SECRET
SECRET
BRIEF NO HK 8
THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S TOUR OF THE FAR EAST
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1973
HONG KONG ARMOURED STOCKPILE
Present Arroured Organisation
1. Until June 1973 the armoured organisation in Hong Kong will be:
2. In 48 Gurkha Infantry Brigade.
squadron comprising:
5 Reconnaissance troops:
1 Support troop:
b.
In a Stocknile.
One armoured reconnaissance
equipped with Saladin armoured
cars and Ferret reconnaissance
and Swingfire anti-tank guided
.weapon scout cars.
equipped with a Ferret scout car
and Saracen APCs.
Centurion tanks for one armoured squadron
comprising:
14 main battle tanks
1 dozer tank
2 armoured recovery vehicles.
This stocknile has been re-activated periodically by a squadron
from the UK.
Future Plans Post-1973
2.
The
On 6 July 1972, CDS wrote to CBF Hong Kong informing him that,
as a result of LTC 1972, the stockpile of Centurion tanks would be
withdrawn after June 1973 and not replaced with Chieftain.
principal reasons for this were lack of Centurion-trained personnel
to keep re-activation of the present stockpile going after that
date and lack of money to provide Chieftains in lieu, which would
have cost about £2.01M.
3. CBF asked that the decision should be reconsidered and details
of the case put forward by Hong Kong to support their request,
together with details of a subsequent meeting between the Governor