 After the forces defending Kowloon were withdrawn to the island of Hong Kong on 11 December 1941, General Christopher Maltby organized the defence of the island into two brigades, west and east.Lawson was placed in charge of the west brigade, which included the Winnipeg Grenadiers, the Royal Scots, the Punjab Regiment (India) and the Canadian Signallers.The Japanese landed on Hong Kong Island on 18 December 1941 with the intent to split the defenders in two.