THE ARMED SERVICES AND AUXILIARY SERVICES
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urban areas to the countryside. Further weekend activities were organised for the youth of Hong Kong and the Queen's Gurkha engineers have undertaken several construc- tion projects, such as building huts for 'Junior Police Call', building the Nim Wan bridge in the New Territories and installing a water tank and plumbing in the Home of Loving Faithfulness.
It is necessary for the Army to devote much time to training if it is to fulfil its roles and maintain the professional standards of the soldier. In Hong Kong a high standard of individual training has been achieved and, as an example, the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd, King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles won the 1978 shooting competition at Bisley in the United Kingdom, an event in which all units of the British Army compete. Rifleman Santabahadur Rai, from the same regiment, won the Queen's Medal as the best shot in the Army. Five of the first 10 places in the competition were taken by Gurkha units from Hong Kong. In addition to developing the individual skills of the soldier, troops are exercised in a wide spectrum of operations ranging from conven- tional warfare to internal security operations in support of the police.
The Royal Air Force formally handed over its station at Kai Tak to the Hong Kong Government on June 30, 1978, having moved to its new base at Sek Kong where it is co-located with the Headquarters of the Gurkha Field Force. No. 28 (Army Co-opera- tion) Squadron, under the direct command of the Commander Royal Air Force (Hong Kong), is equipped with eight Wessex helicopters. The squadron is ideally situated to perform its primary role which is the rapid movement of troops and supplies in support of the Army.
The-squadron provides a standby helicopter for search and rescue operations in Hong Kong and nearby waters, and together with the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, carries out a medical evacuation service for both military personnel and civilians from outlying areas to the main hospitals in Kowloon. The helicopters also help with local civil engineering projects, such as the electrification of Sai Kung, by lifting into position heavy items of equipment that would be difficult to handle by other means. They also have a fire-fighting capability using the Sims Rainmaker under- slung water bucket, and have successfully proven its effectiveness in action.
RAF Sek Kong plays its part in various local urban youth activities, ranging from helicopter support for the Summer Youth Programme, notably during the Summer Youth Leadership camps, to its special liaison with the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps.
The year 1978 has been a full and constructive time for the Services. The closure of RAF Kai Tak and opening of the new RAF station in Sek Kong were completed, and planning for the move of Headquarters British Forces from Victoria Barracks to HMS Tamar has been completed. Garrison units have maintained an intensive programme of training and have achieved a high level of efficiency and operational capability.
Local Auxiliary Services
In addition to the regular forces, Hong Kong has two auxiliary service units the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) and the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. Both are administered by the Hong Kong Government but if called out would come under the Commander British Forces and the appropriate Service com- manders.
The Royal Hong Kong Regiment is a light reconnaissance regiment which operates