is a Helicopter Squadron with 10 Scout aircraft together with a
detached flight of 3 aircraft in Brunei. The Transport Regiment had
two Gurkha and one Chinese Squadron. There was also a Dog Regiment
which was particularly useful on the border.
The strength of the Field Force was 7,300 men and was composed of
63% Gurkha soldiers, 19% British soldiers and 18% Chinese soldiers.
The role of the Field Force was three fold. First internal security,
second to be prepared to counter 'internal aggression and thirdly to
come to the assistance of the civil community after storms or natural
disasters.
A
The Force was responsible for most of the frontier operations, the land frontier consisting of 22 kilometres between the estury of the Shum Chun
river on the west to Shau Tau Kok in the east. They were the sea flanks
of the New Territories which were also covered by the Marine Division of
the Royal Hongkong Police supported by the Royal Navy.
-
Training there were over 400 recruits a year who came from Nepal.
There were also some 717 on courses each year. The Training Depot was
organised into two recruit companies of 50 staff and 240 recruits.
There was also a Gurkha High School with 19 lecturers and 245 children.
This gave a grand total of 1489 including dependents.
Recruits were flown in from Nepal to Hongkong and then underwent a 32
week basic course. They then moved on to trade training or to infantry
training and signalling, for which was provided a 8 week course and they
were then assigned to a Battalion.
-
Recruiting and weeding out was done in Nepal; only some 30% of the
volunteers completing this process in other words a 1000 were weeded down
to about 400. Courses were also provided for officers, NCOs, quarter-
masters and clerks, a total training population of some 717 a year.
75% of the expenses of the Depot were paid for by the Hongkong Government.
Battalions now did only 2 years outside Hongkong, one Battalion serving in
Brunei and one in the UK. Soldiers did tours of 3 years up to a total of 15 years, sergeants up to 18 years, warrant officers up to 20 years and majors up to 32 years, after which they returned to Nepal.