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Brief No 1/
AFTERNOON. MONDAY 9 OCTOBER
MEETING WITH CBF MAJOR-GENERAL REDGRAVE
Reinforcement of the Hong Kong Garrison
1. In April this year the Hong Kong Government, largely at the suggestion of General Sir J Archer (then CBF),
initiated a study to decide whether the Hong Kong garrison would need to be strengthened if the Gurkhas were to be withdrawn from Brunei (where they are ear-marked for the reinforcement of Hong Kong in an emergency). However, in August it was publicly
announced that HMG and the Sultan of Brunei had reached an agreement on the future of Brunei which involved, amongst other things, the retention of a battalion of Gurkhas there for a further five years from September 1978. This should have ended any immediate worries in Hong Kong about the reinforcement of the garrison.
2.
The subject does not however seem to have been entirely put aside. Although the Hong Kong Government's study never got beyond the preliminary stage, it seemed to be tending towards the conclusion that extra forces would be needed. The Secretary for Security during his recent visit to London suggested to the MOD that, if a fourth battalion were to be based in the Colony after 1983, it would be necessary to start reserving sites and resources next year. Mr Davies did, however, accept that an increase in the size of the garrison could only be justified on the basis of a change in the tasks of the forces based in Hong
Kong.
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