00132
CO 537/1261
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
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Long Term Problem
3. The outh ɛst ksla Dua enee Committee at a meeting on 30th August, 1946 considered the views of the Governor oi' Hong on on the extent of the garrison or that colony. Their conclusions were th. t since considerable quantities of modern arms had been supplied to China oy woth the United ingdom and the U.8.. and much equipment had been left beaind in the country by the Japanese, the assumption made by the C.-in-C.; nongong, in his appreciation, that an attacking army ould be adequately equipped still held good. They therefore considered that, to act as a deterrent, a garrison of one british brigado and one field artillery regiment would be requirsa permanently in the Colony, with another brigade group available within 5..........U. and copable of being rapidly transported to long long in emergency,
4. It had previously been suggested by the bar Ofice, that it would be undesirable to tie up degular ritish troops in rongong and that a local militia would be adequate to safeguard the frontiers of the Colony. hile it is probable that ultimately a force of this nature would be adequite ve agree with 3.A.0.3...A. that at the present time it would be insufficient, having regard to disturbed conditions in China.
5.
Furthermore it has been represented by S.A.0.9.0.A. that Indian troops, assuming India were willing to supply them, would be unsatisfactory as the sole garrison of the Colony on account of their unreliability in the event of communal disturbances.
e agree with this view.
6.
we consider, therefore, that it should be accepted in principle that the garrison of the Colony, the strength of which has already been sproved as of the order of one brigade, should consist of one ritish brigade and a field regiment as recommended by the Governor of ong ong and the S... Asia Defence Committee. This british force would be required until more stable conditions existed in China; thereafter the garrison duties should be talen over oy a local militia, all times it would be desirable to have a further brigade group available at cell within S................0.
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7. In view of the pressing need for economy in the use of British forces, it ould ou advisable for the ar Office and Colonial Office to reopen consiration of the formation of a local militia. Howuver, owing to the difficulty of fore- casting when it will be possible to disponse with the British garrison we feel it may not be possiblu for the Colonial Office to procued beyond the extent of preparing plans which could be put into erfect at short notice.
Immediate Problem
8.
While the South ast Asia Defence Committee agree with the estimates for Naval and Air Forces detailed in sub- paragraph 2(b) above they point cut that, with regard to the Army garrison, the Governor of dong ..ong has stated that the local police will not be efficient enough to allow a reduction of troops before April 1947. They consider that two
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*
S.2.A.0.0.3. 747. 6th September, 1946. 0.0.8.(46) 193(0)
S...A.0.0.8. 714. 1th June, 1946.
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