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HONG KONG GARRISON
Mote by the Colonial Office
After the riots in October 1956, C.B.F., Hong Kong made a new assessment of the forces which he required in Hong Kong in order to fulfil his directive:
(a) to assist the police in the maintenance of
internal security;
+ 4
M
3.
2.
(b)
to maintain local confidence by being able to put up a show of force on the frontier; and
(c)
in extreme emergency to cover the evacuation of selected civilians (mostly Europeans, but also including many loyal Chinese).
To meet these respective requirements C.B. F. said that the following were necessary:-
(a) 3 infantry battalions, each with an armoured
scout detachment of 8 armoured cars each;
(b)
(c)
R. A. F. jet squadron and an armoured regiment; 4 infantry battalions, one field regiment of Royal Artillery and a field squadron Royal Engineers. The 4 infantry battalions were in addition to the 3 in (a).
The total of (a), (b) and (c) is 9 major units, plus a Venom squadron.
These proposals were supported by BDCC(FE) and also by the Governor of Hong Kong. It was not however possible for H. H. G. to meet the full force requirements, and in the course of the Long Term Defence Review the Chiefs of Staff assessed the minimum garrison necessary for the purpose of maintaining law and order and of putting up a show of force on the frontier as six major units. It was made clear that if further forces had to be found for the garrison of Hong Kong they would have to be taken away from somewhere else. This allocation of six units was subsequently approved by Defence Committee on 27th February 1957.
4. The garrison in Hong Kong is at present at 7 major units, the addition to the six units referred to above being provided by an extra field regiment of Royal Artillery, which is however due to leave Hong Kong in the near future. The Venom squadron has been reduced to a flight of three planes plus a trainer, with a life of only about another 18 months to 2 years. After their Page 255 of 283
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/withdrawal