15.
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TOP SECRET
(c) They are trained to deal with crowds, smugglers, miscreants and small parties of bandits, but the
Chinese element must be regarded as potentially unreliable until proved otherwise.
(d) They know the cities and the terrain of the NEW
TERRITORIES.
(e) Their communications, are at present, better than those
produced by the Army.
Deductions.
(a) It is reasonable to expect that the Police will be
ordered to abandon their Frontier Posts when an organisod attack across the Frontier is imminent.
(b) This withdrawal will produce a large force of disciplined
Chinese whose knowledge of the Chinese language, customs and the NEW TERRITORIES will be of great value. They will, however, be of doubtful reliability in face of a Chinese enemy.
The major portion should therefore be used in maintaining law and order throughout the NEW TERRITORIES, with small parties attached to Regular units to act as interpreters, guides, etc. They will also be extremely useful guarding communications.
(c) Some military reserve must be so placed as to be able,
either to reinforce the battle area, or support the
Police involved in Internal Security duties in HONG KONG and KO'TOON.
(d) Full use must be made of the Police intelligence system.
(e) The Police NE TERRITORIES wireless network must at all
cost be salvaged and kept operating irrespective of what Police Posts are overrun. These comunications are in- valuable to Military operations.
(f) It will be best to leave the Police in general control
of HONG KONG and KOLCON, the Military supporting and/or taking over specified areas when and where required.
SURPRISE AND INTELLIGENCE.
16.
Intelligence sources, civil and military combined,' should be able to provide a fair indication of any CHINESE intention to violate the Frontier. These sources will be assisted by the preparations taking place within the COLONY. There are, however, so many different means by which violation of the Frontier may be originated, that previous warning of the exact time, place and method of the actual attack may be extremely difficult to obtain.
17. Dugtions.
(a) All plans to meet an incursion into British Territory
must, as far as is possible, be worked out in advance.
(b) The Defence Forces of the Colony must be prepared for false alarms for which they will have to turn ou..
(c) Our intelligence service and liaison with the Frontier Police must be of the ghest order and continually efficient, before and during any trouble.
.../(a)
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