15
The Armed Services and
Auxiliary Services
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THE British Army, Navy and Royal Air Force are all represented in Hong Kong and are under the command of the Commander British Forces, Lieutenant General Sir Edwin Bramall.
The Commander British Forces advises the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, on matters affecting the security of Hong Kong and is responsible to the Chief of Defence Staff in London. The Armed Forces are stationed in Hong Kong to assist the government in maintaining security and stability.
Army units predominate, and are under the direct command of the Commander British Forces, who has the additional appointment of Commander Land Forces. Royal Navy ships are under the direct operational control of the Commodore-in- Charge, Hong Kong (headquarters at HMS Tamar). The Commander Royal Air Force commands the Royal Air Force station at Kai Tak and associated units, in- cluding No. 28 Squadron which is equipped with Wessex helicopters.
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The Commodore-in-Charge Hong Kong, Commodore J. A. G. Evans, com- mands the naval base HMS Tamar and has operational control of Royal Navy ships in Hong Kong and its waters. The major part of the naval force is the permanently assigned Hong Kong Squadron consisting of the guardship, HMS Chichester, and five patrol craft, HM Ships Monkton, Wolverton, Wasperton, Beachampton and Yarnton.
In addition to the Hong Kong Squadron, some 20 Royal Naval and Common- wealth ships have visited Hong Kong this year. These ships have formed part of the task groups from Britain deployed in Asia, and have visited Hong Kong for relaxation and to use the maintenance facilities provided by HMS Tamar. Major warships visit- ing with these groups were the guided missile destroyer HMS Fife and the helicopter cruiser HMS Blake. Other warship visits this year included the French Naval Training Squadron, the French Ships Jeanne d'Arc and Forbin.
HMS Tamar employs about 560 Hong Kong Chinese naval ratings in various fields which include cooks, stewards, technicians and seamen-300 cooks and stewards are serving worldwide in operational ships of the fleet. Laundering, tailoring, shoe- making and hairdressing facilities are provided for the fleet by 270 Hong Kong Chinese seagoing civilians. Also a work force of 150 Hong Kong Chinese civilians provides mainly clerical, storekeeping and labouring backings for HMS Tamar. A further 800 locally recruited men serve worldwide in the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries which provide food, fuel and stores for Her Majesty's Fleet.