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THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

CO 537/1260

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restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet

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 copyngh

00095

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"THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

2

CO 537/1260 Please note that this copy is supplied sub W WING CAN Cortions of supply of National Archives' leader copynghi

restrictions. Further information is

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LIEUT.-GENERAL SIMPSON said that the discussion

of the Defence Committee on the report on the size of the Army as at 31st December, 1946 showed the extreme difficulty which the War Office were encountering in meeting their commitments. It appeared unlikely that the figure of 143,000, which formed the regular component of the force envisaged in Scheme B, would be reached in 1947. While, therefore, he agreed that it would be desirable to retain British troops for the garrisoning of Hong Kong, it would not be possible to find such forces. It was for this reason that the War Office had recommended that steps should be taken as soon as possible to form and train a police force or gendarmerie in Hong Kong. He suggested that whether or not the Chiefs of Staff felt able to put the proposals to the Defence Committee at the present time, the War Office might be invited to request the Colonial office to prepare plans for the provision of a police force or gendarmerie, capable of ensuring the internal security and local protection of the Colony against guerillas, without prejudice to the issue of whether or not British forces should ultimately be withdrawn.

There was general agreement with the suggestion that the War Office might invite the Colonial Office

to recruit and train such a police force or gendarmerie.

It was suggested in discussion that these forces should contain

a proportion of European personnel on lines similar to the Palestine police which had European officers and When the N.C.O.'s and locally recruited constables. training of such forces was nearing completion, the question of whether or not British forces could be withdrawn from Hong Kong could be considereds

As regards the Marine Commando brigade now stationed

at Hong Kong, MAJOR-GENERAL LAYCOCK said that he would take up with the ..dmiralty the question of their remaining or being withdrawn.

THE COMMITTEE:-

(a)

Invited the War Office to raise with the

Colonial Office the recruitment, strength and composition of the Hong Kong Police Force bearing in mind their recommendation that the proportion of European personnel should be as high as circumstances permitted.

(b) Agreed to defer consideration of the

proposal to withdraw British forces from Hong Kong until the organisation and training of the forces in (a) Wr.B nearing completion.

D.O. (46) 23rd Meeting, Minute 1.

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