LIEUT. GENERAL TEMPLER said that the number of additional European high grade officers required was likely to be small. He suggested that the Service Departments could probably put the Colonial Office in touch with suitable ex-Service personnel who could be quickly and easily trained.
MR. SIDEBOTHAM, referring to paragraph 4 (g) of Annex II, said that the study now being made of Colonial forces required for internal security was a long term examination. The Colonial Office proposal to accelerate the raising of additional battalions of the Malay Regiment was a more urgent matter and he suggested that it might be examined independently as a matter of urgency.
LIEUT. GENERAL TEMPLER said that there were at present two battalions of the Malay Regiment.
It was proposed to form a third battalion shortly and a further three battalions in due course. Even if the order was given now to accelerate the formation of these battalions, other forces in Malaya could not be freed to go to Hong Kong until the end of 1949. Nevertheless, the War Office would examine the proposal as a matter of urgency.
MR. SIDEBOTHAM, referring to paragraph 1 (d) of the Appendix, said that the Civil Government would be entirely dependent on Service assistance for defending the sea frontiers against an influx of refugees. He hoped that the Royal Navy particularly would afford the Governor all the assistance in their power.
In discussion, general agreement was expressed, subject to the following amendments to Annex II and the Appendix to the report by the Joint Planning Staff.
(i)
Annex II, paragraph 4 (e) line 2, after "to counter" insert 1 and control".
(ii) Annex II, paragraph 4 (g) last three
lines, delete from "taken into account" to end of paragraph and substitute "examined as a matter of urgency by the War Office".
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(iii) Appendix, paragraph 1 (c) "OUR COMMENTS",
delete from "No additional A.A." to end of paragraph and substitute "The proposed A. A. battery of H.K.D. F. should be adequate to deal with it. As, however, this will not be operative, possibly until late 1950, interim arrangements should be made. The War Office is, at the moment, examining this".
(iv) Appendix, paragraph 2, last sentence "OUR
COMMENTS" Delete last sentence and
substitute "This point is being examined as a matter of urgency by the War Office".
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