3.

funkti

allocation of six mit was

appedved by

Sudaequently Of cou

on 27th Feb 1917

(20 on Def 25251/02).

Page 260

These proposals were supported by BDCC(FE)

and also by the Governor of Hong Kong.

It was

not however possible for H.M.G. to meet the full

force requirements, and in the course of the

Long Term Defence Review the Chiefs of Staff asses-

sed the minimum garrison necessary for the

and of putting up a show of face on the purpose of maintaining law and order as six major units. This covered the functions in para:1(a)

and (b) above, but an additional infantry

battalion, plus a Royal Artillery regiment, was conceded over and above para. 2(a) and (b) to

maintain a show of force on the frontier.

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.

It

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 Venan 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, and

after their withdrawal no plans exist to replace

althansh

them, despite the fact that the Governor of

}

Hong Kong regards the protection afforded by

R.A.F. planes as a continuing requirement.

It

has been decided that the naval dockyard should

be closed over a two-year period ending in

November 1959, and an announcement to this effect

was made in November 1957 in Hong Kong.

The

Page 260

naval base is also to be reduced, but under the

most recent naval dispositions it has proved possible to station in Hong Kong a destroyer/ frigate and 6 inshore minese pare for 8 the

/protection

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