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the
Five illustrative possibilities for reducing the cost of the garrison below £41. were then postulated, first four by the Defence Review Team, the fifth by the long Kong Government. All five alternatives include the retention of the Wessex Sqn. and allowances have been made for an appropriate reduction of support costs:-
21.
(a) To about £35m. Remove 1 UK Bn. and 1 Artillery
Battery (8 guns) with the appropriate support. (Combat capability 21 companies instead of 26)
(b) To about £35m. Remove the frigate; remove 1 Gurkha Bn. and 1 Artillery Battery with their appropriate support. Substitute 1 UK Engineer Squadron for 2 Gurkha Engineer Squadrons. This would reduce the combat capability from 26 to 19 companies, but allow for the operation of a fourth patrol craft.
(c) To about £30m. Remove 1 UK Bn.; remove 1 Gurkha
Bn.; eliminate either all 3 patrol craft or the frigate. (Combat capability 17 companies instead of 26)
(a) To about £32m. Remove 1 UK Bn. and 1 Artillery
Battery; remove the frigate, but operate a fourth patrol craft. (Combat capability 21 companies)
(e) To about 238m. Going 'all Gurkha ' and substituting
a Gurkha Bn. for a UK Bn. (5 1/3 Battalion as the second Gurkha engineer squadron is mainly a training unit, combat capability 25 companies, as Gurkhas have five operational companies per battalion)
Mr. Bryars noted that, in general terms, a reduced combat capability could either result in the acceptance of a more limited threat, or the enlargement of more local forces. Toe 'el Gurkha' teeth arm illustration had the following implications which Col. Chapple felt would have to be considered if this alternative were officially mooted:-
(a) the political advantage of having a visible UK
British military presence in Hong Kong;
(b) the propaganda potential of placing the security
of the Colony in the hands of 'Asian mercenaries' To some extent this situation already exists and is therefore only a matter of degree;
(c) reaction by Nepal to the Brigade of Gurkhas being
posted exclusively to Hong Kong should it imply a change in their status from their traditional world-wide role, which includes postings, training and overseas courses;
(1) the possibility that Nepal could at any time
terminate her agreement with HMG (despite its history of 170 years) though there is no reason to believe that this would happen.
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