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Reference......
Hong Kong Dept. (Mr. Gaminara)
19
Would it?
Mr.
The Future Land Force Levels of the Hong Kong
Garrison
I attach a copy of the Flimsy Draft of the Ministry of Defence study on "The Future Land Force Levels of the Hong Kong Garrison" As we suspected, the conclusions
of the study as that it would be preferable to maintain the Hong Kong garrison at te level of 73 major units (6 battalions) to which it to increase at the end of 1971 as a result of the decision of the previous Government in March 1968. However, the study also concludes that it would be feasible to retain the Hong Kong Garrison at its present level of 63 major units (5 battalions) if double earmarking of the British infantry battalion in Singapore and the Gurkha battalion in Brunei to Hong Kong were permitted.
2. The double earmarking of the battalion in Singapore to Hong Kong would be disliked by our four Commonwealth partners. However, Hong Kong is a greater defence priority than our commitments to either SEATO or Malaysia/ Singapore, and if financial and manpower constraints make it impossible to increase the Hong Kong garrison as planned, then we shall have to take a very firm line on this point with our allies. The Australians and New Zealanders intend to earmark their battalions in Singapore to SEATO. We must also have liberty to earmark the British battalion to our major commitments outside the MPM This may cause complications in working out the logistic arrangements for an integrated ANZUK Brigade in Singapore, but I do not think that they would be insuperable.
drea.
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3. A point which should be noted in the study is the proposed deployment of Gurkha units if the Hong Kong garrison is to be maintained at a level of only 6 units (5 battalions). As stated in paragraph 5 of the study, it has been accepted policy for some time that at least two of the battalions in Hong Kong should be British and not Gurkha. Under the Gurkha rundown plan of the previous Government, the Brigade of Gurkhas would have been reduced by the end of 1971 to four battalions, all of which would have been stationed in Hong Kong. As the Hong Kong garrison would however have simultaneously increased to 73 major units (6 battalions), the requisite number of British battalions in the garrison would have been retained.
4. If the Government decide in September/October to:
(a) retain the Brigade of Gurkhas on a 5 battalion
basis (one of which will be deployed to Brunei);
(6)
and
not to increase the Hong Kong garrison to 7 major units at the end of 1971;
a problem will arise as to the deployment of one of the 4 Gurkha battalions presently intended for Hong Kong.
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15. There