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This is
covered in
para 17.UK
is chosen.
~.
5.
There appear to be several options:
(a) stationing ↳ Gurkha battalions in Hong Kong.
This however means there would be only one British battalion in Hong Kong and the Governor has hitherto regarded this as unacceptable.
(b) Maintaining only 3 Gurkha battalions as part of
the Hong Kong garrison and finding a role for the surplus Gurkha battalion either in
(i) Singapore;
(ii) the UK; or
(iii) Western Europe.
6. During his visits in July to Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, Lord Carrington was strongly urged by our Commonwealth partners to station a British infantry battalion and not a Gurkha battalion in Singapore. A British infantry unit will make integra- tion with the Australian and New Zealand components of the ANZUK brigade easier. It is also regarded as representing a greater degree of British political commitment to the area. Option 5(b)(i) therefore does not appear to be on.
7.
As
The option chosen by the Planners is 5(b)(ii), i.e. stationing the Gurkha unit in the United Kingdom. regards stationing of the Gurkha units in Western Europe, Defence Department recently sought the views of European posts about deployment of Gurkhas to Gibraltar, Berlin, BAOR, etc. The only possibility which emerged as a result of this examination would be deployment to BAOR but even here there would be considerable difficulties.
8.
We shall have another opportunity to comment on this paper when another draft is circulated for clear- ance next week. The final draft is to be discussed by the Chiefs of Staff at their meeting on 9 September. If recipients of this minute, however, have any major amendments to the study, I should be grateful to receive them as soon as possible. The sooner FCO comments are fed into the MOD planning machine the better.
C.C.
FED (Mr. Appleyard SWPD (Mr. McCarthy SEAD (Mr. Skilbeck) SAD (Mr. Lovers) Mr. Tesh
The (J. Thomas) Defence Dept. 19 August 1970
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