History provides an opportunity to rectify past wrongs and serves as a reminder to prevent their repetition, particularly the horrific battles of the past. The Cenotaph, situated in Statue Square, the finest site in the territory, has been a site of remembrance every November since 1923. The nearly-century-old granite monument commemorates "the Glorious Dead" of the two World Wars and the brave souls who sacrificed themselves in the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941, representing the city's role as a seeker of freedom and justice.

The Battle of Hong Kong was brief but brutal, lasting 18 days from December 8 to 25, 1941. The Japanese attacked Hong Kong on the same day as the Attack on Pearl Harbor, and the British took it very seriously since the colony was seen as an outpost with significant geopolitical importance in the Asia Pacific region. After fierce fighting and the loss of 4,500 lives, Hong Kong fell into Japanese hands on Christmas Day 1941, known as the "Black Christmas." The subsequent 3 years and 8 months of Japanese Occupation was the darkest period in the city's history.

The memorial is a replica of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, resting on a broad elevated base with four approaches in ample space. The English inscription "The Glorious Dead" with the date 1919 in Roman numerals and the laurel wreaths pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in the World Wars. On the side of the granite monument, a Chinese inscription "英魂不朽 浩氣長存" honors the sacrifices made during the Japanese Invasion, meaning "The Heroes Will Live Forever, The Noble Spirit Will Shine in Eternity."