14/2
COVER SECREL
S.V.P.D. (Mr. Ward)
Ssp.
Reference....
сору
Hong Kong Department (Mr. Gaminara)
14
Northern Ireland: Need for more Battalions
Please see paragraphs 3 and 7 of the record of the Chiefs of Staff meeting to discuss the Northern Ireland situation on 4 August. The Northern Ireland reinforcements study is receiving top priority within the MOD. therefore have to seek your views with some urgency very soon on the implications of either:
2,
(a) a reduction in the Hong Kong garrison;
(b)
We may
acceleration of the military withdrawal of Malaysia/Singapore.
The suggestion made by Sir Peter Hill Norton (see paragraph 3) has much to commend it if the extra battalion for Northern Ireland has to be taken from the Far East. The move of the Royal Marine Commando from Singapore to Hong Kong on 1 August was occasioned by the amalgamation of two Gurkha battalions there as part of the rundown of the Gurkha brigade. The Royal Marine Commando was intended to maintain the force levels of the Hong Kong Garrison until December when the Gurkha battalion from Brunei was scheduled to move there. Taking away the Commando unit from Hong Kong and replacing it with the Gurkha battalion from Singapore does not therefore distul tribute either the force levels or the ratio between British and Gurkha units in Hong Kong qarison.
3. The proposal does of course mean an acceleration of the Far East Command rundown. Now that Lord Carrington has however told our 4 Commonwealth partners that the maxium ground force contribution we intend to retain in Malaysia/Singapore after the end of 1971 is to be a battalion, the political consequences of an accelerated rundown may not be as serious as they were once considered There is moreover no major threat in the Malaysia/Singapore region requiring large ground forces at the moment.
(J. Thomas)
5 August 1970 Defence Department
COVERING SECRET
V ZDA, IN 7