186
THE ARMED SERVICES AND AUXILIARY SERVICES
Headquarters Land Forces is at Victoria Barracks on Hong Kong Island and has under its command, 48 Gurkha Infantry Brigade, stationed at Sek Kong in the New Territories and 51 Infantry Brigade with its headquarters in Kowloon.
Units stationed in Hong Kong for some or all of 1971 were B Squadron the 14th/20th King's Hussars, 47th Light Regiment Royal Artillery, 1st Battalion the Irish Guards, 1st Battalion the Royal Welch Fusiliers, 1st and 2nd Battalions the 2nd King Edward VII Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles), the 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles, the 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles and the 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles. In addition, there was a wide range of units from the supporting arms and services providing assistance to all three Services.
Throughout the year units of the Army manned security positions in the border area, and in conjunction with the Royal Hong Kong Police provided joint police/military patrols in the border area and in the more remote regions of the Colony.
The Royal Air Force Station at Kai Tak is a separate enclave adjacent to the civil airport and uses the airport's runway and control services. The RAF has its own radar and signal facilities for the long distance control of military aircraft approaching Hong Kong. These facilities are shared by the Director of Civil Aviation to ensure the safety of civil aircraft operating with the Hong Kong Flight Information Region.
No. 28 Squadron, based permanently at Kai Tak, is equipped with 10 Whirlwind helicopters. It is established primarily for the rapid movement of troops and supplies and in one lift can transport a complete platoon. In addition it provides a standby aircraft for search and rescue in the Colony and the near waters, and assists in the evacuation of casualties from outlying parts of the New Territories. Vulcan strike aircraft continued their training flights from the United Kingdom, supplemented by detachments of Phantom fighter bombers and Victor tanker aircraft. RAF transport aircraft activity has maintained the established regular pattern.
The continuing secure and stable situation in Hong Kong in 1971 enabled the Armed Forces to extend their contribution in providing help of all kinds to the local community. These varied in scope from the provision of recreational activities on a large scale for the young to the undertaking of construction projects. The former included the use of Service sporting facilities, provision of Service instructors and coaches in all forms of sport, and a major