英軍、香港義勇防衛軍、香港華人軍團、加拿大陸軍）爆發激戰。因為孤軍無援，總督楊慕琦於12月25日下午決定投降，當日時值聖誕節，因而被稱為「黑色聖誕」。讀賣新聞翌日頭版報道香港淪陷，指英國的據點陷落象徵英國控制遠東局勢的宏願落空，解放東亞的皇軍無堅不摧。

The Battle of Hong Kong broke out in the early morning of December 8, 1941, about six hours after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The Japanese army landed on Hong Kong Island on the evening of December 18 and engaged in fierce battles with the defending forces (which included the British garrison, the HK Volunteer Defence Corps, the HK Chinese Regiment, and the Canadian Army). As help was unreachable, Governor Sir Mark Young decided to surrender on the afternoon of Christmas Day, and that Christmas was known as "Black Christmas." The Yomiuri Shimbun reported this on its front page the next day and stated that the collapse of this British stronghold symbolised the failure of British control of the Far East and the unstoppable advance of the Imperial Army in liberating East Asia.