00141
eos (46) 137th mtg. miña held 10/9/46
GALLISON
no C, 0.8.(46)116th lío, tins, Hinute
knit
that the Joint 1.nnin: Staff dns rad to rupert upon umorandum
ud Operatione in the Cployment of
59
to take into account in this examination
.S. E. A. rugarding the future garrison of
COS 747
em
N
Ref.:
CO 537/1261
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
N
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leefier
Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyrigh
00142
58
(THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT)
SECRET
c.o.s. (46) 212
8TH SEPTEMBER, 1946
58
COPY NO.
CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE
N
Ref.:
CO 537/1261
"THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
1
N
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet.
Piškas now that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives Terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
EMPLOYMENT OF 3 COMMANDO BRIGADE
Memorandum by Chief of Combined Operations
The Chiefs of Staff will recall that* 3 Commando Brigade wcs diverted to Hong Kong at the time of the Japanese collapso whilst on passage to Perang, and that it has romained in Hong Kong ever since on garrison dutics.
agreed,
2. At a later date I suggested, and the Chiefs of Staff that garrison duty was not a proper role for Royal Marine Commandos and that their presence in Hong Kong should not be taken as a precedent for their employment in that role, in the future, but merely as a special measure dictated by an emergency.
3.
The duration of their stay has been extended, from time
to time, and the current agreement is that they should remain in Hong Kong until April, 1947.7
4.
The strength of the future peacetime garrison in
Hong Kong is still under discussion, pending a decision on the suitability, organization and training of the proposed Hong Kong Police Force but, whatever the outcome may be, I suggest that the stay of the Commando Brigado in Hong Kong should not be extended longer than is absolutely necessary, for the following reasons:-
(a)
The Brigado hac fallon below the standard expected of a Commando Brigade, and there is no possibility of that standard being rogained whilst the Brigadd is employed in its prosont role (described at Annex). (b) A specialist formation is thus being
employed in carrying out duties which could be better undertaken by other units.
11 SEP 1946
0. 0. R
I
¥
)
COS(45) 201st Mtg. COD(45)
281st Mtg.
COS(46) 96th Mtg.
cos(40) 116th Mtg.
-1-
า