5.
SECRET UK EYES ONLY
ANNEX A TO
DOP 535/70 (Final)
Continued)
11. The date on which CICC(West) should assume complete responsibility for Far East contingency plans should be advanced to 1 April 1971. The dute for taking over Far East evacuation plans would be 1 June 1971.
b. 3 Cdo Bue up and A Syn 14/20 H should be withdrawn, starting in April 1971 instead of the original date of December 1971.
c.
The FEC proposal (5) to cover the Gulf withdrawal with one commando group from Singapore should not be considered further.
â•
The incoming land force which will constitute the continuing UK presence in SE Asia post 1971, should replace the final outgoing land force without a gap in August/ September 1971.
CINCFE has also commented on 2 political aspects connected with accelerating the rundown. The first relates to advancing the rundown of some 400 of the 12,000 LFC, but he anticipates no great difficulty over this point. The second refers to the timing of consultations with the Singapore and Malaysian Governments about the possibility of accelerating the rundown. He considers that they must be informed by January 1971, at the latest, if units are to start withdrawing in April 1971.
OUR VIEWS
6. From the military point of view we agree in principle with CINCFE's recommendation that the rundown of the Far Last land forces should be accelerated, but it has important political implications In addition to the reasons which need very careful consideration.
he has given, the earlier withdrawal of some units, personnel and families would ease the movement problem at a peak period in August 1971. However, there are some military problems in implementing CINCFE's proposals in full. We discuss these below, give a compromise solution and finally comment on the political aspects.
Withdrawal of Farelf Units
7. A Sun 14/20 H and 3 Cdo Ede Gp. No major problems are foreseen in withdrawing A Sun 14/20 H and 3 Cdo Bde Gp, less 40 Cdo Gp, from 1 April 1971 as proposed by CINCFE. Permanent accommodation in UK for 40 Cdo will not be available until November 1971 and if the unit was to be withdrawn from the Far East in August 1971, as suggested, 11. would have to move into temporary Army accommodation for 2 - 3 months. This accommodation would be remote from their permanent accommodation and would thus cause considerable turbulence for the unit and its families and inevitable separation.
ون
Alternative Solutions. There are 2 possible methods of overcoming the problems connected with the early withdrawal of 40 Cdo; the relief by the incoming UK battalion could be delayed until November 1971, or 40 Cdo could remain in Singapore until mid-1972 and
Notes:
5.
CINCFE 14/70 dated 11 May 1970
A 2
SECRET
UK EYES ONLY
Page 45Page 46