SECRET UK EYES A
months before final withdrawal in order to allow an orderly
withdrawal and early closure of non-essential support units such as schools and secondary medical facilities. This should take account of the school year: accompanied service for UK servicemen should cease in August 1996 and in November 1996 for Gurkhas.
The last six months
10. We will need to give careful consideration to the handling of the last six months of the Garrison from December 1996 to June
1997. A number of factors will need to be taken into account:
a.
The Hong Kong Military Service Corps (HKMSC) will be non-effective by the end of 1996 and few if any LEC will be prepared to remain until the end. They will wish to have made new arrangements for employment elsewhere in Hong Kong or to leave the Territory altogether. It may therefore be necessary to provide some individual re-inforcements and service support units to the garrison to
out
essential tasks during this period.
carry
b. In order to facilitate a smooth transition to a primarily UK based Brigade of Gurkhas, it will be necessary to withdraw the last Gurkha battalion from Hong Kong by the end of 1996, leaving the UK battalion (by then found by roulement) as the resident Army major unit in Hong Kong. If we wish to retain the minimum militarily viable Garrison described in paragraph 6, it would be necessary to deploy
a second UK based battalion on a six month emergency tour.
c. The arrangements for the final withdrawal will have to take account of the need for the Garrison to make a "clean break" on 30 June 1997. There will be no provision for a rear party to stay on in Hong Kong after the Chinese takeover to arrange for the movement of equipment and stores retained in use until the transfer of sovereignty.
SECRET UK EYES A