C.S.
R
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2600078
80,000-4/65-B47951
PERSONAL
SECRET
Doa Eddie,
COLONIAL SECRETARIAT
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG KONG
July 18th, 1967.
There is a little back history to our telegram No. 1041 of which you should be aware. The decision to entrust the military with the responsibility for Shataukok was, of course, the inevitable and correct outcome of the battle on 8th July. However the decision conveyed in our telegram No. 1041 was one which seems to have been decided direct between the Officer Administering the Government and the General who, I suspect, rather railroaded Gass into it. Certainly it was to the astonishment of the Committee over which I preside which links the intelligence community, the Defence Secretary and the Deputy Colonial Secretary that our soldier informed us on 14th July that the Army had taken over responsibility from Lo Wu (inclusive) to Shataukok (inclusive). None of us knew anything about such a decision and nor did the Acting Colonial Secretary whom I later consulted. At Government House at a meeting the same afternoon I enquired whether a decision had been taken and, if so, what it was. There followed a confused discussion, from which it was clear that both the General and the Acting Commissioner of Police had different ideas about what had been agreed. I said that the only important issues were that if a decision had been taken all concerned on the ground should know clearly what their responsibilities were and that you in London and Donald Hopson should be aware of the true position.
2.
Eventually the telegram which I had drafted, to which paragraph 2 containing dispositions was added, was agreed and despatched, but somehow the phrase saying that primary responsibility should fall to the army "in the area from Lo Wu (inclusive) to Shataukok (inclusive)" got omitted. That is however the position and it is clearly understood here. The army are NOT responsible to the West of Lo Wu.
3.
It is hoped that this situation will not obtain for ever and we are considering how best the police can be stiffened so as to enable them to resume their task on the border. For the result of tying up nearly two battalions on the border has been to
E. Bolland, Esq., Far Eastern Dept., Foreign Office, London, S.W.1.
SECRET
/convince