Brigade Deployment
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
3.
Of the five infantry battalions, one is in Brunei under the terms of an Exchange of Letters which accompanied the 1971 Treaty; three are in Hong
Kong under the Defence Costs Agreement, which runs in the first instance until 1983; and one is in the United Kingdom. The costs of the Brunei battalion
are met entirely by the Sultan, and the Hong Kong Government pays 75% of the
cost of the garrison there.
4.
The Gurkhas have served mainly in the Far East, and since 1948 have
continuously made a major contribution to the Hong Kong garrison. While the
Gurkhas have a special expertise in the Hong Kong internal security task,
the Brigade could not remain viable if it were dedicated solely to the needs of Hong Kong. Since the remaining armour and artillery elements of the Hong Kong garrison were withdrawn in 1976, there have been no opportunities
in the Far East for infantry units to train or exercise with other arms, and it has been MOD policy since 1970 to station a Gurkha battalion in the United
Kingdom paid for by MOD votes) 7. This serves two distinct purposes.
First, it enables Gurkha battalions, in rotation, to undergo the all-arms
training which is essential if we are to retain the option of deploying them
operationally, wherever the need arises, with other units of the three
Services. Secondly, the battalion in the UK, by undertaking a wide variety
of duties, is able to make an effective contribution to the relief of turbulence,
overstretch and separation to which British units are subjected.
5. In present circumstances, therefore, the deployment of four of the
five battalions is dictated by inter-governmental agreement, and that of the
fifth is based on sound military justification.
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