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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1992
BRITISH MILITARY FORCES SECURE HK'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID HE HAD HAD AN EXTREMELY INTERESTING AND EDUCATIONAL DAY LOOKING AT THE ROLE IN WHICH THE BRITISH MILITARY FORCES PLAYED IN HELPING TO SECURE AND GUARANTEE THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING VARIOUS MILITARY FACILITIES TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR PATTEN SAID THIS WAS A ROLE THAT "THEY'VE PLAYED WITH GREAT DISTINCTION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS".
THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS DELIGHTED TO HAVE SEEN THE WORK OF THE BRITISH MILITARY FORCES HELP THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE POLICE DEAL WITH CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, IN PARTICULAR SMUGGLING,
HE
WAS ALSO PLEASED TO SEE THE WORK OF THE HONG KONG MILITARY SERVICE CORPS WHO PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SUPPORT OF THE GARRISON.
EARLIER IN THE MORNING, THE GOVERNOR, AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE BRITISH FORCES IN HONG KONG, CALLED ON HMS TAMAR WHERE HE WAS GREETED BY THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES, MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN FOLEY.,
HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE ROLE AND TASKS OF THE BRITISH FORCES HONG KONG. HE WAS ALSO TOLD OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORCES, INCLUDING ITS WITHDRAWAL PLANS AND THE RUNDOWN OF THE BRIGADE OF GURKHA AND THE HONG KONG MILITARY SERVICE CORPS.
HE THEN VISITED THE ROYAL NAVY. AT THE ENGINEERING WORKSHOPS, HE MET LOCALLY ENLISTED PERSONNEL WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF VESSELS AND EQUIPMENT AT THE NAVAL BASE.
ON BOARD HMS PEACOCK, HE LISTENED ΤΟ A BRIEFING ON THE OPERATION OF A THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA WHICH WAS ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL EQUIPMENT FOR DETECTING SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES. HE WATCHED SOME VIDEO FOOTAGES OF ANTI-SMUGGLING OPERATIONS.
AT THE BASE ENGINEERING WORKSHOP, MR PATTEN INSPECTED AN AUTO MELARA 76-MILLIMETRE GUN WHICH IS NORMALLY MOUNTED ON FRIGATES SUCH AS THE HMS PEACOCK.
HE ALSO INSPECTED A FAST PURSUIT CRAFT WHICH IS NORMALLY USED IN ANTI-SMUGGLING BY THE ROYAL MARINES.
FROM THERE, HE TOOK THE HELICOPTER TO SEK KONG. LOOKING DOWN FROM THE AIRCRAFT, HE HAD A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE GUN CLUB HILL BARRACKS, THE OSBORN AND BLACKDOWN BARRACKS, THE BRITISH MILITARY HOSPITAL AND THE HEADQUARTERS OF ROYAL AIR FORCE (RAF) AND THE HEADQUARTERS OF 48 GURKHA INFANTRY BRIGADE.
RECEIVED BY RAF COMMANDER, GROUP CAPTAIN SIMON HUNT, AT SRK KONG,
MR PATTEN TOURED THE HANGAR AND SAW AIRCRAFT ROLE DEMONSTRATION AND ENGINEERING SUPPORT FACILITIES.
/AFTER LUNCH