00062
52
August, 1946.
simmature
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
lease note
Ref.
CO 537/1260
y is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditio
2
N
at your use of it may be subject la copyrigh
restrictions Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives" leaflet
for the delay in
0.12/BM/1105 of the
of the Hong Kong
raised required some
apart from that
ave for a few days.
t, the Chiefs of
e present to defer
posal to withdraw
Hong Kong, and the
own in CO3 telegram
namely that the
two brigades at
o one when the
ny is fully
g the point that it
work out the details
merie to replace the
re are some aspects
eplacement of troops equire further
ing into the details.
First
00063
Ref.:
CO 537/1260
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
resinctions Further informatio Please notes that this copy is supportion is given in the andosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet. subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copynght
First and foremost, we feel that the prospect a situation arising in which the troops could be withdrawn from Hong Kong is ot sufficiently hear
or certain to justify the preparation of a detailed scheme at present. If scheme were prepared now it would probably be yery much out of date by the
In this tim the question became a live igue.
An view we have beer strongly reinforced by an apprecia-
has been, tion prepared by the Hong Kong Defence Committee on certain defence questions which were remitted
? Omer
алф
It takes the form in. part of a commentary on the Report by the on the "Hong Kong
Plan Дороже
to them for consideration by the South East Asia Defence Committee. I enclose a copy of this appreciation which we have only recently received from Joint Planning Staff the Governor of Hong Kong. (would you please return it when you have finished with it as it is our only copy (P (46) 10 Final (16)
You will see that the Hong Kong Defence Committee do not accept the view that sporadic guerilla attacks on Hong Kong as a result of internal unrest or civil war in South China are most improbable. They state that whilst on local intelligence there is considered
to be no immediate threat of an attack by Chinese
War Lords, the situation in China is rapidly deteriorating and renewed hostilities between Nationalists and Communists may well be a prelude to
the reappearance of War Lords equipped with modern
arms.
They add that it is impossible to predict this
On the eventuality more than six months ahead. question of the armed forces to be maintained in Hong Kong, they express the view that until such
a time as the police and volunteer forces are up
to strength and fully trained, the minimum garrison
required for the Colony 18:
2 British infantry brigades
2 Field Artillery regiments
and
ancillary troops.
Once the police and volunteer forces are in a
position
Ronnie) dalto the 8th April Shich was appcond by the Cheeps of staff at teir mating on the 1th April
(27)
Page 75Page 76
00063
? Ome
›d
It taken the from t
part of a commentary
on the Report by the
om Joint Planning Staff
it
on the "Hong Kong
Defence Plan
(J.P (46) 10 Final (26)
Rovine) dalto
the 8th Aprel Shirt
was appeona by the Cheefs of staff at bliv mating on the
Hth April
(27)
,
is
.on
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
сте
Ref.:
lied subject in the National Archives
CO 537/1260
and that your use of it may be subjec
la that this coher information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives lean copyngh!
restrictions