700
TOMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM FCO 1716422
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDEN MAL
HKK 062/1
IM RS.14 C2E
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TEĽ NO 644 OF 17 AUGUST
FUTURE OF THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS
1. FOLLOWING IS PRESS RELEASE, TO BE MADE ON 18 AUGUST
AT 120OZ, ON THIS.
BEGINS
152)
TOGETHER WITH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, YOU MAY DRAW FREELY
**IN THE 1974 DEFENCE REVIEW HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED
THAT SUBJECT TO CONSULTATIONS WITH THE SULTAN OF BRUNEI, THE GURKHA
BATTALION SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN FROM BRUNEI: AND THAT AS PART OF THE
ARMY'S MANPOWER REDUCTIONS THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS WOULD BE CUT
FROM 7000 TO 6000 BY 1 APRIL 1979. (STATEMENT ON THE DEFENCE ESTIMATES 1975 - CMND 5976, PARAGRAPHS 37 AND 64). IN AMPLIFICATION US OP S (ARMY) STATED IN A WRITTEN PARLIAMENTARY ANSWER IN MAY 1976 THAT THE REDUCTION WOULD BE ACHIEVED BY AN AMALGAMATION IN THE
COURSE OF 1978 OF THE TWO BATTALIONS OF 2ND KING EDWARD VII'S OWN
GURKHA RIFLES,
THE SULTAN OF BRUNEI AND HMG AGREED AT TALKS HELD IN LONDON IN JUNE THAT A BATTALION OF GURKHA INFANTRY WILL CONTINUE TO BE STATIONED
IN BRUNEI FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS, IT HAS THEREFORE BEEN DECIDED THAT THE PROPOSED AMALGAMATION SHOULD NOT TAKE PLACE, AND THAT THE BRIGADE WILL CONTINUE TO COMPRISE FIVE BATTALIONS, TOTALLING ABOUT 6900 MEN. IN ADDITION TO THE BATTALION IN BRUNE), THREE GURKHA
BATTALIONS ARE STATIONED IN HONG KONG AND ONE WILL CONTINUE TO BE
STATIONED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,
Q AND A BRIEF
QL. WILL THERE BE ANY EXTRA COST TO THE BRITISH TAXPAYER?
AL. NO: THE SULTAN WILL CONTINUE TO PAY THE FULL COSTS OF THE
4
BATTALION STATIONED IN BRUNE).
Q2, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF GURKHA
BATTALIONS COMMITTED TO HONG KONG? ·
CONFIDENTAL
/A2. NO: