L
Page 170
Enter
cos (45) 283 nd mts of 12/12 hul
8.
REINFORCEMENTS FOR HONG KONG
F12112
y.
(Previous Reference: C.0.S.(45) 282nd Mtg., Min. 24)
With
SIR ARCHIBALD NYE said that he had ascertained that the Indian Infantry Brigade which had been allocated. to Hong Kong did not contain any British battalion. regard to the formation of a European Police Force for Hong Kong he had learnt that the Colonial Office were preparing to send out from the United Kingdom in the New Year fifty ex-policemen for duty there. He gathered however that these men would not be fully effective unt îl the spring of 1946.
LORD CUNNINGHAM said he could not agree to 600 sailors being employed ashore at Hong Kong for police duties. He suggested that a British battalion should be substituted for an Indian battalion in the Indian Brigade allocated to Hong Kong.
SIR ARCHIBALD NYE said that this would not be possible as it would upset the balance of the Brigade and at the present time he was very averse to removing British troops for from India. Commander-in-Chief Hong Kong would have to be told that he must make use of Indian troops for police duties.
LORD CUNNINGHAM suggested that as the Commander-in-Chief India did not expect the situation in India to deteriorate until next spring it might be possible to supply a British battalion from India in the meanwhile,
SIR ARCHIBALD NYE said that this suggestion would be impossible to carry out as it would take about a month to
it six weeks for
to become effective in Hong Kong from the date the order was given for the battalion to move from India. He felt that Admiral arcourt would have to be told that Indian troops were to be fully employed on police duties.
LORD CUNNINGHAM said that he had received a letter from Admiral Harcourt in which it appeared that it was not Admiral Harcourt who held these views but General Festing himself. He agreed to circulate an extract from the letter for the information of the Chiefs of Staff.
At the request of the Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff,
THE COMMITTEE:
Agreed to consider this matter further at their meeting on Friday, 14th December:
148
Page 170
-7-
Page 170
Page 170
Page 170Page 171